Faith Meets Neuroscience: Overcoming Anxiety in a Culture of Perfectionism

If you're constantly feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or stuck in "hustle mode," this episode offers hope, encouragement, and tools grounded in both faith and neuroscience. Health journalist Natalie Tysdal sits down with Alicia Michelle—certified neuro coach and author of Emotional Confidence: 3 Simple Steps to Manage Emotions with Science and Scripture—to explore how we can rewire emotional patterns, manage anxiety, and find lasting peace through practical tools and spiritual renewal.

Expect science-backed strategies, powerful stories, and faith-filled insights to help you trade perfectionism and performance for emotional confidence and self-compassion.

3 Must-Know Takeaways from This Episode:

 
• Anxiety Isn't a Sign You're Broken—It's a Signal
  
    Honoring emotions (instead of pushing through or "faking positivity") opens the door to deep healing and a more honest relationship with God.

  
 
• Faith and Neuroscience Work Together
  
    Understanding how your brain creates emotional patterns—and how to renew them with grace—gives you power to respond with intention, not fear.

  
 
• Simple, Actionable Tools to Calm Your Mind
  
    Alicia shares everyday techniques like box breathing, journaling, and choosing safe expression to help you reset your nervous system and model emotional resilience for your family.

In This Conversation, We Cover:

 
• Why pushing through anxiety and perfectionism often leads to emotional burnout

 
• Alicia's personal health crisis and her journey from performance to peace

 
• The subconscious roots of overwhelm and "never feeling enough"

 
• The ADD Method: a practical model for processing emotions with self-compassion

 
• How to activate your parasympathetic nervous system

 
• The difference between toxic positivity and authentic hope

 
• How faith, prayer, and honest reflection shape long-term emotional well-being

 
• The importance of modeling healthy emotions for your kids

Featured Resource:

Grab Alicia's new book, Emotional Confidence: 3 Simple Steps to Manage Emotions with Science and Scripture

Available now on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4m6Ptk8

Stay Connected with Natalie:

 
• Website: https://www.natalietysdal.com

 
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ntysdal

 
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ntysdal

 
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NatalieTysdal

New episodes every Monday. Subscribe and get weekly wellness wisdom, straight to your feed.

DISCLAIMER:

Natalie Tysdal is a health journalist, not a licensed medical professional. This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.