The Anxiety Compass Podcast

Sammy Barnett and Natalie Antoine
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  • Nutrition

Welcome to The Anxiety Compass Podcast, where we help you navigate the messy, magical, and maddening world of anxiety. We believe anxiety isn’t a defect but a teacher — a compass pointing you back to your True North.Hosted by Clinical Nutritionists Sammy Barnett (author of Anxiety: The Best Teacher You Never Asked For) and Natalie Antoine, this show goes beyond quick fixes to explore the real roots of anxiety.  Each week we explore a different point of the compass:🌿 Chemical & Nutritional💬 Emotional⚡ Nervous System🌀 Hormonal🌍 Environmental💪 Physical✨ SpiritualThrough personal stories, humour, and practical tools, we show how anxiety is not a problem to “fix” but an invitation to slow down, listen, and reconnect with yourself. If you’re ready to see anxiety in a new light, learn real-life strategies, and feel less alone in the messy middle, this podcast is for you.

  1. 6d ago

    You Cannot Live When You’re Too Busy Not Dying | Anxiety & The Biggest Fear of All

    Send us Fan Mail What if the fear of dying is actually stopping you from living? In this episode of The Anxiety Compass, Sammy and Nat tackle one of anxiety’s biggest, and often least talked about, fears: death. Sammy shares the story of the late Emmilia O’Sullivan, author of I Should Be F’N Dead!, whose extraordinary approach to life left a lasting impression on her. After brain surgeries, organ transplants, cancer diagnoses and treatment after treatment, Emmilia reminded Sammy something of something she has never forgotten: “You cannot live if you are too afraid to die.” Because you don’t need to be facing a life-threatening illness for fear to make your world smaller. Health anxiety, panic attacks, avoiding travel, constantly checking your body, staying close to home, Googling symptoms—the fear of something happening can quietly start dictating how you live. So where is the line between looking after yourself and becoming afraid of life itself? This is an honest conversation about death anxiety, health anxiety, control, uncertainty and learning to live alongside the fact that none of us gets a guarantee. Expect some deeper moments, plenty of Sammy and Nat tangents, and one big question: Are you protecting your life… or are you actually living it? 🎧 Listen now to The Anxiety Compass. Support the show 👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here  👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here  Follow us @theanxietycompass Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

  2. Sep 21

    Could Hidden Heavy Metals Be Fuelling Anxiety? | With Maria Allerton

    Send us Fan Mail Could something you're exposed to every day be contributing to the way you feel? When we think of heavy metals, most of us imagine industrial exposure, contaminated workplaces or something that surely couldn't apply to us. But metals such as mercury, lead, cadmium and arsenic can potentially enter our environment in ways we might not expect. In this episode of The Anxiety Compass, Sammy and Nat head North-West on the Compass into Environmental Roots with Clinical Nutritionist and Functional Medicine Practitioner Maria Allerton, founder of True Foods Nutrition. We explore heavy metals, the ways we're exposed to them, and their potential relationship with the brain, nervous system and symptoms that can overlap with anxiety. But one of the most fascinating parts of this conversation is not just about what gets IN. It's about what gets OUT! Maria explains why two people with similar exposures may not necessarily handle them the same way, and why testing for heavy metals isn't always as straightforward as seeing a low number and assuming everything is fine. We unpack: Which heavy metals Maria commonly investigates and where exposure can come from How heavy metals may affect the brain, nervous system and mitochondrial function Symptoms that can potentially overlap with anxiety Why your ability to eliminate toxins matters What an HTMA (Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis) can (and can't) tell us Why Maria also uses urine challenge and stool testingWhy there may not be one test that tells the whole story The dangers of jumping into an aggressive “heavy metal detox” without understanding what's happening Practical ways to support the body's normal elimination processes And our Heavy Metal Rapid Fire roundMost importantly, this episode isn't about giving you one more thing to be anxious about. Heavy metals aren't the explanation for anxiety. But for some people, environmental exposures may be one more clue on the Compass worth exploring with an appropriately qualified practitioner. Because sometimes anxiety is the thing that gets our attention, and curiosity helps us work out what's underneath it. CONNECT WITH MARIA ALLERTON Maria Allerton is a Clinical Nutritionist and Functional Medicine Practitioner and founder of True Foods Nutrition. Connect with her online and on her website.   🧪 Learn more about Functional Medicine Testing: Functional Medicine Tests Support the show 👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here  👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here  Follow us @theanxietycompass Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

  3. Sep 14

    Why Does Everyone Move So SLOW?! Are You Living on the Anxiety Express?

    Send us Fan Mail Do you ever feel like everyone around you is moving WAY too slowly? You think fast. You move fast. You make decisions fast. And when somebody else can't keep up… the frustration kicks in.  In this episode of The Anxiety Compass, Sammy and Nat jump aboard the Anxiety Express and explore a brilliant analogy: what happens when you're travelling through life on the express train, while the people around you are happily riding the scenic route? Do you try to drag them onto your train? Slow yourself down to match them? Stand at the platform getting increasingly annoyed? Or accept that sometimes you're simply travelling at different speeds? We explore the difference between being naturally fast-paced and feeling like you can't slow down, including how rushing, urgency, control and impatience can sometimes connect back to the nervous system and anxiety. We chat about:  Why being fast-paced isn't necessarily a bad thing  The difference between choosing speed and being stuck in it Why other people's slower pace can make us so frustrated  Whether we sometimes try to calm our own anxiety by controlling other people  What constantly rushing can feel like in the body  When it's worth jumping off the express train and taking the scenic route  And when you should happily stay on your own bloody train 😂 This isn't an episode telling you to slow down. It's about recognising which train you're on, why you're on it, and whether you can change trains when you need to. Because not everybody has to travel through life at your speed. 🚂 So… are you on the express or the scenic train? Support the show 👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here  👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here  Follow us @theanxietycompass Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

  4. Sep 7

    If Anxiety Was an Olympic Sport… Would You Win Gold?

    Send us Fan Mail If anxiety was an Olympic sport… what event would YOU win gold in? With the Brisbane Olympics heading our way in 2032, Sammy and Nat have decided it's probably time to start training. Not for swimming. Not for athletics. For the ANXIETY OLYMPICS.  Because some of us have been training our entire lives for events like overthinking something we said three days ago, preparing for disasters that haven't happened, reading way too much into someone's facial expression and lying awake while our brain suddenly decides NOW is the perfect time to revisit every awkward thing we've ever done. In this lighter episode of The Anxiety Compass, we're having some fun with the weird, wonderful and sometimes downright ridiculous things an anxious brain and body can do. But underneath the laughs is something important. Anxiety isn't something to be ashamed of, and it isn't the enemy. These patterns are often our body's way of trying incredibly hard to protect us. So instead of judging ourselves for them, we're putting them on the podium.  Which leaves just one question… If the Anxiety Olympics started tomorrow, what event are YOU bringing home the gold medal in? 🎧 Join Sammy & Nat for one of our funnier episodes of The Anxiety Compass Support the show 👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here  👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here  Follow us @theanxietycompass Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

  5. Aug 31

    Could Low Iron Be Fueling Anxiety? | The Symptoms That Feel Like Panic

    Send us Fan Mail Heart pounding. Breathless. Dizzy. Exhausted. Brain foggy. Overwhelmed. Sounds a lot like anxiety, right? But what if some of those sensations are actually coming from something happening inside your body? In this episode of The Anxiety Compass, Sammy and Nat share their own experiences with iron deficiency and anaemia and explore why low iron, along with B12 and folate deficiencies, can create physical symptoms that feel remarkably similar to anxiety and panic. And don't worry... we're not sending you back to biology class. 😂 Instead, we're turning your bloodstream into a public transport system.  Exploring many queries we received in clinic but most importantly, we ask a question that goes far beyond simply taking another supplement: WHY are you deficient in the first place? This episode isn't suggesting that anxiety is “just low iron,” and it's definitely not telling everyone to rush out and start taking iron. It's about getting curious. Something physiological may be placing extra stress on the body first, and the racing heart, breathlessness, exhaustion and strange sensations that follow can give an already anxious brain plenty to worry about. Maybe instead of immediately asking: “Why am I so anxious?” we can also ask: “What is making it harder for my body to cope right now?” As always, your body may not be working against you. It might just be pointing the compass towards something worth paying attention to.  Please note: This episode is for education only and isn't intended to diagnose or treat iron, B12 or folate deficiency. Iron supplementation isn't appropriate for everyone, so speak with your doctor or healthcare professional about testing and treatment that's appropriate for you. Support the show 👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here  👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here  Follow us @theanxietycompass Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

  6. Aug 24

    What If Anxiety Is Your Superpower? | 10 Strengths You Never Knew It Gave You

    Send us Fan Mail 🎉 It's our 50th episode! And for this one, we wanted to look at anxiety a little differently. We spend so much time talking about everything anxiety takes from us, the overthinking, racing heart, sleepless nights, fear, overwhelm and those spectacular worst-case scenarios our brains can create. But what if anxiety has also helped shape some of your greatest strengths? In this special 50th episode of The Anxiety Compass, Sammy and Nat explore 10 surprising anxiety superpowers, qualities that can sometimes grow alongside an anxious, highly alert and deeply feeling brain. We talk about things like Empathy and Compassion, Intuition, Humour Resilience, Creativity and more... This isn't about pretending anxiety is wonderful or ignoring how debilitating it can be. It's about recognising that you are more than the difficult parts of anxiety. Maybe that brain you've spent years wishing would just calm down has also helped make you observant, prepared, compassionate, creative and incredibly resilient. And perhaps instead of only asking: “What has anxiety taken from me?” We can occasionally ask: “What has it taught me?” Thank you for listening, laughing, learning and navigating alongside us for 50 episodes of The Anxiety Compass. 🧭❤️ Here's to finding our True North...one wonderfully anxious step at a time. Support the show 👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here  👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here  Follow us @theanxietycompass Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

  7. Aug 17

    Could Your Gut Microbes Be Influencing Anxiety? | The Truth About Probiotics with Rebecca Edwards

    Send us Fan Mail Can the bacteria living in your gut influence how anxious you feel? Most of us think of probiotics as something to take after a course of antibiotics or when our digestion is out of balance. But emerging research is revealing something far more fascinating... the microbes living inside your gut may be communicating with your brain every single day. In this episode of The Anxiety Compass, we are joined by Rebecca Edwards, Director of Education at Biome Australia, a naturopath and one of Australia's leading voices in microbiome research, to explore the exciting world of the gut microbiome and 'psychobiotics', specific probiotic strains being researched for their role in supporting mental wellbeing. Together, we unpack what the microbiome actually is, how the gut and brain communicate through the gut-brain axis, and why looking after your gut could be another important piece of the anxiety puzzle. Along the way, we also tackle some of the biggest myths and most common questions about probiotics, including how to choose one, whether they really need refrigeration, and if fermented foods are enough. In this episode, we discuss: What the gut microbiome actually is (and why Sammy calls them our "microbial overlords") The fascinating connection between the gut and the brain What 'psychobiotics' are and why researchers are so excited about them The emerging evidence around probiotics, anxiety, stress, mood and sleep How modern life (including stress, antibiotics, processed foods and poor sleep) can impact our gut bacteria How to choose a probiotic and why strain specificity matters Fermented foods vs probiotic supplements and more... As always, this episode is about curiosity, not quick fixes. Anxiety is rarely from one thing, and probiotics aren't a magic pill, but understanding how our gut microbes communicates with our brain may help us better understand ourselves. If you've ever wondered whether your gut could be influencing your mental wellbeing (and cravings!), this episode is for you. Follow Rebecca at https://www.instagram.com/activatedprobiotics/ Support the show 👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here  👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here  Follow us @theanxietycompass Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

  8. Aug 10

    Could Histamine Be Fueling Anxiety? | The Symptoms Nobody Talks About

    Send us Fan Mail Have you ever experienced anxiety symptoms that seem to come out of nowhere? Racing heart, flushing, brain fog, trouble sleeping, or feeling constantly on edge... even when life feels relatively calm? What if, for some people, those symptoms aren't just anxiety? In this episode of The Anxiety Compass, Sammy and Nat explore the fascinating connection between histamine, gut health, hormones, and the nervous system. Histamine is best known for its role in allergies, but it's also a powerful chemical messenger that influences the brain, digestion, immune system, and even our stress response. We unpack why histamine intolerance can sometimes mimic symptoms of anxiety, why stress and gut health play such an important role, and why many women notice their symptoms become worse around certain times of their menstrual cycle. This isn't about self-diagnosing or blaming every symptom on histamine. It's about becoming curious, recognising patterns, and understanding that our bodies often communicate with us long before they shout. In this episode, we discuss:  What histamine actually is and why we need it  Why histamine symptoms can feel remarkably similar to anxiety  Histamine-rich foods versus histamine-releasing foods  The role of mast cells and the DAO enzyme  How chronic stress can increase histamine and create a vicious cycle  Why some women notice symptoms worsen before their period  Practical ways to recognise patterns and work with your body instead of against it As always, this episode is designed to educate and encourage curiosity, not to diagnose. If you recognise yourself in today's conversation, speak with a qualified healthcare practitioner who can help you explore the bigger picture. 🎧 If you enjoyed this episode, we'd love you to follow, subscribe, and share The Anxiety Compass with someone who's ever wondered whether there might be more to their anxiety story. ❤️ Support the show 👉 Grab your free Anxiety Compass download here  👉 Grab a copy of Sammy's Book, Anxiety, The Best Teacher You Never Asked For here  Follow us @theanxietycompass Connect with Sammy @nutritionwithsammy or website Connect with Natalie @nataliemarieinbalance or book discovery call here

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About

Welcome to The Anxiety Compass Podcast, where we help you navigate the messy, magical, and maddening world of anxiety. We believe anxiety isn’t a defect but a teacher — a compass pointing you back to your True North.Hosted by Clinical Nutritionists Sammy Barnett (author of Anxiety: The Best Teacher You Never Asked For) and Natalie Antoine, this show goes beyond quick fixes to explore the real roots of anxiety.  Each week we explore a different point of the compass:🌿 Chemical & Nutritional💬 Emotional⚡ Nervous System🌀 Hormonal🌍 Environmental💪 Physical✨ SpiritualThrough personal stories, humour, and practical tools, we show how anxiety is not a problem to “fix” but an invitation to slow down, listen, and reconnect with yourself. If you’re ready to see anxiety in a new light, learn real-life strategies, and feel less alone in the messy middle, this podcast is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Sammy Barnett and Natalie Antoine
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    55
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Anxiety Compass Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Anxiety Compass Podcast