52. The Homing Instinct: Mentoring Teens Through Fear, Vulnerability, and Growth
Release Date: 12/11/2024
70. “I Hate the Way I Look”: Addressing Anxiety and Body Image Issues
Fear Less
In this compelling episode Zack is joined once again by clinical psychologist to explore body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)—a deeply misunderstood and often overlooked condition, especially in adolescent boys and young men. Dr. Olivardia, co-author of The Adonis Complex, shares his decades of clinical and research experience in working with individuals who struggle with distorted body image, anxiety, and co-occurring disorders like OCD and depression. He breaks down how BDD presents, the dangerous cultural messages that fuel it, and why it often goes undiagnosed in young men. For parents of...
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69. Treating OCD and Eating Disorders: What Clinicians, Clients, and Families, Need to Know
Fear Less
In this episode of Fear Less, Zack talks with licensed therapist Elian Beattie, the owner of Insights Group, an outpatient therapy practice in Rye, New Hampshire. Elian specializes in treating OCD, anxiety, and eating disorders, and shares her rare expertise in addressing both OCD and disordered eating at the same time—something many treatment providers avoid. Listeners will gain a clear understanding of how these two conditions often overlap, from perfectionism and control to compulsive behaviors around food and body image. Elian breaks down how both disorders can be identified, assessed,...
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68. Is an Eating Disorder Actually OCD? Dee Franklin on Redefining Treatment
Fear Less
In this episode Zack welcomes a licensed mental health counselor, to explore the striking overlap between eating disorders (ED) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Drawing from her decades of clinical experience and a widely-discussed article she co-authored, Dr. Franklin shares how many eating disorder behaviors—like ritualized eating patterns, perfectionism, and sensory avoidance—mirror the core functional mechanisms of OCD. Together, she and Zach dive into the controversial but increasingly accepted view that ED and OCD may not be as separate as traditionally thought, and how...
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67. Leaning Into Fear and Loss: Myra Sack on Losing a Child and Finding Her Way
Fear Less
In this deeply moving episode Zack sits down with Myra Sack, author of and Executive Director of a nonprofit that helps people navigate grief through movement, ritual, and community. Myra shares her profound journey of losing her daughter Javi to Tay-Sachs disease, how that loss reshaped her understanding of fear and anxiety, and how the emotional tools she and her husband developed became the foundation for her organization’s healing model. Together, they explore how grief intersects with fear and anxiety, especially the difference between anxiety's imagined threats and...
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66. Anxiety, OCD, and Addiction: Andy Benckart’s Journey to Recovery
Fear Less
In this powerful episode of Fear Less, Zack sits down with Andy Benckart, a master's-level social work student and young adult in recovery, to dive deep into the complex intersections of anxiety, OCD, and addiction. Andy shares his lived experience navigating chronic migraines, anxiety, substance use, and an eventual OCD diagnosis, shedding light on how these challenges are often intertwined. His story takes listeners from early struggles in high school and college to the transformative impact of wilderness therapy and transitional living programs. Andy also discusses the vital role that...
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65. Befriending Fear: Why We Have Anxiety and How to Use It
Fear Less
In this powerful solo Zack dives deep into the functional purpose of anxiety and how it can actually serve us rather than sabotage us. Drawing on his clinical experience and personal reflections, Zack reframes anxiety as a messenger, something that, when listened to and understood, can be a powerful motivator and guide. Using real-life examples from his own life and his work at Mountain Valley Treatment Center, Zack explores the physiological, cognitive, and behavioral responses triggered by anxiety and how we can tune into those responses to prepare, adapt, and thrive rather than shut down...
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64. Living with ADHD: Dr. Roberto Olivardia on Managing Anxiety, OCD & Executive Functioning
Fear Less
In this compelling episode Zack sits down with renowned clinical psychologist Dr. Roberto Olivardia to explore the realities of living with ADHD and how it intersects with anxiety, OCD, and executive functioning. A lecturer at and clinical associate at , Dr. Olivardia brings both professional expertise and personal insight as someone who has lived with ADHD his entire life. The conversation dives deep into what ADHD actually is, how it’s often misunderstood, and why people with ADHD often experience high levels of stress and anxiety due to environmental expectations and internal challenges....
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63. Fear of Letting Go: The Intersection of OCD and Hoarding Disorder with Christin Brown LICSW
Fear Less
In this episode Zack welcomes specialist based in Massachusetts. Christin has a subspecialty in Hoarding Disorder, and in this conversation, her and Zack delve into this often-misunderstood diagnosis and its relationship to OCD. Christin shares her professional insights as well as her personal experiences with anxiety and obsessive-compulsive tendencies, offering a nuanced understanding of hoarding behaviors—ranging from emotional attachment to objects to digital hoarding like excessive photo saving or unopened tabs. This episode is a must-listen for mental health professionals,...
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62. OCD & Addiction: Hidden Connections and Concurrent Paths to Healing with Jayme Valdez LMHC
Fear Less
In this episode Zack welcomes Jayme Valdez, a licensed mental health counselor and founder of . Jayme specializes in treating OCD, anxiety, trauma, and addiction, and she shares her unique approach to addressing the overlap between OCD and addictive disorders. She challenges the traditional belief that OCD and addiction must be treated separately, advocating for a concurrent treatment model that acknowledges their shared compulsive patterns. Drawing from both her clinical expertise and personal experience, Jayme highlights the importance of evidence-based interventions, harm...
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61. Mountain Valley's History, Culture, and Alumni Support Network with Carl Lovejoy
Fear Less
In this episode Zack welcomes Carl Lovejoy, one of the co-founders of to reflect on the center's origins and evolution. Carl shares his journey from working in independent schools to helping establish Mountain Valley in 2011, recognizing the need for specialized support for high-achieving students struggling with anxiety and related disorders. He recounts the center’s humble beginnings in Pike, New Hampshire, with just four families and how it grew into a nationally recognized residential treatment program. Carl and Zack discuss the transition to the Plainfield campus, which offered greater...
info_outlineIn this episode Zack talks with Ciara Fanlo, founder of The Homing Instinct, a mentoring program for teens. Drawing on her own experience as a “troubled teen,” Ciara recounts the challenges she faced in adolescence—ranging from crippling anxiety and perfectionism to questioning her sense of belonging. Through wilderness therapy, therapeutic boarding schools, and a series of transformative treatment programs, she forged a deeper understanding of herself. Ciara’s story highlights how facing discomfort and embracing vulnerability can help individuals discover their inner compass, ultimately guiding them toward resilience, clarity, and personal growth.
Today, Ciara pays her journey forward by mentoring teens who find themselves navigating similar waters. With empathy and insight, she supports them as they take incremental steps beyond their comfort zones, encouraging them to harness self-expression, develop coping strategies, and connect meaningfully with others. Whether through journaling, tapping into nature, or using metaphors like the “hero’s journey,” Ciara F helps teens build emotional “toolkits” and cultivate a grounded sense of self-worth. Her message resonates for anyone seeking to understand adolescence as an essential rite of passage—a period of uncertainty, yes, but also a powerful opportunity for growth and authentic self-discovery.
Zack’s Hack: In this week’s anxiety hack Zack shares how imaging self in a future context can help you fear less.
Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.