PLAYING-IT-SAFE

I'm Dr. Z., a clinical psychologist and an author. In PLAYING-IT-SAFE I will share with you research based-skills, interviews, readings, insights, tips, and all types of curated info to get unstuck from worries, anxieties, fears, obsessions, and ineffective playing-it-safe actions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

PLAYING-IT-SAFE is a health podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 93 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Unknown Host hosts PLAYING-IT-SAFE, a health show with 93 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  PLAYING-IT-SAFE

  106. Experiential Avoidance: The Hidden Way We Play It Safe

  Aug 21, 202618 min

  You're not avoiding the conversation. You're avoiding how it will feel to have it. If you've ever reorganized your inbox instead of making the difficult call or started researching instead of starting the thing, this episode is for you. This episode unpacks experiential avoidance: the mechanism underneath every playing-it-safe behavior. What you will learn: What experiential avoidance actually is, in plain language, no jargon, and why it's the engine behind ALL playing-it-safe behaviors including procrastination, overthinking, perfectionism, and people-pleasing. Why your avoidance is intelligent and well-intentioned, and what it's costing you anyway. What psychological research tells us about how experiential avoidance predicts psychological suffering across every population studied. Willingness, and why it is NOT positive thinking, spiritual bypass, or "just feeling your feelings." Resources mentioned: Playing-it-safe questionnaire: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ ACT Beyond Perfectionism (online course): https://courses.thisisdoctorz.com/act-beyond-perfectionism ACT for Indecisiveness (online course): https://courses.thisisdoctorz.com/how-to-shift-from-indecisiveness-into-action Values-Based Life Audit (free resource): https://proud-snow-5694.ck.page/d2a5e77ba3 ACT Coaching at East Bay Behavior Therapy Center: https://eastbaybehaviortherapycenter.com/act-coaching/ About Dr. Z: Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona (Dr. Z) is a licensed psychologist, author of eight books, and TEDx speaker who has spent over 18 years helping overthinkers and overachievers stop letting anxiety make their decisions. She is the founder of East Bay Behavior Therapy Center in Walnut Creek, California, and the host of the Playing It Safe podcast. Her TEDx talk "Stop Playing It Safe and Start Living" has over 266,000 views. If this episode helped you recognize one playing-it-safe move in your own life, a review on Apple Podcasts means everything to me. I read every single one. _______ STOP LETTING ANXIETY MAKE YOUR DECISIONS WHO AM I? My name is Patricia E. Zurita Ona, but my clients call me Dr. Z. I’m a psychologist, a passionate behaviorist, and a person that loves to make behavioral science accessible for day-to-day life. I specialize in Acceptance and Commitment skills (ACT), a form of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). I have significant experience – over 18 years – working with individuals dealing with anxiety-based struggles such as perfectionism, procrastination, chronic indecision, phobias, OCD, panic, worry, and any other anxiety-related difficulties. I've published books on ACT, given a TEDx talk with 260K+ views, founded East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, and spent two decades proving one thing: Your anxiety doesn't need fixing. It needs listening to. Because most of the time, anxiety is just trying to keep you safe, the problem is when "safe" becomes "stuck." And once you know the difference, everything changes. My website is packed with resources, courses and content that will help you break free from those "playing-it-safe" moves and make the most out of your life! GET ACT SKILLS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up to my newsletter to get actionable skills into your inbox! https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-newsletter/ HERE IS WHERE TO START 1. TAKE THE PLAYING-IT-SAFE QUESTIONNAIRE: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ 2. ONLINE COURSES: https://courses.thisisdoctorz.com/ 3. PODCAST: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-podcast/ 4. BOOKS: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/books/ 5. BLOG: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-blog/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  PLAYING-IT-SAFE

  105. Acceptance vs. Resignation: What Most People Get Wrong

  Aug 11, 202614 min

  You've been calling it acceptance. But, if your world has gotten quieter, smaller, and safer since the painful thing happened, that might be resignation. In this episode, Dr. Z tackles one of the most confusing distinctions in ACT: the difference between acceptance and resignation. If you've been thinking repetitively about a past loss, failure, or regret (going back over it, telling yourself you're learning from it, then finding yourself in the exact same loop tomorrow), this episode is for you. You'll leave with a clear understanding of what acceptance actually is (and is not), and a concrete four-step practice you can use today. What you will learn: The exact difference between acceptance and resignation — and why they feel the same from the inside What the war against your anxiety is actually costing you — and what changes when you stop fighting it Why you don't have to wait for the pain to go away before taking values-based action Resources: Playing-It-Safe Questionnaire (free, 5 minutes): https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ ACT Workbook for the Anxious Procrastinator: https://a.co/d/gAR36j9 Acceptance and Commitment Skills for Perfectionism and High-Achieving Behaviors: https://amzn.to/3xT7j0T Free Audio Guide on ACT for High-Achieving Behaviors: https://proud-snow-5694.ck.page/73a2c1b566 Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona (Dr. Z) is a licensed psychologist, author of eight books, and TEDx speaker who has spent over 18 years helping overthinkers and overachievers stop letting anxiety make their decisions. She is the founder of East Bay Behavior Therapy Center in Walnut Creek, California, and the host of the Playing-It-Safe podcast. Her TEDx talk "Stop Playing It Safe and Start Living" has over 266,000 views. If this episode helped you recognize one playing-it-safe move in your own life, a review on Apple Podcasts means everything to me. I read every single one. _______ STOP LETTING ANXIETY MAKE YOUR DECISIONS WHO AM I? My name is Patricia E. Zurita Ona, but my clients call me Dr. Z. I’m a psychologist, a passionate behaviorist, and a person that loves to make behavioral science accessible for day-to-day life. I specialize in Acceptance and Commitment skills (ACT), a form of Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). I have significant experience – over 18 years – working with individuals dealing with anxiety-based struggles such as perfectionism, procrastination, chronic indecision, phobias, OCD, panic, worry, and any other anxiety-related difficulties. I've published books on ACT, given a TEDx talk with 260K+ views, founded East Bay Behavior Therapy Center, and spent two decades proving one thing: Your anxiety doesn't need fixing. It needs listening to. Because most of the time, anxiety is just trying to keep you safe, the problem is when "safe" becomes "stuck." And once you know the difference, everything changes. My website is packed with resources, courses and content that will help you break free from those "playing-it-safe" moves and make the most out of your life! GET ACT SKILLS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up to my newsletter to get actionable skills into your inbox! https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-newsletter/ HERE IS WHERE TO START 1. TAKE THE PLAYING-IT-SAFE QUESTIONNAIRE: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ 2. ONLINE COURSES: https://courses.thisisdoctorz.com/ 3. PODCAST: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-podcast/ 4. BOOKS: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/books/ 5. BLOG: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-blog/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  PLAYING-IT-SAFE

  104. Waiting for the Good Option: The Playing-It-Safe Trap

  Aug 3, 202619 min

  You're not missing information. You're missing a different question. This episode is for anyone sitting inside an impossible decision, one where every option feels wrong, the pros-and-cons list has been rewritten twelve times, you've talked to everyone you trust, and you still can't move. Your mind wasn't built for situations where both choices cost you something you care about. More deliberation isn't the answer, it's the trap. And there is a question that cuts through all of it. Not  "what's the right choice?", but  "what do I want to stand for here?" Resources mentioned: Values-Based Review (free): https://proud-snow-5694.ck.page/d2a5e77ba3 ACT for Indecisiveness course: https://courses.thisisdoctorz.com/how-to-shift-from-indecisiveness-into-action Playing-It-Safe Questionnaire (free): https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona (Dr. Z) is a licensed psychologist, author of eight books, and TEDx speaker who has spent over 18 years helping overthinkers and overachievers stop letting anxiety make their decisions. She is the founder of East Bay Behavior Therapy Center in Walnut Creek, California, and the host of the Playing It Safe podcast. Her TEDx talk "Stop Playing It Safe and Start Living" has over 266,000 views. If this episode helped you recognize one playing-it-safe move in your own life, a review on Apple Podcasts means everything to me. I read every single one. _______ STOP LETTING ANXIETY MAKE YOUR DECISIONS GET ACT SKILLS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up to my newsletter to get actionable skills into your inbox! https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-newsletter/ HERE IS WHERE TO START: 1. TAKE THE PLAYING-IT-SAFE QUESTIONNAIRE: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ 2. ONLINE COURSES: https://courses.thisisdoctorz.com/ 3. PODCAST: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-podcast/ 4. BOOKS: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/books/ 5. BLOG: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-blog/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  PLAYING-IT-SAFE

  103. Drop the Crutch: How "Safety Behaviors" Keep You Anxious

  Jul 27, 202616 min

  She was at every party. But she was never fully in the room. Safety crutches, the subtle playing-it-safe moves that keep anxiety temporarily quiet, look nothing like avoidance. You're showing up. You're present. But you're also carrying a shield. And the shield is costing you every moment of real connection you're trying to build. This episode is for anyone who has ever walked into a situation with a plan already in place to feel less exposed — and wondered why the situation still felt so far away. In this episode, you will learn: What safety crutches actually are and why they look like coping but function like avoidance Why Paul Salkovskis's research on safety behaviors shows that the relief is borrowed — and what you're borrowing against What research on psychological flexibility reveals about why fighting anxiety makes it louder ACT skilsl for dropping subtle safety behaviors, one small moment at a time What your specific safety crutch is almost certainly protecting, and why that thing matters Resources mentioned: Playing-It-Safe Questionnaire: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ About Dr. Z: Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, Dr. Z., is a licensed psychologist, author of eight books, and TEDx speaker who has spent over 18 years helping overthinkers and overachievers stop letting anxiety make their decisions. She is the founder of East Bay Behavior Therapy Center in Walnut Creek, California, and the host of the Playing It Safe podcast. Her TEDx talk "Stop Playing It Safe and Start Living" has over 265,000 views. If this episode helped you recognize one playing-it-safe move in your own life, a review on Apple Podcasts means everything to me. I read every single one. _______ STOP LETTING ANXIETY MAKE YOUR DECISIONS GET ACT SKILLS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up to my newsletter to get actionable skills into your inbox! https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-newsletter/ HERE IS WHERE TO START: 1. TAKE THE PLAYING-IT-SAFE QUESTIONNAIRE: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ 2. ONLINE COURSES: https://courses.thisisdoctorz.com/ 3. PODCAST: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-podcast/ 4. BOOKS: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/books/ 5. BLOG: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-blog/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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  PLAYING-IT-SAFE

  102. The Checking trap

  Jul 21, 202613 min

  She got the answer. Felt better for twelve minutes. Then she asked again. Reassurance-seeking is one of the most common and least-recognized playing-it-safe behaviors. It looks like due diligence. It feels like self-care. And it is quietly tightening the anxiety loop every time you do it. This episode is for anyone who has ever Googled the same question in six different ways, or sent the same question to three different people to see if the answer would finally stick. In this episode, you will learn: Why reassurance feels like relief but functions like a tightening spiral What Stanley Rachman's research reveals about why safety behaviors maintain, not reduce, anxiety How Michel Dugas's intolerance of uncertainty model explains why more information is never enough ACT skills for interrupting the checking loop without white-knuckling through it The values-based reason the checking is worth interrupting Resources mentioned: Playing-It-Safe Questionnaire: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ About Dr. Z: Dr. Patricia Zurita Ona, Dr. Z., is a licensed psychologist, author of eight books, and TEDx speaker who has spent over 18 years helping overthinkers and overachievers stop letting anxiety make their decisions. She is the founder of East Bay Behavior Therapy Center in Walnut Creek, California, and the host of the Playing It Safe podcast. Her TEDx talk "Stop Playing It Safe and Start Living" has over 265,000 views. If this episode helped you recognize one playing-it-safe move in your own life, a review on Apple Podcasts means everything to me. I read every single one. _______ STOP LETTING ANXIETY MAKE YOUR DECISIONS GET ACT SKILLS IN YOUR INBOX: Sign up to my newsletter to get actionable skills into your inbox! https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-newsletter/ HERE IS WHERE TO START: 1. TAKE THE PLAYING-IT-SAFE QUESTIONNAIRE: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-questionnaire/ 2. ONLINE COURSES: https://courses.thisisdoctorz.com/ 3. PODCAST: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-podcast/ 4. BOOKS: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/books/ 5. BLOG: https://www.thisisdoctorz.com/playing-it-safe-blog/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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