Episode 1147: Catherine Pittman on Anxiety Comes From the Amygdala
Release Date: 01/26/2026
Episode 1147: Catherine Pittman on Anxiety Comes From the Amygdala
Leigh Martinuzzi
Anxiety isn’t a personal failure—it’s a brain-based survival response. In this episode of The Hidden Why Podcast, Leigh Martinuzzi sits down with clinical psychologist and neuroscientist Dr. Catherine Pittman, co-author of Rewire Your Anxious Brain, to explore what’s really happening in the brain when we experience anxiety, panic, and fear. Dr. Pittman explains the powerful role of the amygdala, how it learns through experience, why it reacts before we can think, and how modern life keeps it on high alert. Together, they unpack why anxiety feels so real—even when the danger...
info_outline
Episode 1146: Carrie Schmitt on Creativity as a Healing Force
Leigh Martinuzzi
In this profound conversation with artist and author Carrie Schmitt, we explore how creativity isn’t just a skill or hobby—it’s a living, healing force that can transform lives. Carrie shares her personal journey of how painting saved her during a debilitating health crisis and how creativity became her most meaningful relationship. She challenges conventional views of creativity and offers insights into how anyone can reconnect with their innate creative spirit. Key Topics Discussed Carrie developed a rare, life-threatening allergy to heat and her own body heat in 2009, which left her...
info_outline
Episode 1145:Erin Kerry- Living Beyond Labels
Leigh Martinuzzi
In this deeply insightful episode of The Hidden Why, host Leigh Martinuzzi sits down with Erin Kerry, functional nutritionist, integrative health coach, and author of Live Beyond Your Label. Erin shares her powerful personal journey—from being diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and bipolar disorder as a teenager to living symptom-free for nearly two decades through a holistic, root-cause approach to healing. This conversation explores how diagnostic labels can be both helpful and limiting, the deep connection between the gut, brain, and nervous system, and why true healing happens when we...
info_outline
Episode 1144 Dr. Aimie Apigian -The Biology of Trauma & Healing
Leigh Martinuzzi
In this transformative episode, Leigh Martinuzzi is joined by Dr. Aimie Apigian, a double-board-certified physician and leading expert in trauma recovery, to explore the biology of trauma. From her beginnings as a general surgery resident to becoming a foster/adoptive parent and later facing her own personal health challenges, Dr. Aimie shares her powerful journey—and how it led her to redefine the trauma-healing process through a biological lens. Through this deep and practical conversation, you’ll discover how trauma lives not just in the mind, but in the body. Dr. Aimie offers...
info_outline
Episode 1143 The Secret Language of Your Body with Inna Segal
Leigh Martinuzzi
In this episode, Leigh sits down with internationally acclaimed healer and author Inna Segal to explore the deeper connection between the mind, body, and spirit. Inna shares her remarkable healing journey—how years of physical pain and illness led her to discover the body’s hidden language and its ability to communicate emotional and energetic imbalances. Together, they dive into how our emotions, thoughts, and past traumas manifest as physical symptoms, and how tuning in to our body’s wisdom can open the door to true healing. Key Topics Discussed Inna’s personal journey from...
info_outline
Episode 1142: Ken Miller - Journey of Resilience and Redemption
Leigh Martinuzzi
In this deeply moving episode of The Hidden Why, I sit down with Ken Miller, author of Becoming Ken: One Black Man’s Journey from Ivy League to Prison and Back Again. Ken’s life story is unlike any I’ve heard—a raw and honest account of trauma, addiction, incarceration, and ultimately, transformation. Born into foster care and adopted at six, Ken’s early years were marked by instability and abuse. Despite this, he went on to become a National Merit Scholar and graduate from Dartmouth College, one of America’s top Ivy League institutions. But behind the academic success, Ken...
info_outline
Episode 1141: Dr. Mark Sherwood — Living Longer, Stronger, and Healthier
Leigh Martinuzzi
In this empowering episode of The Hidden Why, host Leigh Martinuzzi sits down with Dr. Mark Sherwood, a former professional athlete, retired police officer, and now a leading naturopathic doctor on a mission to transform global health. Together with his wife, Dr. Michele Sherwood, he runs the Functional Medical Institute, helping thousands reclaim their vitality and longevity through a blend of science, faith, and holistic wellness. Dr. Sherwood shares his inspiring journey from the baseball field to the police force and into functional medicine — a path driven by his desire to reduce...
info_outline
Episode 1140: Dr. Bradley Nelson — Healing the Heart Wall
Leigh Martinuzzi
In this insightful episode of The Hidden Why, Leigh Martinuzzi sits down with Dr. Bradley Nelson, renowned holistic physician, lecturer, and author of the bestselling books The Emotion Code and The Body Code. Dr. Nelson shares his latest work, The Heart Code, and dives deep into the concept of the Heart Wall—emotional baggage that can block us from experiencing love, abundance, and true healing. Together, they explore: What trapped emotions are and how they affect us physically and emotionally The origins and impact of the “Heart Wall” and how to clear it Practical tools like...
info_outline
Episode 1139 The Alchemy of Adversity - How to Turn Your Struggles into Strength
Leigh Martinuzzi
Episode Description: What if your biggest challenges weren't obstacles, but the very fuel you need to create a life of profound strength and purpose? In this powerful, special compilation episode of The Hidden Why, we've woven together the most profound insights from five incredible guests to create the ultimate guide to resilience. This isn't just about getting through hard times. It's about learning the art of Alchemy—transforming your pain, fear, and past struggles into unshakable resilience and clear purpose. You'll discover the science-backed tools and heart-led wisdom to stop...
info_outline
Episode 1137: From Survival to Thriving – A Conversation with Jon Rosemberg
Leigh Martinuzzi
Episode 1137: From Survival to Thriving – A Conversation with Jon Rosemberg In this deeply insightful episode of The Hidden Why Podcast, Leigh Martinuzzi sits down with Jon Rosemberg—author, positive psychology expert, and founder of Anther—to explore the transformational journey from surviving to truly thriving. Jon shares his personal story growing up in Caracas, Venezuela, where survival mode became a way of life. After decades of chasing external validation through career success, Jon experienced a profound emotional awakening that led him to walk away from the corporate grind and...
info_outlineAnxiety isn’t a personal failure—it’s a brain-based survival response. In this episode of The Hidden Why Podcast, Leigh Martinuzzi sits down with clinical psychologist and neuroscientist Dr. Catherine Pittman, co-author of Rewire Your Anxious Brain, to explore what’s really happening in the brain when we experience anxiety, panic, and fear.
Dr. Pittman explains the powerful role of the amygdala, how it learns through experience, why it reacts before we can think, and how modern life keeps it on high alert. Together, they unpack why anxiety feels so real—even when the danger isn’t—and what we can do to calm the brain using practical, science-backed strategies like movement, sleep, breathing, and meditation.
This episode offers clarity, compassion, and tools for anyone who struggles with anxiety—or wants to understand it better.
Key Topics Discussed:
-
What anxiety really is (and why it makes sense)
-
The role of the amygdala vs. the cortex
-
Why anxiety feels uncontrollable and “irrational”
-
Fear vs. anxiety: what’s the difference?
-
How thoughts alone can trigger anxiety
-
Why news, media, and imagination increase anxiety
-
How the brain learns fear through experience
-
Fight, flight, and freeze responses explained
-
Why exercise calms the anxious brain
-
The critical role of sleep and REM cycles
-
How breathing directly affects anxiety
-
Meditation and learning to “change the channel”
-
Practical ways to calm the amygdala without medication
-
The amygdala reacts faster than conscious thought
-
Your body can feel fear even when the danger isn’t real
-
Thoughts alone can activate anxiety
-
Movement, sleep, and breathing calm the brain
-
Understanding anxiety reduces fear of anxiety itself
About Dr. Catherine M. Pittman
Dr. Catherine M. Pittman is a clinical psychologist, professor, and internationally recognized expert on anxiety and the neuroscience of fear. She is the co-author of Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry (2nd Edition), a practical guide that bridges cutting-edge brain science with real-life tools for managing anxiety.
Dr. Catherine Pittman
BOOKS
Rewire Your Anxious Brain: How to Use the Neuroscience of Fear to End Anxiety, Panic, and Worry