Block Out the Noise: Helping Teens and Young Adults Overcome Anxiety

Jessica Davis - Mindset Coach for Anxious Teens & Young Adults

Do you ever feel like your anxiety is running the show—making even small decisions feel overwhelming, and leaving you stuck in your head replaying everything? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to stay stuck. Welcome to Block Out the Noise—the go-to podcast for teens and young adults who want to quiet the mental chaos of anxiety, self-doubt, and overthinking and finally feel confident enough to take action, make decisions, and celebrate their growth. Each week, licensed therapist and mindset coach Jessica Davis shares practical tools, relatable stories, and empowering mindset shifts using her signature C.O.U.R.A.G.E. Method to help you stop letting fear and perfectionism hold you back. This isn’t just about managing anxiety.  It’s about helping you: Feel more in control of your thoughtsBuild real confidence (even when you're second-guessing yourself)Stop beating yourself up for every little mistakeAnd finally trust yourself and your progress If you’ve ever asked yourself… How do I stop overthinking and feel more in control?Why do I feel so behind, even when I’m trying my best?How can I be proud of myself without feeling guilty?How do I handle school, social anxiety, and expectations without shutting down?What is the C.O.U.R.A.G.E. Method—and can it really help me?…then this podcast is for you. Block Out the Noise is your safe space to feel seen, supported, and reminded that you are not too much—and you are never not enough. 🎧 New episodes every Monday. ✨ Follow along for weekly support and reminders that you’re stronger than your anxiety wants you to believe.

  1. 4D AGO

    62 | You Know You Should Say Something… But You Don’t

    Why do hard conversations feel so scary, even when you know something needs to be said?Why do you stay quiet when someone crosses a line, hurts your feelings, or pushes a boundary?What if staying silent is not protecting your relationships, but slowly creating resentment and distance? In this episode, Jessica Davis breaks down why speaking up feels so hard when you struggle with anxiety, people-pleasing, or self-doubt. If you’ve ever rehearsed a conversation in your head, talked yourself out of saying what you feel, or stayed quiet to keep the peace, this episode will help you understand what is happening underneath the surface. She explains how the fawn response shows up in hard conversations, why your nervous system reacts like conflict is danger, and why avoiding difficult conversations often creates more emotional pain over time. You’ll also learn why conflict is not the enemy of healthy relationships, avoidance is. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: Why staying quiet feels safe in the momentHow people-pleasing keeps you stuck in anxiety and resentmentWhat the fawn response is and why it makes you shrink during conflictWhy avoiding hard conversations creates distance and disconnectionWhy conflict is not the problem, but avoidance often isHow to speak up before your emotions build and come out sidewaysWhy “I feel” statements help you communicate without attackingHow using your voice builds confidence and self-trustGot a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! RESOURCES: Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming! JOIN our NEWSLETTER! Get weekly emails about upcoming podcasts, but also how to fight against anxiety! 📱 Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | Threads  🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients. Links:  Anxiety Survival Toolkit: https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/ Newsletter: https://blockoutthenoisepodcast.substack.com/welcome Davis-Smith Mental Health: https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/ 1:1 Confidence Coaching: https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching ⚠️ Disclaimer:  Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical stra...

    12 min
  2. APR 27

    61 | Why Working On Yourself Is Making Your Anxiety Worse

    Why does working on yourself make your anxiety worse instead of better?Why do you feel more overwhelmed after you finally decide to change? What if this anxiety is not a sign to stop, but a sign that what you’re doing actually matters? In this episode, Jessica Davis breaks down why anxiety often increases when you start working on yourself. If you’ve ever set a goal, started a new habit, or tried to improve your life and felt more stressed, more overwhelmed, or ready to quit, this episode will help you understand why. She explains how your nervous system reacts when something feels important, why anxiety and excitement feel the same in your body, and how the avoidance cycle keeps you stuck. You’ll also learn how to tell the difference between anxiety that means “this matters” and anxiety that signals misalignment. This episode walks you through six clear steps to help you stop quitting in moments of overwhelm, make decisions with a clear mind, and stay consistent even when progress feels slow. If you’ve been stuck in the cycle of starting and stopping, this will help you move forward with confidence and clarity. What You’ll Learn in this Episode: Why anxiety often gets worse when you start working on yourselfHow your brain connects anxiety with avoidance and quittingThe difference between anxiety that signals growth and anxiety that signals misalignmentWhy you should not make decisions when you feel overwhelmedHow to pause without quitting and break the stop-start cycleFive questions to help you get clear on what you wantWhy your core values determine whether you should keep goingHow to handle the “middle phase” where nothing feels like it’s workingWhy most people quit too early and how to avoid itGot a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! RESOURCES: Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming! JOIN our NEWSLETTER! Get weekly emails about upcoming podcasts, but also how to fight against anxiety! 📱 Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | Threads  🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients. Links:  Anxiety Survival Toolkit: https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/ Newsletter: https://blockoutthenoisepodcast.substack.com/welcome Davis-Smith Mental Health: https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/ 1:1 Confidence Coaching: https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching ⚠️ Disclaimer:  Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical stra...

    13 min
  3. APR 20

    60 | Am I Just Being Dramatic, Or Is This Anxiety?

    Are you anxious, or have you convinced yourself you’re “just being dramatic”?Do you keep second-guessing what you feel instead of taking it seriously?What if the problem isn’t that you’re too dramatic, but that you’ve been minimizing something real? In this episode, Jessica Davis breaks down why so many teens and young adults second-guess their own anxiety and dismiss what they’re feeling before they ever get help. She talks about where that self-doubt comes from, how anxiety is different from everyday worry, and why you do not need a formal diagnosis for your experience to matter. This episode also explores how to stop minimizing your struggle, how to better understand what support looks like for you, and how to communicate that to the people in your life.  What You’ll Learn in This Episode:   Why so many people question whether their anxiety is “real”  How being labeled “too much” can shape the way you view your emotions  The difference between normal worry and anxiety that starts affecting daily life  Why you do not need a diagnosis for your struggle to deserve support  How minimizing your anxiety can lead to more shame and less progress  Why people in your life may not understand what you need right away  How to figure out what support looks like for you and ask for it more clearlyGot a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! RESOURCES: Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming! JOIN our NEWSLETTER! Get weekly emails about upcoming podcasts, but also how to fight against anxiety! 📱 Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | Threads  🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients. Links:  Anxiety Survival Toolkit: https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/ Newsletter: https://blockoutthenoisepodcast.substack.com/welcome Davis-Smith Mental Health: https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/ 1:1 Confidence Coaching: https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching ⚠️ Disclaimer:  Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical stra...

    16 min
  4. APR 13

    59 | Why You Can’t Stop Thinking Something Is Wrong With Your Body

    What if every symptom feels bigger than it should? Why does reassurance never seem to last? How do you stop anxiety from turning your body into something you constantly fear?  In this episode, Jessica Davis talks about health anxiety and the exhausting cycle of body scanning, symptom checking, Googling, and needing reassurance. She breaks down why this spiral feels so convincing, why it hits teens and young adults so hard, and what you can start doing to loosen its grip so anxiety stops stealing so much of your life.  What You’ll Learn in This Episode  What health anxiety actually is, and how it differs from simply caring about your healthWhy Googling symptoms and seeking reassurance often make the fear worseHow anxiety creates real physical sensations that then fuel more panicHow to use parts of the C.O.U.R.A.G.E. Method to challenge fear-based thoughtsWhy taking one small step back into your life matters more than waiting to feel certain Got a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! RESOURCES: Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming! JOIN our NEWSLETTER! Get weekly emails about upcoming podcasts, but also how to fight against anxiety! 📱 Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | Threads  🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients. Links:  Anxiety Survival Toolkit: https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/ Newsletter: https://blockoutthenoisepodcast.substack.com/welcome Davis-Smith Mental Health: https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/ 1:1 Confidence Coaching: https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching ⚠️ Disclaimer:  Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical stra...

    15 min
  5. APR 6

    58 | How Dating Someone Can Change Who You Are (And What to Watch For)

    Did you like who you were in your last relationship? Did that person bring out your confidence, or your anxiety? Are you becoming more like yourself in this relationship, or slowly losing parts of who you are?  The person you date affects more than your relationship status. They shape how you feel about yourself, how you show up in your everyday life, and what starts to feel normal in love. In this episode, Jessica Davis breaks down how dating can bring out different versions of you, why that matters more than most people realize, and how to tell whether a relationship is helping you grow or pulling you further away from yourself.  What You’ll Learn in This Episode  • Why the version of you that shows up in a relationship tells you a lot about whether it is healthy  • How jealousy, insecurity, anger, silence, and people-pleasing can signal deeper relationship problems  • What “relationship inauthenticity” looks like, and why acting against yourself takes a toll on mental health  • Why early dating experiences can shape what feels normal in future relationships  • The one question to ask yourself if you want more clarity about the person you are dating  Got a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! RESOURCES: Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming! JOIN our NEWSLETTER! Get weekly emails about upcoming podcasts, but also how to fight against anxiety! 📱 Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | Threads  🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients. Links:  Anxiety Survival Toolkit: https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/ Newsletter: https://blockoutthenoisepodcast.substack.com/welcome Davis-Smith Mental Health: https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/ 1:1 Confidence Coaching: https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching ⚠️ Disclaimer:  Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical stra...

    15 min
  6. MAR 30

    57 | Cancel Exercise: This Is Why You Avoid It When You’re Anxious

    Do you keep telling yourself you should work out, but still avoid it?  Does exercise feel like one more thing to fail at when you are already anxious?  Have you ever wondered why movement helps anxiety, but feels so hard to start? When you are anxious, exercise can feel like pressure instead of relief. In this episode, Jessica Davis breaks down why anxiety makes movement harder to start, why staying stuck often makes stress worse, and how to make exercise feel more realistic, supportive, and doable. What You’ll Learn in This Episode • Why anxiety makes exercise feel harder than it should  • How movement helps release stress from your body  • Why avoiding movement often keeps anxiety going  • Simple ways to move, even if you hate working out  • How to stop thinking about exercise in an all-or-nothing way Got a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! RESOURCES: Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming! JOIN our NEWSLETTER! Get weekly emails about upcoming podcasts, but also how to fight against anxiety! 📱 Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | Threads  🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients. Links:  Anxiety Survival Toolkit: https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/ Newsletter: https://blockoutthenoisepodcast.substack.com/welcome Davis-Smith Mental Health: https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/ 1:1 Confidence Coaching: https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching ⚠️ Disclaimer:  Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical stra...

    10 min
  7. MAR 23

    56 | Train Your Brain to Handle Anxiety Like an Athlete

    Do you avoid things because anxiety makes them feel bigger than they are?Do you feel like pressure gets in your head before you even begin?What if you started training your mind the same way athletes train for game day? Anxiety often makes life feel high-stakes. A hard conversation, walking into a room, sending a text back, trying something new, it can all feel like too much before it even starts. But athletes do not wait until the big moment to get ready. They build mental strength in the small, repeated moments long before the pressure hits.  What You’ll Learn • Why anxiety grows when you avoid practice  • How small daily wins build trust in yourself  • Why a growth mindset helps lower pressure  • How visualization prepares your brain for hard moments  • What it means to coach yourself through anxiety  • How to create a simple game plan for real progress  Got a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! RESOURCES: Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming! JOIN our NEWSLETTER! Get weekly emails about upcoming podcasts, but also how to fight against anxiety! 📱 Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | Threads  🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients. Links:  Anxiety Survival Toolkit: https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/ Newsletter: https://blockoutthenoisepodcast.substack.com/welcome Davis-Smith Mental Health: https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/ 1:1 Confidence Coaching: https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching ⚠️ Disclaimer:  Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical stra...

    13 min
  8. MAR 16

    55 | You ARE Growing More Than You Think

    Have you been so focused on getting through the day that you have not stopped to notice how far you have come?Do you keep measuring your progress by big wins and miss the quiet growth happening underneath?What if you are growing more than you think, and you simply have not been taught how to see it?Growth does not always feel obvious. Sometimes it looks slow, quiet, and easy to overlook, especially when anxiety, comparison, social media, and self-doubt keep pulling your attention to what you have not done yet. In this one-year anniversary episode, Jessica Davis reflects on the first year of Block Out the Noise, what building this podcast taught her about growth, and why so many teens and young adults miss their own progress while they are in the middle of it. You will learn the difference between a win and real growth, why setbacks do not mean you are failing, and how to start looking at your life in a way that helps you see your strength more clearly. Jessica also shares five reflection questions to help you recognize your progress and think about the person you want to become over the next few months. Stay until the end, because this episode is a reminder you might need more than you realize. If you have ever felt behind, overlooked your own progress, or questioned whether your effort is paying off, this episode is for you. What You’ll Learn in This Episode • The difference between a win and real growth  • Why comparison, social media, and self-doubt make progress harder to see  • How setbacks can still be part of your growth  • Five questions to help you reflect on how far you have come  • Why acknowledging growth in yourself and others matters so much  • How to build a simple habit of noticing progress Got a question or feedback? Text us and share your thoughts—we’d love to hear from you! RESOURCES: Get your FREE Anxiety Survival Toolkit to help you when your anxiety is overwhelming! JOIN our NEWSLETTER! Get weekly emails about upcoming podcasts, but also how to fight against anxiety! 📱 Follow Us: Instagram | Facebook | Threads  🎙️ Presented by Davis-Smith Mental Health This podcast was created by Davis-Smith Mental Health, offering counseling for teens & young adults in Illinois (only). We accept BCBS PPO, Aetna PPO, and self-pay clients. Links:  Anxiety Survival Toolkit: https://www.blockoutthenoisepodcast.com/anxiety-survival-toolkit/ Newsletter: https://blockoutthenoisepodcast.substack.com/welcome Davis-Smith Mental Health: https://www.davis-smithmentalhealth.com/ 1:1 Confidence Coaching: https://tidycal.com/blockoutthenoise/confidence-coaching ⚠️ Disclaimer:  Block Out the Noise provides personal insights and practical stra...

    17 min

Trailer

4.5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Do you ever feel like your anxiety is running the show—making even small decisions feel overwhelming, and leaving you stuck in your head replaying everything? You’re not alone—and you don’t have to stay stuck. Welcome to Block Out the Noise—the go-to podcast for teens and young adults who want to quiet the mental chaos of anxiety, self-doubt, and overthinking and finally feel confident enough to take action, make decisions, and celebrate their growth. Each week, licensed therapist and mindset coach Jessica Davis shares practical tools, relatable stories, and empowering mindset shifts using her signature C.O.U.R.A.G.E. Method to help you stop letting fear and perfectionism hold you back. This isn’t just about managing anxiety.  It’s about helping you: Feel more in control of your thoughtsBuild real confidence (even when you're second-guessing yourself)Stop beating yourself up for every little mistakeAnd finally trust yourself and your progress If you’ve ever asked yourself… How do I stop overthinking and feel more in control?Why do I feel so behind, even when I’m trying my best?How can I be proud of myself without feeling guilty?How do I handle school, social anxiety, and expectations without shutting down?What is the C.O.U.R.A.G.E. Method—and can it really help me?…then this podcast is for you. Block Out the Noise is your safe space to feel seen, supported, and reminded that you are not too much—and you are never not enough. 🎧 New episodes every Monday. ✨ Follow along for weekly support and reminders that you’re stronger than your anxiety wants you to believe.

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