Have you tried all the things to help with anxiety and nothing has worked? Me too! It's not your fault.

In this short introductory episode, Jessica Richards, a counselor and coach, welcomes you into "It's Not You, It's Anxiety" — a podcast created for anyone who's tried the usual solutions for anxiety and still feels overwhelmed, stuck in constant worry, or exhausted.

Jessica shares why she started this podcast, the truth she wants you to know right from the beginning, and the compassionate framework that will guide every episode.

You'll hear how her work with clients — and her own lived experience — showed her that anxiety isn't a personal failure. It's something shaped by your biology, the messages your learned, and the wild world we're all trying to navigate.

This episode sets the tone for everything to come: warm, grounding, shame-free, and rooted in real psychological insight.

You'll learn what to expect from the show, who it's for, and how it will help you understand and work with your anxiety in a way that finally feels realistic, kind, and doable.

In this episode, Jessica talks about:

Why anxiety isn't a character flaw or personal weakness

The common myths about anxiety that make people feel worse

Her own experiences with anxiety — and how she's helped herself and her clients.

What this podcast will offer:

Insight, compassion, practical tools, brain and body education, and gentle (but powerful) shifts to help anxiety

Why healing anxiety requires understanding, not criticism

How modern life makes anxiety harder — and why it's not your fault

You'll walk away with:

A sense of safety and grounding

Permission to stop blaming yourself for being anxious

An understanding of what this podcast will give you

A feeling of being welcomed into a space where you're not alone

Episode takeaway:

Your anxiety makes sense. You're not broken or behind. And there is nothing wrong with you — even if anxiety has made you feel otherwise.

*Disclaimer* This show is for information and inspiration. It is not professional mental health counseling or medical advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a mental health or medical professional.

Feeling like nothing works for your anxiety? You're not broken — you just haven't been given the right tools.

In this episode, Jessica unpacks what anxiety really is, why traditional methods often fall short, and how to start healing in and compassionate and realistic way.

Episode Summary

In this honest and deeply relatable first episode, Jessica shares her personal experience with anxiety and what she discovered after years of feeling dismissed by one-dimensional solutions.

You'll learn why anxiety isn't just a mental issue — it's a total life experience involving your biology, this modern environment you live in, and the messages you learned about yourself.

This episode offers a new way to understand anxiety and gives you permission to stop blaming yourself for not being "fixed" yet.

In This Episode, You'll Learn

• Why anxiety can't be solved by focusing on only one area (like thoughts, breathing, or medication)
• The hidden causes of anxiety that the usual approaches overlook
• How family and social messages and unrealistic expectations make anxious thinking worse
• Why validation, understanding, and compassion is crucial to healing anxiety
• What a realistic and helpful approach to anxiety really looks like

Key Quotes

"Anxiety isn't your fault — and it's not your fault that the solutions you've tried haven't worked."

"You're not broken. You've just been trying to fix something with the wrong tools."

"When help only addresses one piece of the puzzle, it can feel invalidating — like no one really gets what you're going through."

Main Takeaway

Anxiety is not a character flaw or a personal failure — and it's not your fault if traditional help hasn't helped.

Anxiety is the result of overlapping factors in your mind, body, and environment. Real healing begins with understanding and recognizing all the pieces, and approaching them with compassion.

Who This Episode Is For

This episode is for anyone who:

• Has tried therapy, medication, or meditation but still feels anxious
• Feels unseen or invalidated by typical mental health or medical advice
• Wants a more complete, compassionate way to understand and work with anxiety

Connect with Jessica Richards

Instagram: @jessica_richards_counseling

Free Guide: Get the 3 Keys to Begin Quieting Anxiety Now

Weekly Emails: Get on Board Here

Enjoyed the Episode?

If this episode helped you feel seen, please follow the show and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps others find the support they need too.

*Disclaimer* This show is for information and inspiration. It is not professional mental health counseling or medical advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a mental health or medical professional.

Do you constantly criticize yourself for feeling anxious? You're not alone — but it's not helping.

In this episode, Jessica explains why self-criticism actually fuels anxiety, how to recognize your inner critic, and what to do instead to start feeling calmer and kinder toward yourself.

Episode Summary

People with anxiety are often their own harshest critics. In this compassionate follow-up to Episode 1, Jessica explores how self-criticism and anxiety create a painful feedback loop — one that keeps you feeling stuck, tense, and unsafe.

Through relatable stories and practical insight, she shows why "beating yourself up" never works, and how shifting to understanding and compassion can immediately begin to calm your anxiety and open the door to healing.

In This Episode, You'll Learn

Why anxiety makes you blame yourself — and how that intensifies criticism

How self-criticism tricks your brain into thinking it's keeping you safe

What happens in your body when you judge yourself harshly

Simple ways to interrupt the anxiety/self-criticism cycle

A gentle exercise to replace judgment with understanding and compassion

Key Quotes

"If beating yourself up actually worked, you'd be 'perfect' by now — but you're not, and I'm not. Because criticism doesn't actually help."

"Criticism ramps us up or shuts us down — it never helps us change."

"Treat yourself the way you'd treat anyone else who had anxiety — with kindness and understanding."

Main Takeaway

You can't heal anxiety when you're beating yourself up.

Real change begins when you stop beating yourself up, stop blaming yourself for being anxious, and start meeting yourself with kindness, compassion, and understanding.

Who This Episode Is For

This episode is for anyone who:

Constantly blames themselves for feeling anxious

Feels trapped in self-criticism and perfectionism and wants a way out

Wants to feel calmer and kinder toward themselves

Connect with Jessica

Instagram: @jessica_richards_counseling

Get My Free Guide: Three Keys to Begin Quieting Anxiety Now

Weekly Emails: Get Weekly Emails Here

Enjoyed the Episode?

If this conversation helped you feel seen, please follow and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It helps others find the show — and reminds them they're not alone.

*Disclaimer* This show is for information and inspiration. It is not professional mental health counseling or medical advice. If you're struggling, please reach out to a mental health or medical professional.