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. 1D AGO

    Anxiety Has a Nose for Change

    Send a text Anxiety doesn’t just show up when things are wrong. It often shows up when things are changing. Even good change. Holidays, healing, growth, new routines, new seasons of life... all of these can trigger anxiety, not because you’re failing, but because your nervous system prefers what’s familiar. In this conversation, we explore why anxiety spikes during transitions and why “I should be fine by now” is one of the most unhelpful stories we tell ourselves. We discuss: Why the nervous system reads change as threatHow anxiety responds to unfamiliarity, not logicWhy good change can still feel unsafe in the bodyThe anxiety that lives in the in-between phases of lifeWhy wanting change doesn’t mean your nervous system is readyHow to move through transitions without forcing or spirallingThis episode is a gentle reminder that anxiety isn’t blocking your growth — it’s checking it. If anxiety has been louder lately, this might help you understand why. 🎧 Listen now and learn how to walk your nervous system through change instead of pushing it. 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

    22 min

  2. FEB 16

    Micro Choices, Major Calm

    Send a text In this episode of The Anxiety Compass, we explore something surprisingly simple and incredibly powerful. Regulation doesn’t come from massive routines, perfect mornings, or pushing yourself harder. It comes from micro choices. Those tiny, often overlooked decisions you make throughout the day that quietly tell your nervous system: You’re safe. I’m listening. I’ve got you. In this conversation, Natalie and Sammy unpack why consistency, not intensity, is what actually brings the body back into balance. We talk about: How small choices build nervous system safety over timeThe difference between regulating before anxiety spikes vs during itSimple physical, sensory, environmental, and language-based micro choicesWhy the smallest actions often create the biggest sense of calmHow to stop dismissing what already works for youThis episode is a reminder that you don’t need to fix your life or overhaul your habits to feel better.  You just need to make one kind choice... and then another. Gentle, grounding, and deeply practical.  This one is for anyone who wants calm without pressure. 🎧 Listen now and start noticing the tiny moments that bring you back to yourself. 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

    32 min

  3. FEB 5

    Recalibrating After the Flu: When Your Nervous System Isn’t Ready to Sprint Yet

    Send a text In this episode we talk about something that doesn’t get said enough…  the anxiety hangover that can linger after being sick. After recently having the flu (hello Japan travel germs), Sammy and Nat share what it’s like when your body is technically “better”… but your nervous system is still in overdrive. This episode is a gentle, honest conversation about those in-between days when you want to be back at full capacity, but your body needs a slower re-entry. We explore:  ✨ Why anxiety often spikes after illness or exhaustion  ✨ How the nervous system stays in protective mode even once symptoms pass  ✨ Why pushing yourself to “go full steam ahead” can backfire  ✨ The difference between healing and forcing momentum  ✨ Why toe-dipping back into life is sometimes the smartest move  ✨ How to recalibrate gently instead of demanding instant normal  ✨ Permission to rebuild capacity slowly, without guilt This isn’t a polished, high-energy episode, and that’s kind of the point. It’s a real-time reminder that healing isn’t linear, readiness can’t be rushed, and sometimes the bravest thing you can do is dip your toes in before you run and jump. If you’ve been sick, burnt out, overwhelmed, or wondering why anxiety feels louder “for no reason” this episode will help you feel less broken and more understood 🧭 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

    22 min

  4. JAN 29

    The Great Unwiring: Finding Your Way Out of Survival Mode

    Send a text In this episode we dive into The Great Unwiring... what it actually means to break free from the survival patterns your nervous system learnt years (or decades) ago. So many of us live with a brain that’s stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or fawn, running the same old protective programs on loop. These patterns often come from childhood, trauma, overwhelm, or seasons of life where our body had to adapt fast… and never switched back. In this episode, we unpack: ✨ Why your nervous system gets “stuck” in survival mode  ✨ How chronic fight-or-flight affects digestion, mood, sleep, hormones and clarity  ✨ The patterns we unknowingly repeat (even when we want to grow) ✨ Why up-levelling in life can trigger old wiring ✨ How to gently disconnect from survival mode ✨ Practical tools to rewire your brain and body with safety ✨ The LISTEN framework...Sammy’s own method for calming her system ✨ What true nervous-system “rebooting” really looks like With a mix of science, stories, humour, and lived experience, this episode helps you understand why your body reacts the way it does and how to guide yourself back to True North. 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

    37 min

  5. JAN 22

    Your Nervous System Is a Hotspot (And Yes, People Connect Without Permission)

    Send a text In this episode, we explore why humans are basically walking Wi-Fi routers, constantly broadcasting emotional signals, syncing with each other’s nervous systems, and accidentally connecting to energy we don’t even want. We break down co-regulation in a way that actually makes sense:  ✨ Your body is always sending out a “signal”  ✨ Other people’s bodies pick it up instantly  ✨ Kids and teens borrow YOUR nervous system state  ✨ Why you auto-connect (Bluetooth-style) to certain people  ✨ How energy drains, emotional airdrops, and boundary breaches happen  ✨ And how to protect your own signal so you stop absorbing everyone else’s stress Using humour, nervous-system science, metaphors, and lived experience, we unpack why your mood shifts around certain people and how to take back control of your frequency. 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

    30 min

  6. JAN 15

    People Pleasing: Kindness or a Survival Strategy?

    Send a text Why do we say yes when every cell in our body is screaming NO? In this episode, Nat and Sammy dive into the messy, very human world of people pleasing... the survival strategy so many anxious, sensitive humans master without even meaning to. We explore the real root of people pleasing through the lens of the nervous system, childhood patterns, fear of conflict, and that deep desire to keep the peace… even at the cost of your own needs. This episode is honest, spicy, validating and full of “oh wow, same” moments... especially if you grew up being the “good girl,” the easy one, the peacekeeper, or the emotional shock absorber. 🎧 Tune in to learn how to recognise people pleasing in real time, how to regulate before responding, and how to choose yourself without burning bridges. 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

    26 min

  7. JAN 8

    Part 2 - Foods That Calm Your Nervous System (Carbs, Nutrients & Lunchbox Ideas)

    Send a text Welcome to Part 2 of our nervous system nutrition episode! In part 1, we unpacked the foundations... blood sugar, gut–brain, hormones, protein anchors and healthy fats. In part 2, we’re diving into the rest of the puzzle… the part that brings everything together. Nat and Sammy explore how carbs, nutrients, portion sizes and meal structure can either calm your nervous system or leave it feeling overwhelmed, overstimulated and spinning. It's practical, reassuring and full of “ohhh that makes sense” moments... especially if you’ve ever felt confused about carbs, cravings or why certain foods make anxiety worse. 🎧 Tune in and discover how small tweaks to your meals can help your body feel calmer, clearer and more grounded. 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

    33 min

  8. JAN 8

    Part 1 - Foods That Calm Your Nervous System (Blood Sugar, Gut-Brain & Protein Anchors)

    Send a text Did you know your lunch, your hormones, your sensitivity levels, and even your breakfast choice can change the way anxiety feels?  In this two-part series, Nat and Sammy dive deep into how food affects the nervous system... starting with the foundations your body absolutely depends on to stay calm. In Part 1, we break down why certain foods steady your inner compass… while others spin the needle wildly.  This episode gives you the science, the reassurance, and the practical steps to understand what your body is trying to tell you... without the overwhelm. Part 2 will explore slow carbs, key nutrients, portion sizes, meal ideas and lunchbox inspiration. Go Check it out after this episode.  🎧 Tune in and discover how the right foods can help your body find ease, steadiness and true north. 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

    29 min
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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
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Anxiety Compass Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Anxiety Compass Podcast