What helped me move beyond my health anxiety
resources, tools and more
I went back and forth on writing this for a long time. Part of me resisted because I don’t like normalizing things. It can make us believe there’s no way out.
But today, I decided it’s the right time.
I didn’t even know health anxiety was a thing. Which is strange, because I’ve been through many chapters of health issues before. I worried back then too, but I never experienced it to this level.
It started when a couple of my clients were going through cancer treatment at the same time.
Some of them continued their work with me while in treatment, and I was deeply concerned about them. Being that close to it did something to my psyche.
After that, I found myself worrying constantly about my health and the health of the people I love. It became obsessive.
Shortly after, I had a couple of health scares. They turned out to be nothing serious, but the fear stayed.
Even though I sensed this fear, I also resisted feeling it, like letting it in meant accepting defeat to illness.
Something shifted when I read the comment section of this YouTube video about health anxiety. Seeing how many people were struggling with something I thought I was alone in was such a relief. And one of the comments hit me hard. They said something along the lines of:
Isn’t it heartbreaking how much life we’ve lost to the fear of losing it?
Boom!
Something clicked.
This fear is a symbol of our deepest love for life.
I’m not sharing this because I have all the answers. I don’t. I’m figuring it out as I go.
But a few things have helped ↓
1. Prayer practice:
Prayer is the fastest way for me to choose love over fear. I finally recorded one specifically for health anxiety.
You can also listen to this on Youtube and Insight Timer
2. Sitting with protectors:
The parts of us that work so hard to protect us and make sure we’re okay. Internal Family Systems continues to be a powerful tool in my toolbox, and this protector meditation by Faithfully Growing is one of my favorites.
3. RAIN meditation by Tara Brach:
A practice I return to when I’m deep in fear. A chance to cultivate compassion for the part of us that needs to be seen: Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Nurture.
Even though the spiritual “good vibes only” messaging can make us feel like we should never give in to negative thoughts, I keep learning (and re-learning) that it’s not about pushing the negative ones away. It’s about increasing our capacity to allow them.
Only when we let them know they belong do we get to experience peace.
Thank you for joining me on the path of unconditioning, and…
💚 When you’re ready, here are four ways I can help:
Hire me for Live Experiences: immersive, interactive wellbeing events (virtual or in-person) that bring the body back into the conversation, helping your audience build mental + physical resilience through nervous system regulation, breathwork, and posture-focused practices.
Join Live Experiences on Insight Timer: an opportunity to do monthly unconditioning practice, deep work sessions, posture classes, and prayers.
Body Check-in: a 2-hour online session to assess your body’s current state, identify patterns and hidden imbalances (posture, breath, nervous system tone), and leave with a clear, personalized plan (plus 7 days of support after).
Discover Your Body’s Story (Free quiz): a 5-minute pause to understand what your body has been trying to tell you, especially if you feel “wired but drained,” stuck in a loop, or disconnected from your deeper embodied wisdom.
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Hedi Shah
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👁️ Mindfulness Teacher & Bodyworker
🐉 Nervous system regulation, breathwork, and posture-focused strength training to target the cause of what keeps you stuck and in pain, not just symptoms.
📲 Website | Youtube | LinkedIn | Insight Timer
And if that’s not possible right now, please know that sharing my writing, referring my work, and telling someone about this space is also incredibly supportive. You can do it here.