The Anxious Achiever
Host Morra Aarons-Mele is on a mission to reframe how we think about anxiety and mental health in the workplace. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S. We desperately need better models for leadership and a more holistic view of mental health. Our culture tells those of us who suffer from anxiety and depression that we can’t succeed, but we tell a different story — without sugarcoating the tough stuff. We feature stories from people who’ve been there and experts who can help you thrive. Listen in your favorite podcast app: https://pod.link/1480904163 For ad inquiries, please reach out to: Network+TAA@yapmedia.com
Episodes
September 22, 2026 • 61 mins
What if anxiety isn't something you need to eliminate, but something you can learn to work with? In this episode, I sit down with Sébastien Page, Chief Investment Officer and Head of Global Multi-Asset at T. Rowe Price, to explore how personality, stress, and anxiety shape the way we lead and perform. We share how to use anxiety as fuel, the difference between mastery and ego, why relationships matter to high performance, and what ...
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September 17, 2026 • 33 mins
What does it take to keep leading when depression tells you that you can’t go on? In this classic episode, I talk with Paul Greenberg, CEO of Butter Works about building a successful career while living with severe, chronic depression and suicidal thoughts. Paul shares how he kept showing up for work, why connecting with other people gave him a sense of purpose, and what happened when decades of traditional treatments failed ...
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September 15, 2026 • 63 mins
What if the parts of yourself you feel most ashamed of are not things you need to hide or fix, but parts you need to learn to accept? In this episode, I sit down with psychologist and author Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman to talk about self-compassion, neurodivergence, shame, and what it means to find growth and meaning in the face of adversity. Scott shares why you create so much unnecessary suffering by ruminating over how others percei...
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September 10, 2026 • 38 mins
Can depression make success feel like something you have to keep earning? In this episode, I sit down with John Moe, host of The Hilarious World of Depression, to talk about depression, anxiety, and the ways mental health shapes how you work and see yourself. John shares how he learned to recognize “magical thinking” and the unreliable narrator of depression, why achievement can’t fill the gap between success and ...
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September 8, 2026 • 53 mins
How do you lead at the highest level while still taking care of yourself? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. John D’Angelo, CEO of Northwell Health, to talk about what it means to lead through uncertainty, pressure, and enormous responsibility without losing sight of your own wellbeing. John shares how his emergency medicine background shaped his approach to leadership, how anxiety has fueled his drive to succeed, and why p...
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September 3, 2026 • 49 mins
What if the patterns that helped you succeed are also holding you back at work? In this episode, I sit down with MIT professor Dr. Deborah Ancona to talk about how the “family ghosts” you carry from childhood can shape the way you handle authority, conflict, responsibility, perfectionism, and asking for help. We dive into how recognizing these patterns helps you understand your triggers, change behaviors that keep you s...
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September 1, 2026 • 53 mins
Could your workplace be making it harder for you to do your best work? In this episode, I sit down with author and neurodiversity advocate Dave Thompson to talk about designing work around how people actually function best. Dave shares what he learned from helping build a successful social enterprise with a majority-autistic workforce. We dive into neuroinclusive work, masking, and how understanding your own needs helps you do bett...
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August 27, 2026 • 38 mins
Do you ever feel like you're forcing yourself to work in ways that just don't fit how your brain works? In this episode, I sit down with Penn and Kim Holderness to talk about how understanding ADHD transforms the way you lead, create, and work together. Penn and Kim share how understanding emotional dysregulation transformed their marriage, why shame can hold people with ADHD back, and the systems they use to reduce overwhelm, unlo...
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August 25, 2026 • 55 mins
What if your biggest advantage isn't knowing what's coming next, but trusting yourself to handle whatever comes? In this episode, I sit down with author Simone Stolzoff to talk about why your need for certainty keeps you stuck and how tying your identity too closely to work leaves you vulnerable when life changes. Simone shares why uncertainty isn't something to eliminate, but a part of being human, how values and relationships pro...
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August 20, 2026 • 49 mins
Does starting over in midlife feel exciting or terrifying? In this special crossover episode, I joined Olivia F. Scott from Freedom at the Mat to talk about career pivots, identity, ambition, and what it means to rebuild in midlife. We share our own experiences with burnout, rebuilding our careers, redefining what success means, letting go of external validation, and why sometimes the bravest thing you can do is admit you don't hav...
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August 18, 2026 • 51 mins
Have you ever wondered why the way everyone else works just doesn't seem to work for you? In this episode, I introduce my TAAM framework and share what I learned from my Neuro Strength Survey of more than 1,200 neurodistinct professionals. I talk about how time, attention, agency, and motivation shape the way you work and why understanding those patterns can help you build a career that feels more aligned. Plus, I share questions t...
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August 13, 2026 • 38 mins
Have you ever tried to achieve your way out of anxiety or depression? What happens when reaching your biggest goals still doesn't make you feel like you're enough? In this episode, I sit down with NBA champion and mental health advocate Kevin Love to talk about the anxiety, depression, and constant sense of dread that existed alongside his extraordinary success. Kevin opens up about the panic attack that changed his relationship wi...
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August 11, 2026 • 46 mins
Do you know how to bring yourself back to balance when stress and anxiety take over? In this episode, I sit down with HeartMath president and co-CEO Dr. Deborah Rozman to talk about how stress, anxiety, and emotions affect your heart, brain, and nervous system. Deborah breaks down what heart rate variability measures, what it means to move into a state of coherence, and why staying activated by stress for too long can drain your en...
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August 6, 2026 • 49 mins
Does perfectionism feel like the reason you're successful and the thing that's exhausting you at the same time? In this episode, I sit down with author and workplace expert Susan Schmitt Winchester to talk about the roots of perfectionism, people-pleasing, and the constant need for external validation. Susan shares how childhood experiences follow you into the workplace, why everyday triggers send you into old patterns of fear and ...
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August 4, 2026 • 46 mins
Do you ever wonder if you're doing enough for your parents? In this episode, I sit down with Baylor University professor Dr. Allison Alford to talk about the emotional, mental, logistical, and identity work women take on to keep their families connected. Allison shares how to recognize the daughtering you're already doing, why so many women struggle to feel like a “good enough” daughter, and how family expectations shap...
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July 30, 2026 • 55 mins
Are you worried about what AI means for your job and the future of work? How do you stay grounded when technology is changing faster than you can keep up? In this episode, I sit down with Oxford Road CEO and founder Dan Granger to talk about AI anxiety, uncertainty, and what it takes to keep moving forward when the future feels impossible to predict. We dive into how to recognize when anxiety is useful, why focusing on the process ...
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July 28, 2026 • 64 mins
Do you want to become the kind of leader people genuinely trust? Could kindness be one of the most overlooked leadership skills today? In this episode, I sit down with John MacPhee, CEO of the Jed Foundation, to talk about how compassionate leadership creates stronger teams, healthier workplaces, and a greater sense of belonging. John shares how his own struggles with anxiety, failing out of college, and an unforgettable conversati...
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July 23, 2026 • 36 mins
Can your greatest struggles become the foundation for your best work? What if the way through anxiety isn't eliminating it, but creating something meaningful despite it? In this episode, I sit down with Pulitzer Prize-winning art critic Jerry Saltz to talk about growing up with profound trauma, living with panic attacks, overcoming envy, and finding purpose through creative work. Jerry shares how years of self-doubt, social anxiety...
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July 21, 2026 • 60 mins
What happens when the strategies that always worked for you suddenly stop working? How do you keep believing in yourself when success no longer feels certain? In this episode, I sit down with entrepreneur and author Jenny Blake to talk about financial uncertainty, career setbacks, and the emotional toll of building a business. Jenny shares what it was like to lose major clients, question long-held beliefs about success, navigate th...
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July 16, 2026 • 38 mins
Which conversations have you been avoiding at work? In this classic episode, I sit down with Death, Sex & Money host Anna Sale to talk about why conversations about money, mental health, and personal struggles still feel so difficult in many workplaces. We discuss the shame that often shapes our financial decisions, how your upbringing influences the way you negotiate and advocate for yourself, and what to consider before telli...
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