Anxiety Matters

Bonnie Zucker & Bonnie Zucker
  • 4.9 (68)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

What are the odds of two psychologists, both named Bonnie Zucker, and both specializing in anxiety and cognitive-behavioral therapy, finding each other across the country? When they met, their connection was instant and electric. Join them here as they explore anxiety from every angle - unpacking disorders, examining societal stressors, and hosting conversations with dynamic guests. They’ll share research-backed strategies to help you and your loved ones manage anxiety, and bring warmth, wisdom, and humor to the conversation. Whether you're curious about the topic or seeking specific tools, the two Dr. Bonnie Zuckers offer expert advice, inspiration, and plenty of engaging moments. Don’t miss out on this compelling and insightful journey. *The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.*

  1. 5d ago

    Anxiety Q&A: Real Questions - Evidence-Based Answers

    Bonnie and Bonnie talk about comments BZW has received on her social media posts about fear of flying, which drew a large response. People described fears of crashing, being stuck on the plane, turbulence, getting sick, and having panic attacks during flights. A major part of their conversation focuses on vomiting fears, which they share is a common specific phobia. They discuss how some people fear vomiting because it is disgusting, while others fear getting sick, gagging, or not being able to breathe, and they share exposure-based approaches such as watching vomiting videos, gagging exercises, and gradual food-related exposure. They also touch on panic attack “kits” and other safety objects such as sour candy, ice packs, Xanax, water bottles, and phones. They explain that these can feel helpful at first, but that treatment often involves reducing safety behaviors so that panic stops feeling dangerous and life is less organized around avoiding it. Finally, they answer a question about whether GERD or acid reflux can be connected to panic attacks or anxiety. They explain that physical symptoms can trigger anxiety, that the gut-brain connection may play a role, and that treating the physical symptoms can sometimes reduce anxiety, often in coordination with other medical care. HIGHLIGHTS: 0:07 Flying Fears Online 3:33 Vomiting Phobias 8:18 Panic Kit Debate 12:27 Gut-Brain Anxiety CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

  2. Jul 16

    What Drains You & What Fuels You: Establishing Better Boundaries for Mental Health

    The Bonnies talk about healthy boundaries and why saying yes too quickly can lead to stress, resentment, and over-commitment. They discuss the value of pausing before agreeing to requests, checking whether guilt or obligation is driving our decisions, and thinking through time and energy demands. Each share examples of setting and missing boundaries, including turning down an unpaid, high-stress therapy role and realizing that staying up late for fireworks was not worth the loss of sleep. They also talk about boundaries with themselves, such as protecting sleep, noticing when plans no longer fit what we need, and treating mistakes as learning opportunities. They also cover practical ways to make boundary-setting easier, including listing what gives us energy and what drains us, paying attention to body and mood cues, and reviewing commitments with fresh eyes. They also note that this applies across work, friendships, family obligations, and traditions, and that practicing saying no can make it easier over time. HIGHLIGHTS: 0:48 Healthy Boundaries 4:14 Sleep Boundary Mistakes 10:23 July Fourth Decisions 13:31 Energy Audit Exercise 18:46 Boundary Practice Tips 22:36 Protecting Your Well-Being 24:17 Make a Boundary List mentioned in episode Vibrate Higher Daily: https://a.co/d/0iRfappV CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

  3. Jul 9

    Death Anxiety: How to Cope with the Fear of Dying with Hospice Nurse Penny

    Bonnie and Bonnie talk about death and dying through the lens of anxiety, and discuss how direct, clear language can help make the topic less frightening. They also share how avoiding words like “died” can increase fear, especially for children, and why early, honest conversations about death matter. The two speak with Penny Smith, a recently retired hospice and palliative care nurse, author of *Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living*, and social media educator known as Hospice Nurse Penny. Penny shares her personal history, including addiction, jail, and becoming a nurse at 40 and explains that learning about death and working in hospice helped reduce her own death anxiety and gave her a sense of service and purpose. She describes what dying can look like in hospice, including transitioning, body changes, and deathbed visions. Penny explains that these experiences are often comforting, are not the same as hallucinations, and are part of what she considers normal at the end of life. They discuss acceptance as a major part of reducing fear of death. Penny says that talking about death, seeing dying as a natural process, and educating families can reduce anxiety and help people focus more on living than on worrying about dying. HIGHLIGHTS: 3:17 Meet Hospice Nurse Penny 6:04 From Addiction to Hospice 9:54 Talking Death With Kids 14:16 Normalizing the Dying Process 18:27 Deathbed Visions and Acceptance 21:52 Personal Encounters With Death 28:05 What Dying People See 33:29 Hallucinations or Visions? 36:44 The Nun’s Final Insight 40:09 TikTok and the Ripple Effect connect with Hospice Nurse Penny website: https://www.hospicenursepenny.com Influencing Death: https://www.hospicenursepenny.com/book mentioned in this episode Book by Bonnie Zucker - Something Very Sad Happened: https://a.co/d/0dkKVH0V CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

    Death Anxiety: How to Cope with the Fear of Dying with Hospice Nurse Penny

  4. Jul 2

    Travel Anxiety Explained: Expert Tips for Stress-Free Trips

    In this episode, BZW and BZE talk about travel anxiety and the different forms it can take. They discuss fear of flying, worry about being far from home, concern about leaving a house unattended, and anxiety about pets, work, or access to medical care while away. They also talk about how anticipatory anxiety can build before a trip and how it can affect decisions about whether to go, how long to stay, and how far to travel. They suggest identifying the specific root of the fear so it can be addressed directly. A major theme is using a values-driven approach rather than letting fear make the decision. The Bonnies talk about remembering why we are traveling, such as spending time with family, taking a break, and experiencing new places and cultures. They also discuss practical coping strategies, including checking in with other people to compare worries, arranging care for pets and the house, and using graded exposure when possible. For fear of flying, they suggest, if possible, starting with shorter flights or, if needed, using a simulated long-flight exercise. HIGHLIGHTS: 2:11 Why Travel Feels Scary 4:45 Finding The Positive 7:35 Root Causes And Reframes 10:38 Graded Exposure For Flying 14:37 My Travel Scam Story 18:46 Pets And Trip Planning 22:37 Vacation Advice CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

  5. Jun 25

    LGBTQ+, Mental Health & DBT Skills: Tools for Emotional Well-Being with Dr. Kiki Fehling

    Dr. Kiki Fehling (aka DBT Kiki) is back with the Bonnies to discuss dialectical behavior therapy, LGBTQ+ mental health, and how language shapes understanding and treatment. They discuss why DBT has been useful for many different concerns, including anxiety, emotional dysregulation, PTSD, substance use, eating disorders, and depression. Kiki explains DBT’s main skill areas: emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. They all agree that DBT breaks complex problems into concrete, structured steps, and how that makes the skills easier to use in daily life and in therapy. A major focus of the conversation is minority stress and its impact on LGBTQ+ people. They discuss discrimination, anticipated discrimination, and internalized stigma, as well as the importance of affirming language, representation, and feeling understood. Kiki goes on to clarify terms such as queer, cisgender, and related identity language. The Bonnies ask about the development of Kiki's LGBTQ+ Mental Health Workbook and her work making evidence-based psychotherapy more accessible. Also discussed is how queer people can use DBT skills like opposite action, coping skills, and community connection to respond to shame, anxiety, and rejection sensitivity. They close with a discussion of resilience, queer joy, intersectionality, and collective support. Dr. Fehling also mentions practical ways to find resources, including LGBTQ+ community centers, affirming therapists, and independent bookstores. HIGHLIGHTS: 3:39 DBT Becomes More Accessible 5:33 What DBT Really Teaches 10:34 Why This Book Matters 12:47 Queer Language and Identity 17:46 Understanding Minority Stress 24:54 Bi Visibility and Stigma 29:53 Resilience and Queer Joy 32:59 DBT Skills for Queer Clients 37:16 Finding Safe Resources connect with DBT Kiki website: https://www.kikifehling.com substack: https://howtoqueerjoy.substack.com The LGBTQ+ Mental Health Workbook: https://www.kikifehling.com/lgbtqworkbook resources mentioned: CenterLink: https://www.lgbtqcenters.org Bookshop: https://bookshop.org CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

    LGBTQ+, Mental Health & DBT Skills: Tools for Emotional Well-Being with Dr. Kiki Fehling

  6. Jun 18

    From Rested to Joyful: Psychological Strategies for a Better Life

    In this episode the Bonnies continue their discussion of sleep and what they learned after our previous conversation about CBT-I for insomnia. They review core sleep as including REM and deep sleep, and note that adults are generally still recommended to get seven to nine hours of sleep. They talk about how people often become anxious about not sleeping well and start catastrophizing about the next day. They each share their own recent experiences of getting too little sleep, including waking early, getting out of bed instead of lying awake, and finding that they could still function and work through the day. The two then discuss how tiredness can sometimes change our mood and behavior in unexpected ways. BZE describes being more patient with ourselves, lowering our standards a little, and becoming calmer or more reflective when we are exhausted. They also mention that being tired can sometimes reduce anxiety and interrupt hypervigilance. The episodes wraps up by turning to the idea of joy and a book BZE recently started reading, Joyful Anyway by Kate Bowler. They talk about how difficult things and joy can exist at the same time, and how important it is to notice access to joy in daily life, even when the world feels overwhelming. HIGHLIGHTS: 0:39 Core Sleep Explained 3:55 Rethinking a Bad Night 8:02 Flow and Self-Compassion 12:24 Finding Joy Anyway 16:30 Lightness After Darkness mentioned in this episode: Joyful Anyway by Kate Bowler: https://a.co/d/05ornj2P Seat of the Soul by Gary Zukav: https://a.co/d/0hlFqvLh CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

  7. Jun 11

    Why You Can't Sleep and How CBT-I Fixes It with guest Dr. Jesse Spiegel

    The Bonnies introduce Dr. Jesse Spiegel, a licensed clinical psychologist who treats children, adolescents, and adults. This episode focuses on insomnia and on cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, or CBTI, which they discuss as a first-line treatment. Dr. Jesse explains how insomnia is distinguished from short-term sleep problems. He describes chronic insomnia as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early, occurring at least three nights a week for at least three months, with clear distress or impaired functioning. They discuss the main ideas behind CBTI and talk about sleep drive, circadian timing, and arousal, and how these factors interact with chronotype. Dr. Jesse notes that morning and evening types may have different sleep patterns, and we discuss that chronotype is largely biological. Dr. Jesse also covers the behavioral parts of treatment. He explains stimulus control, including going to bed only when sleepy, getting out of bed if unable to sleep, using the bed only for sleep and sex, waking at the same time each day, and avoiding naps when possible. He then describes sleep restriction, where time in bed is adjusted to better match actual sleep time in order to improve sleep efficiency. Finally, they talk about the thoughts and habits that can keep insomnia going. Also mentioned is worry, catastrophic thinking, safety behaviors, and the way sleep tracking devices can become unhelpful for some people. The goal with treatment is that it aims to reduce pressure around sleep and make it feel more effortless. HIGHLIGHTS: 6:03 Meet Dr. Jesse Spiegel 7:38 What Is CBT-I? 12:02 Sleep Drive and Body Clock 19:40 Bed Becomes a Battleground 23:48 How CBTI Treats Insomnia 30:09 The Core Sleep Debate 34:20 Calming Sleep Anxiety 39:10 Reframing Sleep Thoughts 43:23 Wearables and Sleep Logs connect with Dr. Jesse website: https://www.drjessespiegel.com CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

    Why You Can't Sleep and How CBT-I Fixes It with guest Dr. Jesse Spiegel

  8. Jun 4

    A Day in the Life of an OCD Psychologist (part 2): The Effectiveness of ERP for OCD

    In this part 2 BZE and BZW discuss anxiety and OCD through their clinical work and personal experiences, including a recent visit in Maryland and time spent together in person. They talk about exposure work at Whole Foods, contamination fears, and how exposures can be broken into smaller steps while still helping retrain reactions to triggering situations. They also discuss social anxiety, selective attention to negative events, and the body’s physical anxiety response, including adrenaline, cortisol, shortness of breath, and a faster heartbeat. Along the way, they share a few personal moments from the visit, including the BZE's dog, a train delay, and a mix-up over continuing education credits. HIGHLIGHTS: 2:54 OCD Exposures Explained 6:45 Anxiety and Threat Perception 10:24 Unattended Drinks and Safety 17:34 Cassidy’s Warm Welcome 19:20 Train Ride Troubles 21:24 Mixed-Up CEs CONNECT WITH THE BONNIE ZUCKERS: Bonnie Zucker Ph.D.(west) website: https://www.bonniezuckerphd.com Newsletter sign-up: https://bonnie-zucker-ph-d.kit.com/d44b57fcdf Books by Bonnie West: https://a.co/d/04aNJFDZ Bonnie Zucker Psy.D. (east) website: https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com Books by Bonnie East: https://shorturl.at/MxvRZ The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.

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About

What are the odds of two psychologists, both named Bonnie Zucker, and both specializing in anxiety and cognitive-behavioral therapy, finding each other across the country? When they met, their connection was instant and electric. Join them here as they explore anxiety from every angle - unpacking disorders, examining societal stressors, and hosting conversations with dynamic guests. They’ll share research-backed strategies to help you and your loved ones manage anxiety, and bring warmth, wisdom, and humor to the conversation. Whether you're curious about the topic or seeking specific tools, the two Dr. Bonnie Zuckers offer expert advice, inspiration, and plenty of engaging moments. Don’t miss out on this compelling and insightful journey. *The content of Anxiety Matters Podcast is for informational purposes only and does not constitute mental health or medical advice, nor is it a substitute for professional mental health or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, call emergency services or a local crisis line.*

Information

  • Creator
    Bonnie Zucker & Bonnie Zucker
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    77
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 Bonnie Zucker & Bonnie Zucker
  • Show Website
    Anxiety Matters

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