In this heartfelt episode Zack sits down with Emma, a psychotherapist and mother of two, who shares her deeply personal journey of helping her son navigate severe anxiety and OCD during his adolescence. Despite her professional background, Emma found herself grappling with the overwhelming challenges of her son's mental health struggles, which began to surface intensely when he was in sixth grade. From school refusal and debilitating fears to the complexities of co-parenting and the judgment of others, Emma opens up about the myriad obstacles she faced in trying to support her son.

Emma discusses the difficult decisions she had to make, including enrolling her son at Mountain Valley Treatment Center. She candidly shares the emotional turmoil of sending her son away, the guilt, and the relief that came with finding the right support. Throughout the episode, Emma reflects on the lessons she learned—not just about her son's condition, but also about her own anxieties and her approach to parenting. Her story culminates with her sons remarkable transformation and journey toward well-being, offering hope and insights for other parents facing similar struggles.

Zack’s Hack: In this week’s anxiety hack Zack reveals a technique that parents can use to help their child fear less.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this episode Zack sits down with Sarah Bennison, the co-founder and CEO of The Mattering Movement. They explore the profound impact of "mattering"—the feeling of being valued and making meaningful contributions—on mental health, particularly among adolescents struggling with anxiety and related disorders. Drawing from her extensive background in education and service learning, Sarah discusses how integrating mattering into school curricula can combat toxic achievement culture and improve students' mental well-being. She shares insights on how experiential learning and community engagement empower kids to realize their inherent value, thereby reducing stress and anxiety.

The conversation delves into practical strategies for parents and educators to foster environments where children feel they matter. Sarah emphasizes that small acts of contribution and explicit affirmations of a child's worth can have significant mental health benefits. By shifting the focus from individual achievement to meaningful participation in the community, The Mattering Movement aims to create a cultural change that promotes mental well-being. This episode offers valuable, actionable advice on how fostering a sense of mattering can transform not only individual lives but also educational systems and communities.

Zack's Hack: In this weeks episode Zack shares how careing for others can help you fear less!

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

In this special episode of the Fear Less podcast, host Zack Schafer and Mountain Valley’s clinical director Alison LaFollette present live from the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) Conference on how the integration of occupational therapy (OT) and counseling psychology can transform mental health treatment.

Their talk explores the shared theoretical foundations of both disciplines—such as humanistic psychology, systems thinking, and a strengths-based perspective. They discuss how combining OT's focus on meaningful, everyday activities with counseling psychology's emphasis on personal development and holistic care, help those struggling with fear, anxiety, and related disorders. In the talk, Zack and Alison discussed real world examples from their work together at Mountain Valley Treatment Center and they provide practical strategies on how to integrate the fundamentals of these two professional approaches into your everyday practice.

Through their unique but fundamentally aligned professional perspectives, Zack and Alison paint a picture of an approach to mental health care that extends beyond the treatment of symptoms and aspires to help clients live meaningful, purposeful, and fulfilling lives. It is inspiring and informative conversation for any mental health practitioner, consultant, educator, etc. who is looking to broaden their professional lens and improve the care they provide.

Zack’s Hacks: In this week’s anxiety hack Zack talks about magnesium can help you fear less.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.