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  • I Thought 2016 Was the Worst Year of My Life… This One Might Be Right Up There | A Health & Anxiety Update

    I Thought 2016 Was the Worst Year of My Life… This One Might Be Right Up There | A Health & Anxiety Update
    2026/10/17

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    Wow, where do I even start? This is a full life update because this past year has honestly felt like the worst year ever, and I know I’ve only shared little pieces of it.

    From finding out I have Hashimoto’s to months of headaches, an ovarian cyst that left me in pain for three months, an ER visit, and heart test results that sent me spiraling right before a trip… it has been a lot. Add health anxiety to all of that, and you can imagine where my brain went.

    I’m sharing what happened, what I’m still waiting on answers for, and why I needed to take such a step back from work and this podcast. I had to process a lot of this myself before I could come on here and talk about it.

    And honestly, I’ve struggled with feeling like I’ve failed this past year. But looking back, I did so many things I never thought I could do. I went to the appointments. I got the tests. I got on the plane. I leaned on God through all of it.

    There’s still more to figure out, but I’m finally back. Thank you for being here. It means so much to me. 🤍

    Connect with Taylor:

    Instagram: @health_anxiety
    TikTok: @healthanxiety
    Threads: @health_anxiety
    YouTube: Health Anxiety Healer
    Chirp: chirp.me/healthanxiety
    Website: peakofpanic.com

    If this episode brought you a little more peace, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who may need this reminder today.

    You are not alone, you are not broken, and peace is something you can practice, one moment at a time.

    Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual needs. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, contact emergency services in your area.
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    43 分
  • When Your Labs Are “Normal” but You Don’t Feel Well: Hashimoto’s, IBS & Anxiety with Dr. Izabella Wentz

    When Your Labs Are “Normal” but You Don’t Feel Well: Hashimoto’s, IBS & Anxiety with Dr. Izabella Wentz
    2026/10/09
    Send us Fan MailWhat happens when you know something is wrong, but you’re repeatedly told that your laboratory results are “normal”?In this episode of Peace Over Panic, Taylor sits down with Dr. Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP, a clinical pharmacist, internationally recognized Hashimoto’s expert, and bestselling author, to explore the connections among thyroid autoimmunity, IBS, anxiety, stress, and nutrient deficiencies.Taylor shares her personal experience of discovering positive thyroid antibodies and ANA results while her thyroid hormone levels remained within range. Despite not feeling like herself, she was told there was nothing to worry about. That confusing and frustrating experience eventually led her to Dr. Wentz’s work.Dr. Wentz shares her own journey from IBS, panic attacks, acid reflux, fatigue, and hair loss to receiving a Hashimoto’s diagnosis. She explains why digestive problems and nutrient deficiencies may deserve attention, even when conventional laboratory ranges do not provide a clear explanation for someone’s symptoms.Together, they discuss how patients can become informed advocates for themselves without feeling as though they have to navigate their health alone.In this episode, we discuss:What thyroid antibodies may mean when TSH and thyroid hormone levels are still within rangeWhy women with physical symptoms are so often told that they are simply anxious or stressedDr. Wentz’s personal progression from IBS and panic attacks to Hashimoto’sThe potential relationship among gut health, stress, nutrient status, and autoimmunityWhy low ferritin, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 deserve a closer lookThe difference between being “within range” and feeling wellPossible contributors to low iron stores, including impaired absorption and gastrointestinal conditionsDr. Wentz’s approach to food sensitivities and elimination dietsH. pylori, SIBO, and other digestive concerns discussed in the episodeThe benefits and limitations of comprehensive laboratory testingWhy receiving more health data does not always make the next step obviousHow to educate yourself while still working with qualified healthcare professionalsThe foundations of Dr. Wentz’s Hashimoto’s ProtocolStress, the body’s cortisol response, circadian rhythms, and supporting energyWhy IBS should not automatically be dismissed as something a person must learn to tolerateHow Dr. Wentz’s new IBS book helps readers investigate possible contributors to their symptomsWhy asking questions does not make someone a hypochondriacMemorable quote“You’re a hypochondriac until you actually figure out what’s wrong with you. Then you’re a person who knew your body best and figured out a way out.” — Dr. Izabella WentzEpisode timestamps00:00 — Anxiety, panic attacks, and knowing something is wrong00:17 — Welcome and episode overview02:01 — Introducing Dr. Izabella Wentz02:06 — Taylor’s experience with positive ANA and thyroid antibodies04:30 — When thyroid antibodies are elevated but thyroid function appears normal07:54 — Gut health, nutrient deficiencies, and the “chicken or the egg” question12:45 — Dr. Wentz’s commonly investigated Hashimoto’s contributors15:53 — Practical starting points: food, blood sugar, and nutrient testing17:23 — Ferritin, vitamin D, anxiety, and restless legs18:16 — Understanding vitamin B12 testing21:13 — Comprehensive testing: helpful information or information overload?22:14 — Becoming an educated and empowered patient25:47 — Moving beyond hundreds of expensive tests27:50 — Where to begin with Dr. Wentz’s books and protocols30:35 — Why she wrote Adrenal Transformation Protocol35:28 — Dr. Wentz’s personal IBS story38:39 — The relationship among stress, the gut, and autoimmunity42:31 — Finding possible underlying contributors to IBS45:20 — The “hypochondriac” label and trusting what your body is telling you47:39 — Final message for anyone who feels alone in their symptomsAbout Dr. Izabella WentzDr. Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP, is a clinical pharmacist and internationally recognized specialist in Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. After receiving her Doctor of Pharmacy degree at 23, she built a career in clinical pharmacology, medication safety, and complex case investigation.After being diagnosed with Hashimoto’s in 2009, Dr. Wentz dedicated her work to investigating lifestyle factors that may influence thyroid symptoms, digestive health, stress, nutrition, and autoimmunity.She is the author of:Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis: Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root CauseHashimoto’s ProtocolHashimoto’s Food PharmacologyAdrenal Transformation ProtocolIBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel SyndromeConnect with Dr. Izabella WentzWebsite: ThyroidPharmacist.comBooks and resources: Dr. Wentz’s booksNew IBS book: IBS: Finding and Treating the Root Cause of Irritable Bowel SyndromeImportant noteThis ...
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    48 分
  • Let the Heart Flutter Pass: A Guided Meditation for Heart Anxiety

    Let the Heart Flutter Pass: A Guided Meditation for Heart Anxiety
    2026/09/09

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    A flutter. A thump. A skipped beat. When an unexpected heart sensation captures your attention, it can be difficult to think about anything else.

    This guided meditation will help you respond differently, not by forcing the sensation away, but by allowing it to exist without checking, monitoring, or attaching a frightening story to it. Through calming breathwork, gentle imagery, and acceptance-based reminders, you’ll practice noticing bodily sensations without letting them determine what happens next.

    Return to this meditation whenever heart sensations leave you feeling anxious, hyperaware, or afraid. You don’t have to wait for your body to feel perfectly quiet before returning to your life.

    Notice. Allow. Keep moving forward.

    Please note: This meditation is intended to support anxiety management and is not a substitute for medical evaluation or treatment. If you experience new, severe, or concerning symptoms, seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional.

    Connect with Taylor:

    Instagram: @health_anxiety
    TikTok: @healthanxiety
    Threads: @health_anxiety
    YouTube: Health Anxiety Healer
    Chirp: chirp.me/healthanxiety
    Website: peakofpanic.com

    If this episode brought you a little more peace, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who may need this reminder today.

    You are not alone, you are not broken, and peace is something you can practice, one moment at a time.

    Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual needs. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, contact emergency services in your area.
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    12 分
  • Therapy Isn’t Working, Now What? Finding the Right Treatment for OCD and Health Anxiety

    Therapy Isn’t Working, Now What? Finding the Right Treatment for OCD and Health Anxiety
    2026/09/04
    Send us Fan MailYou notice an unusual sensation, and your mind immediately goes to the worst-case scenario. You Google your symptoms, check your body, ask for reassurance, or schedule another appointment. Even when you’re told everything is okay, the relief doesn’t last.Then you try therapy, but you still don’t feel better. Does that mean you’re broken, or could you simply be receiving the wrong kind of treatment?In this episode of Peace Over Panic, Taylor sits down with Gracie Block, a Licensed Professional Counselor at Dallas CBT, to explore the close relationship between OCD and health anxiety and why treating these conditions requires specialized knowledge.Gracie explains the cycle of intrusive fears, compulsive behaviors, temporary relief, and renewed doubt. She also breaks down Exposure and Response Prevention, or ERP, an evidence-based treatment for OCD that helps people face uncertainty while reducing the checking, avoidance, and reassurance-seeking behaviors that keep anxiety alive.Taylor also shares her own experiences with health anxiety, feeling misunderstood in therapy, turning cognitive exercises into another source of reassurance, and eventually recognizing that an unsuccessful therapy experience did not mean she was incapable of getting better.In this conversation:How OCD and health anxiety create similar cyclesWhen a reasonable health concern becomes rigid or compulsiveWhy reassurance provides relief but may strengthen anxiety over timeThe difference between emotional processing and ruminationHow well-intended talk therapy can sometimes reinforce the OCD cycleWhy “CBT” does not always mean OCD-specific treatmentHow Exposure and Response Prevention worksWhy exposure and response prevention must be used togetherHow ERP can help someone return to activities anxiety has taken awayThe roles of ACT, DBT, trauma treatment, and EMDRWhy therapy must be tailored to the individualWhat recovery from OCD can realistically look likeThe questions to ask when searching for an OCD therapistHow to recognize specialized training in OCD and ERPWhy not improving in therapy does not mean you are brokenAbout Gracie BlockGracie Block is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Dallas CBT. She works with children, adolescents, young adults, and families experiencing OCD, anxiety, depression, trauma, and emotional dysregulation.Her approach incorporates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Exposure and Response Prevention, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Gracie brings both professional expertise and personal understanding to her work with OCD and anxiety.Approximate timestamps00:01 The cycle of health anxiety01:20 Introducing Gracie and Dallas CBT03:30 Why Gracie chose to specialize in OCD and anxiety05:20 What OCD actually looks like08:20 How health anxiety overlaps with OCD10:10 Responsible healthcare versus compulsive checking12:35 Why talk therapy may not be enough15:10 Taylor’s experiences with therapy and feeling misunderstood17:55 Emotional processing versus rumination20:05 Understanding CBT22:05 Why ERP is different from traditional CBT23:35 How exposure and response prevention work together24:15 Medical clearance and health-anxiety exposures28:05 Safety behaviors and the “emotional support water bottle”30:15 What recovery and progress can look like34:10 ACT, DBT, trauma treatment, and EMDR38:10 Other approaches to OCD treatment40:40 How to find a qualified OCD therapist44:20 Dallas CBT resources, virtual care, and referralsResourcesLearn more about Gracie BlockVisit Dallas CBTFind OCD information and treatment resources through the International OCD FoundationSearch the IOCDF Resource DirectoryLearn how to evaluate a prospective OCD therapistThis episode is intended for education and encouragement only. It does not provide a diagnosis or replace individualized mental-health or medical care. If you are experiencing a new or concerning physical symptom, consult an appropriate healthcare professional.Connect with Taylor:Instagram: @health_anxietyTikTok: @healthanxietyThreads: @health_anxietyYouTube: Health Anxiety HealerChirp: chirp.me/healthanxietyWebsite: peakofpanic.comIf this episode brought you a little more peace, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who may need this reminder today.You are not alone, you are not broken, and peace is something you can practice, one moment at a time.Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual needs. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, contact emergency services in your area.
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    49 分
  • Finding Peace While Waiting for Test Results | Guided Meditation for Anxiety

    Finding Peace While Waiting for Test Results | Guided Meditation for Anxiety
    2026/08/24

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    Waiting for test results can feel unbearable to those struggling with anxiety. You are not alone in this.

    In this guided meditation, we’re creating space to step away from the “what ifs,” stop trying to predict what comes next, and find peace in the middle of uncertainty.

    Through calming breathwork, visualization, and faith-filled encouragement, you’ll be guided across a foggy lake, a reminder that uncertainty is not the same thing as danger. You may not be able to see what’s on the other side yet, but you don’t have to figure it all out today.

    We’ll practice releasing the questions you can’t answer, coming back to the life that is happening right now, and trusting that God is already present in whatever tomorrow holds.

    Because peace doesn’t always come when the fog disappears.

    Sometimes peace comes when Light enters the uncertainty.


    If you’re waiting on bloodwork, imaging, a biopsy, a doctor’s call, or any kind of medical answer, this meditation is for you.

    Take a breath. Set down the umbrella. Rest in the boat.

    You don’t have to cross tomorrow’s bridge today. 💛

    CONNECT WITH TAYLOR 💛

    For more anxiety recovery tools, encouragement, and resources:

    Instagram: @health_anxiety
    TikTok: @healthanxiety
    YouTube: healinghealthanxiety
    Website: peakofpanic.com

    🎙️ Peace Over Panic Podcast
    Follow or subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts so you never miss an episode.

    If this episode helped you, consider leaving a rating or review. It helps more people struggling with anxiety find the podcast and reminds them that they aren't alone.

    More resources + information:
    Visit peakofpanic.com

    Peace Over Panic is for educational and supportive purposes and is not a substitute for individualized medical or mental health care.


    Connect with Taylor:

    Instagram: @health_anxiety
    TikTok: @healthanxiety
    Threads: @health_anxiety
    YouTube: Health Anxiety Healer
    Chirp: chirp.me/healthanxiety
    Website: peakofpanic.com

    If this episode brought you a little more peace, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who may need this reminder today.

    You are not alone, you are not broken, and peace is something you can practice, one moment at a time.

    Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual needs. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, contact emergency services in your area.
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    8 分
  • Real People, Real Stories: “I Thought I Was Dying” : Alex’s Story of Health Anxiety, Panic & Faith

    Real People, Real Stories: “I Thought I Was Dying” : Alex’s Story of Health Anxiety, Panic & Faith
    2026/08/22

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    What happens when anxiety has been part of your life for so long that you don't even realize it's anxiety? In the first episode of Real People, Real Stories, Taylor sits down with Peace Over Panic community member Alex to have an honest conversation about what it actually looks like to live with health anxiety and panic, not from a textbook, but from someone who has lived it.

    Alex shares how anxiety showed up long before she had a name for it: stomachaches, trouble sleeping, fear around her health, hypervigilance, and constantly feeling like something might be wrong. Then, in her twenties, a terrifying panic attack in a Chick-fil-A drive-thru changed everything.

    What followed was the fear of having another panic attack, physical symptoms that felt impossible to believe were anxiety, health anxiety, medication, therapy, avoidance, and the exhausting desire to feel certain and in control.

    But this episode isn't only about anxiety.

    Alex and Taylor talk about childhood experiences that can shape the way we seek safety as adults, the shame that can come with struggling with mental health, medication and why there isn't one right path for everyone, and what it means to keep living even when anxiety comes with you.

    They also have an honest conversation about faith, including struggling with anxiety as a Christian, learning to release control, finding peace in God during the moments that feel impossible, and recognizing that having faith doesn't mean never feeling afraid.

    Alex shares how she went from once having to get off a plane because of panic to traveling to Paris, London, Australia, Japan and beyond , sometimes with anxiety still right beside her.

    Because healing doesn't always mean you never feel anxious again.

    Sometimes it means realizing: I can feel anxious and still live my life.

    In this episode, we talk about:

    • Alex's first panic attack and the moment she realized what she had experienced for years was anxiety
    • Health anxiety and physical symptoms that feel incredibly real
    • Becoming afraid of having another panic attack
    • How anxiety and hypervigilance can begin early in life
    • The need for control and learning to accept uncertainty
    • Medication, therapy, exercise and finding what works for you
    • Why anxiety can make your world smaller
    • The shame and guilt that often accompany mental health struggles
    • Faith, fear and what it means to surrender control to God
    • The importance of community and talking to people who truly understand
    • Doing things afraid instead of waiting for anxiety to disappear
    • What choosing Peace Over Panic means to Alex

    If you've ever thought, “No one understands what this feels like,” this conversation is for you.

    You are not the only one. You are not alone in this experience. And anxiety does not have to become the whole story of your life.

    Real People, Real Stories is a Peace Over Panic series sharing honest conversations with everyday people who have lived through anxiety, panic, OCD, health anxiety and other mental health struggles, because sometimes one of the most healing things we can hear is simply: “Me too.”

    💛 Follow Peace Over Panic for more real conversations, recovery tools, faith-filled encouragement and reminders that there is life beyond anxiety.

    Connect with Taylor:

    Instagram: @health_anxiety
    TikTok: @healthanxiety
    Threads: @health_anxiety
    YouTube: Health Anxiety Healer
    Chirp: chirp.me/healthanxiety
    Website: peakofpanic.com

    If this episode brought you a little more peace, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who may need this reminder today.

    You are not alone, you are not broken, and peace is something you can practice, one moment at a time.

    Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual needs. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, contact emergency services in your area.
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    1 時間 17 分
  • Peace in the Uncertainty | A Christian Meditation for Anxiety

    Peace in the Uncertainty | A Christian Meditation for Anxiety
    2026/08/17

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    Today’s meditation is for anyone carrying something heavy, a symptom, a diagnosis, an unanswered prayer, uncertainty about the future, or a situation you desperately wish would change.

    Inspired by Psalm 42 and Jeremiah 29, this meditation is a reminder that you don’t have to wait until everything feels okay to start living your life again.

    Fear will always want more answers. More certainty. More reassurance about what happens next. But peace doesn’t require knowing how everything will turn out. We can trust God in the waiting, in the questions, and in the moments when we still don’t understand.

    You don’t have to wait until every symptom is explained.
    You don’t have to wait until every fear is gone.
    You don’t have to wait until every prayer is answered.

    You can live today.

    Take a few minutes to breathe, release what you’ve been carrying, and remember:

    I don’t need all the answers today. I just need God’s grace for today.

    You got through yesterday. You’re getting through today. And God will be with you tomorrow. 💛

    Connect with Taylor:

    Instagram: @health_anxiety
    TikTok: @healthanxiety
    Threads: @health_anxiety
    YouTube: Health Anxiety Healer
    Chirp: chirp.me/healthanxiety
    Website: peakofpanic.com

    If this episode brought you a little more peace, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who may need this reminder today.

    You are not alone, you are not broken, and peace is something you can practice, one moment at a time.

    Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual needs. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, contact emergency services in your area.
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    6 分
  • My Story of Health Anxiety, OCD & Panic Attacks

    My Story of Health Anxiety, OCD & Panic Attacks
    2026/08/15

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    Before I became the person talking about anxiety online, I was the girl who looked like she had it all together.

    A 4.0 student. A perfectionist. An athlete. Someone constantly chasing achievement, approval, and the next milestone.

    But underneath that picture-perfect life, I was exhausted.

    In this deeply personal episode, I'm sharing the full story of how one terrifying panic attack in 2014 changed everything. What followed were years of panic attacks, debilitating health anxiety, OCD, emergency room visits, intrusive thoughts, derealization, and believing my life would never be the same again.

    I'm also sharing how recovery wasn't a straight line, why anxiety returned years later in a different way, and how faith became the foundation that carried me through my darkest seasons.

    If you've ever felt trapped by anxiety or wondered if you'll ever feel like yourself again, I hope this episode reminds you that healing is possible.

    In This Episode

    • What my life looked like before anxiety
    • The perfectionism and pressure that were silently breaking me
    • The night I experienced my very first panic attack
    • Why I became convinced I was dying
    • My struggle with health anxiety, OCD, intrusive thoughts, and constant reassurance seeking
    • Emergency room visits, avoidance, and feeling completely hopeless
    • How anxiety affected my relationships, school, and identity
    • The role nutrition and becoming a registered dietitian played in my healing
    • Why I started sharing my journey online
    • The anxiety relapse that humbled me years later
    • How my relationship with God transformed my recovery
    • What I want Peace Over Panic to become for anyone who is struggling

    If This Episode Helped You

    If this episode encouraged you, I'd be so grateful if you would:

    ⭐ Follow or subscribe to the podcast
    ⭐ Leave a rating and written review
    ⭐ Share this episode with someone who needs hope today

    Your support helps Peace Over Panic reach more people who are silently struggling with anxiety.

    Join the Community

    💛 Join our free Peace Over Panic Facebook community.

    📩 Follow along on Instagram: @health_anxiety

    🌐 Website: peakofpanic.com

    Remember

    Healing doesn't happen overnight.

    Recovery isn't about never feeling anxious again—it's about learning that anxiety no longer gets to decide how your story ends.

    No matter where you are today, there is hope.

    I'm so glad you're here.

    Connect with Taylor:

    Instagram: @health_anxiety
    TikTok: @healthanxiety
    Threads: @health_anxiety
    YouTube: Health Anxiety Healer
    Chirp: chirp.me/healthanxiety
    Website: peakofpanic.com

    If this episode brought you a little more peace, follow the show, leave a rating or review, and share it with someone who may need this reminder today.

    You are not alone, you are not broken, and peace is something you can practice, one moment at a time.

    Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your individual needs. If you are experiencing a medical or mental health emergency, contact emergency services in your area.
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    44 分