What if your anxiety isn't the real problem?
In this episode, somatic coach and Healing Embodied founder Chelsea Horton joins Kyira to unpack anxiety as a secondary emotion: the thing we feel when we're afraid of feeling something deeper, like rejection, loss, embarrassment, or shame.
Together, they explore why anxiety can feel safer than the feelings underneath it, how to tell the difference between normal human nervousness and anxiety that's disproportionate to the moment, and why one small comment can hit like a level ten when it "opens a door" to an old, unresolved story.
Chelsea introduces her "shame sandwich" (shame about having anxiety on top, the anxiety itself in the middle, and the core fear of being fundamentally broken on the bottom). Both women also get personal about parentification, emotional caretaking, money, and the deep discomfort of being cared for without having to earn it.
From a puppy-training binder to a loaf of bread that refused to rise, this conversation shows how conditional worth quietly shapes our relationships, and why saying the shame story out loud creates the space we need to finally question it.
MORE ABOUT CHELSEA
Chelsea Horton is a somatic coach, educator, and founder of Healing Embodied, where she trains wellness professionals and leaders to integrate somatics, creativity, and emotional healing into their work.
After experiencing shame and overwhelming anxiety that fueled self-doubt and overthinking, Chelsea discovered who she was beyond those patterns through her own embodied healing. Today, she helps others explore how embodiment can support their journey toward freedom from anxiety, fear, and shame.
CONNECT WITH CHELSEA
Website: https://www.healingembodied.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healing.embodied
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@healing.embodied
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@healingembodied
FREE RESOURCE: 5 THINGS SHAME-RESILIENT PEOPLE DO EVERY DAY
Download the free handout and start making daily shifts to break the shame cycle that's keeping you stuck in a negative headspace.
https://adversityrising.com/handouts-all?category=Addressing+Shame
READY FOR MORE SUPPORT?
Book a free 25-minute discovery call to discuss program options and find the support that best fits your needs.
https://calendly.com/adversityrising/discovery-call
STAY CONNECTED WITH UNTETHERING SHAME
Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, and leave a review to share your thoughts on this episode.
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2AouludJr7EweOkMIN9s42
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/untethering-shame/id1691795543
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdqCNF8lI6hq8U2GNQsAJkQ
Website: https://adversityrising.com
