108: Anxiety + OCD In Athletes

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with marriage and family therapist Carrie Cueto. Carrie specializes in treating co-occurring anxiety and eating disorders, OCD, body dysmorphia and fat phobia, and is the founder of her own private practice, Cultivate Healing. Carrie is licensed to work with clients in California and Colorado, utilizing a form of cognitive behavioral therapy called exposure and response prevention to teach her clients how to overcome their fears and learn to tolerate discomfort in order to fully live their lives. In this episode, Carrie and I dive deep into anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, differentiating between normal worrying and clinical disorders: not all anxiety is dysfunctional, and you can experience intrusive thoughts and superstitions without suffering from OCD. We talk about the overlap between anxiety and eating disorders, and the common personality traits that predispose athletes to both. We discuss treatment approaches and how Carrie utilizes exposure and response prevention to help clients recover from body dysmorphia, OCD, and fat phobia. Carrie explains how listeners can challenge their negative beliefs and overcome anxiety, and the importance of seeking the correct specialist support.  Follow Carrie on Instagram and Facebook @cultivatehealingco and online at www.cultivatehealingcolorado.com  Follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition  Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation?  Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only! THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY: Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders. Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp  In this episode we talk about: 2:40 A multidisciplinary approach to recovery 4:35 Carrie’s path to becoming a therapist 7:25 The difference between expected anxiety and clinical anxiety disorders 11:50 What is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)? 15:10 Recent trends in anxiety and OCD resulting from the pandemic and social media use 17:30 Debunking myths about OCD and anxiety: you can have intrusive thoughts, superstitions, and rituals without OCD  25:30 Risk factors for anxiety and the overlap with traits that make athletes successful 27:00 Perfectionism, and the overlap between anxiety and eating disorders 29:00 A R.U.N. client experience with OCD linked to compulsive exercise and body image concerns 32:30 What is body dysmorphia and fat phobia? 36:00 Treatment for body dysmorphia, OCD, and anxiety. Exposure and response prevention therapy, challenging beliefs and changing mindsets. 44:00 Carrie’s practice: Cultivate Healing 45:00 End of the podcast questions