A Healthy Push

Have you ever Googled a symptom and convinced yourself something was seriously wrong, even after a doctor told you everything was fine?
Trust me, I get it. And so does today's guest. I'm joined by Leeor Gal, therapist and anxiety coach, and owner of The Therapy Gal group practice in Philadelphia and South Jersey. Leeor specializes in health anxiety, burnout, ADHD, and relational issues and she brings both clinical expertise and a deeply personal understanding of what it's like to live with anxiety.
We talk about why health anxiety feels so convincing in your body, what's really underneath the checking and reassurance seeking, and why the cycle is so hard to break — even when you logically know what you're doing isn't helping. Here's what I love most about Leeor's approach: she doesn't tell you to stop going to the doctor or to just push through the fear. She talks about learning to "live in the maybe" — that gray space between rushing to urgent care and avoiding your health entirely. And she's honest that progress doesn't mean never worrying about your health again. It means building trust in yourself that you can handle the uncertainty.
If you've been feeling alone in this, I hope this episode reminds you: what you're experiencing is real, it makes complete sense, and you are not broken.
Connect with Leeor Gal: thetherapygal.com | Instagram & TikTok: @thetherapygal
HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanic
TAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quiz
A HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/
GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/health-anxiety

Why do we think recovery has to be forced?
In this week's Recovered & Rambling, Brittany and I catch up on everything: her totally unplanned (and so relaxing) trip, my almost-four-month-old and my urge to control every part of his sleep, and my full-circle caffeine moment from drive-thru avoider to drive-thru regular.
We also get into the real stuff. How do you know you're actually healing? Why feeling "back to square one" doesn't mean you are. Why ordering your groceries is not avoidance. And why force can backfire when your nervous system is already overwhelmed.
Plus: Real Housewives, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, and a coloring blanket that's sneakily the best mindfulness practice.
Grab your coffee (or decaf, no judgment) and come ramble with us.
HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanic
TAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quiz
A HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/
GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/rr8

Do you ever feel like you're living inside a "safety bubble"—where you can do the things you have to do, but everything else feels like a monumental risk?
For a long time, I thought agoraphobia meant you never left your house. Because I was going to work and seeing friends, I didn't think the label applied to me. But internally? I was in constant chaos. I was scanning for exits, negotiating with my anxiety, and restricting my travel to a very small radius. In this episode, I’m breaking down the "hidden" side of agoraphobia and why it’s actually a fear of sensations, not places.

HERE'S WHAT TO SAY TO YOUR BRAIN WHEN YOU'RE SPIRALING: https://ahealthypush.myflodesk.com/calmpanic
TAKE MY FREE QUIZ AND FIND OUT WHAT'S CAUSING YOU TO STAY STUCK: https://www.ahealthypush.com/blocking-quiz
A HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/
GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/homebound

What if I'm the exception?
That's one of the questions I hear the most, and it's exactly why I'm jumping on for this quick, impromptu episode. I've been getting so many questions about Panic to Peace, and instead of answering them one by one, I figured it'd be easiest, and most helpful, to just answer them all here.
Quick disclaimer: Colin is asleep in the next room and Marbles is doing his own thing next to me, so if I sound like I'm whisper-talking or you hear a plastic bag crinkle in the background, that's why.
In this episode I'm answering the questions I get asked the most: what if I've been struggling for years, what if I've already tried everything, what if I'm in therapy or have already done therapy, what if my anxiety is more specific (driving, health, travel, or something else), what if I have a chronic illness or medical condition in the mix, what if I can't make the live calls, what if I'm scared to spend the money and it doesn't work, what if I really am the exception, and what if I want to join but I'm just anxious about actually doing it.
If you've been on the fence about Panic to Peace, or you've had one of these exact questions running through your head, this episode is for you
PANIC TO PEACE STARTS OCTOBER 2026. DOORS ARE OPEN: JOIN HERE

What if the story you've been telling yourself isn't actually true?
For years, Shannon was convinced she was the exception and that her anxiety was different, that she'd tried everything and nothing was ever going to work, and that panic and agoraphobia were just going to be part of her life forever. Sound familiar? In this episode, Shannon breaks down why "what if I can't recover" is a story anxiety loves to create, how that story quietly shapes everything you do (and don't do), and why your anxiety isn't as "special" or "different" as it feels.
She also shares real messages from past Panic to Peace students who spent years believing recovery wasn't possible for them and are now back to driving, traveling, and living lives they once thought were completely out of reach.
If you've ever thought "I've tried it all and nothing works," this episode is your permission to ask a different question: not what if I can't, but what if I can?
P.S. Panic to Peace opens September 22nd and starts October 4th: 10 weeks, live, with Shannon every step of the way. If you've been on the fence for months (or years), this is your sign.
PANIC TO PEACE STARTS OCTOBER 2026. GET ON THE WAITLIST HERE: https://www.ahealthypush.com/live-panic-to-peace
A HEALTHY PUSH INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/ahealthypush/
GET THIS EPISODE'S SHOW NOTES: https://www.ahealthypush.com/post/whatif