Move Your Mind with Nick Bracks

Why do you feel anxious when nothing is actually wrong?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Randolph Nesse, a pioneering psychiatrist and one of the founders of evolutionary medicine, to understand why our brains create so much anxiety, even when we’re perfectly safe.We talk about why people who can’t feel pain often die young, why anxiety works like a smoke detector that goes off when you burn the toast, and why fighting a panic attack can actually make it worse.We also get into the snake he borrowed from a pet shop to cure someone’s phobia in an hour, why he sends people into Burger King to order a Big Mac, and why achieving your biggest goal might only make you happy for about three days.But what stayed with me most wasn’t just the science.It was recognising how much of my life I’ve spent fighting anxiety, trying to control it, and believing it meant something was wrong with me.What if your anxiety isn’t a sign something is wrong with you?What if it’s just a false alarm?Dr. Randolph Nesse is a psychiatrist and pioneer of evolutionary medicine. He spent 40 years as a professor of psychiatry at the University of Michigan, where he helped establish one of the world’s first anxiety disorder clinics. He is the Founding Director of the Center for Evolution and Medicine at Arizona State University and the author of Good Reasons for Bad Feelings and co-author of Why We Get Sick.If you’re struggling, please reach out. Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14. US: Call or text 988. UK: Samaritans 116 123.Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction: Why Anxiety Exists(01:12) Sweating Pain Analogy(02:37) Threat Mode And Fun Fear(04:44) Exposure Therapy Origins(08:13) Public Speaking Fear(12:28) Vicious Panic Cycles(14:53) Social Anxiety And Sensitivity(16:29) Why Low Mood Exists(20:30) Unreachable Goals And Status(24:03) Meaning Over Achievement(25:34) Ambition And Social Media(26:19) Social Media Comparison Trap(27:20) Outrage Rewards Online(29:43) Echo Chambers and Polarization(32:33) Smoke Detector Principle(37:27) Mindfulness and Treatment Paths(39:30) Antidepressants(48:28) Exercise as Medicine-Join the Move Your Mind Community:go.nickbracks.com/mymcommunityConnect with Nick:Instagram: https://instagram.com/nickbracksWebsite: http://nickbracks.comEmail: contact@nickbracks.comConnect with Dr. Randolph Nesse: Website: https://www.randolphnesse.com/

What if the anger you feel isn’t really anger at all?In this episode I sit down with Bryan Blakeny, a therapist and certified Anger Resolution Therapist, to explore why so many men lose it over things that don’t really matter.We talk about the four hidden fuels behind anger, why feeling powerless so often comes out as rage, how anger gives you a false sense of control when you feel like you have none, and why the standards you keep failing to live up to were often never yours in the first place.We also explore why looking inward can feel scarier than walking on the moon, why making more money just moves the goalposts, the difference between motivation and a real calling, and how growing up as the son of a premier pushed me into drinking, chasing fame, and believing I’d only be enough if I outdid my dad.But underneath the conversation about anger, this episode is about something much more personal.Why the things that set you off are rarely the real problem. How the expectations you absorbed as a kid can keep you angry for decades. And what it takes to stop proving yourself and start living by values that are actually your own.Because anger isn’t the enemy. It’s a signal. And most of us have never learned to read it.Bryan Blakeny is a licensed clinical social worker and certified Anger Resolution Therapist with more than two decades of experience in counselling and coaching. He runs Blakeny Counseling in Houston, is the author of Top Secret, and his practice has been featured on TLC’s My 600-lb Life.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction: Why Men Get Angry(01:03) Four Fuels of Anger(03:43) Standards That Aren’t Yours(05:22) Disconnected in a Connected World(08:25) The Fear of Looking Within(11:06) Stillness and Inner Mining(15:34) Nick’s Story of Comparison(17:22) Being vs Doing(21:10) Staying Grounded in Chaos(24:57) You Are Not Your Thoughts(26:35) The Moving Goalpost Trap(29:45) No Arrival and Daily Practice(31:45) Depth Over Distraction(34:02) Mastery Through Contemplation(35:54) Finding Your True Calling(38:27) Purpose Versus Motivation(42:49) Flow State Explained(47:09) Escaping Victim Mindset(49:11) Fill Your Capacity(57:08) Advice To Younger SelfJoin the Move Your Mind Community:go.nickbracks.com/mymcommunityConnect with Nick:Instagram: https://instagram.com/nickbracksWebsite: http://nickbracks.comEmail: contact@nickbracks.comConnect with Bryan: Website: bryanblakenytherapy.com

What happens when the person who treats you well feels boring, and the one who keeps you guessing feels like love?In this episode I sit down with Sabrina Zohar, the dating and relationship coach and author of Why Am I Like This?, to explore why so many of us keep choosing the wrong person.We talk about why your brain is built to keep you safe rather than help you grow, how repetition compulsion pulls you toward partners who feel like home even when home wasn't safe, why being liked without having to earn it can feel too easy, and the night she told a guy after their first date exactly what she wanted and that if he didn't want the same, he shouldn't call.We also explore the difference between ruminating and processing, why "stay single, it's easier" is often just avoidance, the 80/20 test for knowing when someone is worth committing to, and how I nearly sabotaged my own relationship because it didn't feel exciting enough.But underneath the dating advice, this conversation is about something much more personal.Why chaos can feel like chemistry when it's really just familiar. How the stories you learned as a kid keep choosing your partners for you. And what it takes to stop chasing what's hard to get and start staying with what's good for you.Because healthy love was never supposed to feel like a rollercoaster. And calm doesn't mean something's missing.Sabrina Zohar is a dating and relationship coach and host of The Sabrina Zohar Show. Her book Why Am I Like This? is published by Penguin, and she has nearly 3 million followers across Instagram and TikTok.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction: Why We Repeat Patterns(01:05) Repetition Compulsion Explained(03:01) Healthy Can Feel Boring(03:42) Novelty and Unattainable Love(05:46) Childhood Trauma Big and Small(10:38) From Shame to Accountability(13:53) Ruminating vs Processing Feelings(17:09) Choosing Love Without Control(18:25) Taking Up Space in Dating(21:55) Healthy Relationships Are Built(24:12) Relationships Need Nurturing(25:53) Keep Dating Each Other(27:05) Non Negotiables vs Compromise(29:38) Modern Dating Pressures(33:38) Men Lost in the Middle(36:55) Trad Roles and Tradeoffs(38:51) Choosing Single on Purpose(41:11) Dating Burnout Reset(43:43) Commitment in Endless Options(46:46) Advice to My 18 Year Old SelfJoin the Move Your Mind Community:go.nickbracks.com/mymcommunityConnect with Nick:Instagram: https://instagram.com/nickbracksWebsite: http://nickbracks.comEmail: contact@nickbracks.comConnect with Sabrina: Website: https://sabrinazohar.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/sabrina.zohar

What happens when young men are so desperate to prove they're real men that they'll follow anyone who promises to show them how?In this episode I sit down with Michael Kimmel, the sociologist and author of Guyland who has spent decades studying how boys become men, to explore why young men fall for figures like Andrew Tate.We talk about why the pressure on young men hasn't changed since he wrote Guyland but the noise around it has exploded, what West Point cadets told him about the difference between a good man and a real man, the day he stared at his shoes while a kid was bullied next to him, and why his son getting kicked out of the cool group was the best thing that ever happened to him.We also explore the three relationships that make young men resilient, how one guy in a locker room can change the way a whole team talks about women, why some of the richest men in history were miserable, and the voice that told me nothing I do will ever be enough.But underneath the headlines, this conversation is about something much more personal.Why men hide what they really feel because other guys are always watching. How the gap between who you are and who you think you have to be leaves you looking for anyone to follow. And what it takes to stop proving yourself and start being yourself.Because you can't navigate this alone. And you were never supposed to.Michael Kimmel is a sociologist and one of the world's leading experts on men and masculinity. He's the author of Guyland, Manhood in America and Angry White Men, and he founded the Center for the Study of Men and Masculinities at Stony Brook University.Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction; False Prophets(00:24) Guyland Then Now(03:27) West Point Two Voices(06:58) Gender Policing Rules(11:13) Manosphere Amplification(14:34) Three Keys Resilience(18:04) Friends Allies Stories(20:05) Boys Schools Talk Masculinity(22:08) Calling Out Misogyny(27:26) Parents School Religion(29:04) Two Voices of Manhood(29:26) Strengthen the Inner Compass(30:00) Community Support Plug(30:29) Success Pressure and Worth(32:12) Redefining a Good Man(33:34) Living in Dad's Shadow(35:05) Escaping the Never Enough Trap(37:13) Safety Nets and Contentment(40:58) Wealth Addiction Warning(41:59) Tools and Mentorship Models(43:18) Let Boys Cry at School(46:13) Find Your True NorthJoin the Move Your Mind Community:go.nickbracks.com/mymcommunityConnect with Nick:Instagram: https://instagram.com/nickbracksWebsite: http://nickbracks.comEmail: contact@nickbracks.comConnect with Michael: Website: michaelkimmel.com

What happens when the trauma you survived as a kid splits you into parts you don't even know are there?In this episode I sit down with AnnaLynne McCord, the 90210 star who went public about her assault years before Me Too and later revealed her dissociative identity disorder diagnosis, to explore why childhood trauma fractures your identity.We talk about why she was first diagnosed as bipolar, how her DID diagnosis cracked open memories she'd buried, what it was like to have co-consciousness with different parts of herself, and how she went from 90% dysregulation to 90% peace.We also explore why Hollywood warned her that honesty would end her career, the 70-year-old woman who finally accepted herself after hearing AnnaLynne speak, why boys are taught to shut their hearts down, and the one thing she believes most people spend their lives avoiding.But underneath the headlines, this conversation is about something much more personal.Why we build a version of ourselves to survive a world that felt unsafe. How a tough, fearless exterior can hide someone who believes they're weak. And what it actually takes to stop running from what you feel.Because the fracture came from an absence of love. And the only thing that puts you back together is love.AnnaLynne McCord is an actress best known for her role in 90210, and a longtime advocate against human trafficking who has spoken at the United Nations. She speaks openly about trauma, mental health and her DID diagnosis, and leads healing retreats around the world.If you're struggling, please reach out:US: call or text 988Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14UK: Samaritans 116 123Timestamps: (00:00) Introduction: DID and Fragmentation(00:17) Meet AnnaLynne McCord(00:34) Misconceptions and Masks(04:43) Tailoring Identity for Approval(09:00) Homeschooling and Early Independence(12:42) Industry Pressure to Stay Perfect(14:14) Speaking Out on Assault and DID(19:52) Turning Pain Into Purpose(24:23) Heart Led Masculinity(29:32) Boys and Emotional Conditioning(32:57) Honoring Men at the UN(36:26) Trafficking Speech Pushback(38:49) Masculine and Feminine Balance(40:49) Reactive Systems and Labels(41:34) Sponsor Break Move Your Mind(42:24) Trauma Misdiagnosis to Healing(45:33) Finding Peace Through Integration(49:34) Advice to Her Teen Self(51:32) Stop Avoiding EmotionsJoin the Move Your Mind Community:go.nickbracks.com/mymcommunityConnect with Nick:Instagram: https://instagram.com/nickbracksWebsite: http://nickbracks.comEmail: contact@nickbracks.comConnect with AnnaLynne: Instagram: @theannalynnemccordWebsite: theannalynnemccord.com

What happens when you already know there's no winning, and you keep going anyway?In this episode I sit down with Jonathan Todd Schwartz, a former Hollywood business manager who embezzled millions from a handful of clients, including Alanis Morissette, and is now an addiction therapist, to explore why we keep doing the very things that are destroying us.We talk about how six years of betting on sports every day turned into a hole he kept digging deeper, why he bet on every game on the board even though it was almost impossible to win, how the hope of one big windfall kept him chasing, and why he believed asking for help was a weakness.We also explore the childhood trauma he carried for 46 years without ever facing it, why he refuses to use that trauma as an excuse, what prison gave him that his old life never could, and why he now believes self-awareness has to come before you can change the way you talk to yourself.But underneath the headlines, this conversation is about something much more personal.Why we escape our emotions instead of feeling them. How presenting as Superman to the world can hide someone who feels like he's never enough. And what it actually takes to stop running and start owning your choices.Because the thing you're using to escape the hole is usually the thing digging it. And the way out starts with the courage to ask for help.Jonathan Todd Schwartz is a therapist specialising in addiction and trauma at Altus Rehab in Encino, California. A former CPA and partner at GSO Business Management, he was sentenced to six years in federal prison in 2017. He is now almost 10 years sober and uses his lived experience to help others get to the core of what drives their addictions.If you're struggling, please reach out:US: call or text 988Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14UK: Samaritans 116 123-00:00 Timestamps:(00:00) Introduction: Gambling Spiral Confession(00:20) Meet Jonathan Todd Schwartz(00:42) Stealing and Avoiding Help(02:34) How Gambling Escalates(04:47) Betting Every Game(06:13) Rock Bottom and Asking Help(07:16) Finding the Why Trauma(09:10) Empathy Over Judgment(11:55) Childhood Abandonment and Abuse(13:37) Healing Trauma With EMDR(16:03) Fight Flight Comfort Zone(18:36) Self Care Without Money(20:33) Vulnerability and Connection(24:03) Self Awareness and Emotions(28:50) Success and External Validation(30:41) Host Story and Ambition Trap(32:43) Authentic Change Within(33:19) Quality Circle Over Fame(35:03) Celebrity Validation Trap(36:08) CPA to Embezzlement Fallout(39:11) Making Amends and Asking Help(43:17) Recovery Nerd Mindset(44:00) Cocaine and Sobriety Choices(46:29) Suicide Prevention and Empathy(50:37) Money Lessons and Humility(53:37) Social Media as Addiction(56:33) Advice to Younger SelfJoin the Move Your Mind Community:go.nickbracks.com/mymcommunityConnect with Nick:Instagram: https://instagram.com/nickbracksWebsite: http://nickbracks.comEmail: contact@nickbracks.comConnect with Jonathan: https://www.instagram.com/therealjonathanschwartz/?hl=en