The Anxiety Chicks

The Chicks sit down with hospice nurse, educator, and best-selling author Julie McFadden for an honest and compassionate conversation about death, dying, and how embracing mortality can actually help us live more fully.

Julie shares her journey from ICU nursing to hospice care, why education around death reduces fear, the importance of end-of-life planning, and insights from her best-selling book Nothing to Fear.

Nothing to Fear by Julie McFadden

Hospice Nurse Julie - Social Media

Legal planning guides for end-of-life choices

Hospice and Palliative Care Resources

Educational Video Series on Actively Dying
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This week on The Anxiety Chicks, we’re diving deeper into the connection between anxiety and Hashimoto’s with special guest. After opening the conversation in a previous episode, we wanted to bring on an expert to help break down what Hashimoto’s actually is, how it can impact both physical and mental health, and why symptoms like anxiety, panic, depression, fatigue, brain fog, and feeling “off” shouldn’t always be dismissed as just anxiety.

One thing we strongly believe in is getting properly medically evaluated and advocating for your health instead of automatically assuming every symptom is anxiety-related. Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune thyroid condition that can sometimes show up in ways many people don’t expect — including mental health symptoms.

In this episode, Carrie shares her own experience, discusses the root causes and common symptoms of Hashimoto’s, and explains the role nutrition, stress, hormones, and lifestyle can play in healing and supporting the body.

Carrie Vitt is a Functional Nutritional Therapist at, founder of the wellness site Deliciously Organic, creator of online thyroid and adrenal health courses, and author of the cookbooks Deliciously Organic and The Grain-Free Family Table.

Sponsor Notes: Go to ⁠oneskin.co⁠ with code ANXIETYCHICKS to get 15% off.
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Alison takes you through a gentle meditation for burnout—perfect for anyone feeling overwhelmed, drained, or in need of a mental reset. This episode offers calming mindfulness and breathing techniques to bring peace and grounding into your day.

Sponsor Notes: Go to oneskin.co with code ANXIETYCHICKS to get 15% off.

The Single Sisters Circle Community for Single Women 40+ CLICK HERE

🌐 Connect With Us ⁠@theanxietychicks⁠ | ⁠@theanxietyhealer⁠ | ⁠@health_anxiety⁠

Order The Anxiety Healers Guide Here: ⁠https://theanxietyhealer.com/books⁠ 

✨ Taylor’s #1 Anxiety Healing Supplement, Free Resources & More: ⁠peakofpanic.com/collections/all⁠

🧰 Alison's Free Resources, Coaching & Healing Toolkit: ⁠www.theanxietyhealer.com⁠
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Can anxiety really affect your eyes and vision?Why do so many people with anxiety experience blurry vision, eye floaters, dizziness, light sensitivity, visual snow, eye pressure, tunnel vision, or strange visual sensations during stress and panic?

In this episode of the The Anxiety Chicks, we sit down with renowned neuro-ophthalmologist Dr. Rani Banik to answer the anxiety-provoking eye symptom questions our community asks constantly.

This conversation is incredibly validating for anyone who spirals over vision changes or worries something serious is being missed. Dr. Rani explains the science behind how stress, adrenaline, nervous system activation, inflammation, sleep, screen exposure, and hypervigilance can impact the eyes and visual system and when symptoms should actually be evaluated further.

We discuss:

Blurry vision and anxiety

Eye floaters and flashes

Light sensitivity and fluorescent lighting

Dizziness and visual overwhelm

Eye strain and screen fatigue

Visual snow and derealization feelings

Why anxiety makes you hyper-aware of visual sensations

The connection between the brain, nervous system, and eyesight

Integrative approaches to eye health

Nutrition and lifestyle support for visual wellness

When eye symptoms are usually benign vs. when to get checked

Dr. Rani also shares practical tools that may help support nervous system regulation and eye comfort, along with insight into integrative and functional approaches to visual health.

You can learn more about Dr. Rani Banik here:Dr. Rani Banik Official Website

Follow her on Instagram:@dr.ranibanik

If this episode helped you feel less alone, make sure to follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who constantly worries about their symptoms.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider regarding any symptoms or concerns.
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What if the key to calming your anxiety isn't a new coping tool, but a conversation with a younger version of yourself?

In this episode, Alison digs into two of the most powerful (and underrated) pieces of the anxiety healing puzzle: inner child work and emotionally safe relationships. Whether you've felt stuck in anxious patterns you can't explain, or you keep showing up for people who don't really show up for you, this one's going to hit home.

Alison shares practical insights on why healing the wounds of your younger self can create real, lasting relief from anxiety and why the people you surround yourself with are either helping your nervous system settle or keeping it on edge.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

What inner child healing actually looks like (and why it matters for anxiety)

How to recognize emotionally safe vs. emotionally draining relationships

The connection between self-compassion and genuine anxiety relief

Small, practical ways to start this work, even if it feels uncomfortable

Resources:

The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

Neuroplasticity explanation
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