Gen Z Anxiety: Navigating Parenthood in Uncertain Times with Dr Lauren Cook

In today's episode, I'm joined by Dr. Lauren Cook, who will be diving into a topic that affects many parents in the modern era – anxiety in Gen Z. Gen Z Anxiety: Navigating Parenthood in Uncertain Times Dr. Cook, a therapist and author, brings her expertise and insights from her book "Generation Anxiety," which provides a guide for millennials and Gen Z to navigate an uncertain world. We'll be exploring how anxiety manifests in young people, particularly as they contemplate starting a family or becoming parents. Plus, we'll discuss strategies for overcoming fear, managing anxiety, and finding empowerment in the midst of uncertainty. During our conversation, we chat about the fears and anxieties surrounding starting a family and becoming parents, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about climate change. Lauren offers invaluable insights on how to tackle these challenges and find a sense of community and connection even in uncertain times. If you've ever experienced anxiety, worried about starting a family, or simply want to gain a deeper understanding of Gen Z anxiety, this episode is a must-listen. Get ready for an insightful and empowering conversation. Let's dive in!   Resources Mentioned During the Episode During the podcast, several resources and tools are mentioned to help with anxiety, mental health, and fear during pregnancy. Here are some of the resources that are discussed: 1. Music: creating a playlist of uplifting songs on your phone or using a music streaming platform like Spotify to have uplifting music readily available for easy access when feeling down. 2. "Empowered Acceptance": explores acknowledging the difficult and scary realities of life, taking action, and finding ways to be part of the solution. 3. Therapy: holistic healing and therapy on an individual level to address mental health challenges. 4. Calm App: for guided mindfulness and mentions enjoying guided mindfulness with this app. They also suggest downloading the hypnobirthing app called Calm Birth. 5. Self-Care Kit: creating a self-care kit that engages all the senses. This may include items that can be touched for comfort, aromatherapy for relaxation (such as peppermint essential oil), sound machines or music, visual cues like family pictures or favorite quotes, and even taste-based items like peppermint candy or gum to help with anxiety. Overall, the podcast provides a range of resources and approaches to support those dealing with anxiety, fear, and emotional well-being during pregnancy and motherhood. Episode Timestamps 00:01:35 Lauren had a baby, discussing fear during pregnancy. 00:04:12 Fear of losing control during birth. 00:06:56 Apprehension and excitement normal for pregnancy decision. 00:10:42 Writing "Generation Anxiety," paralleling pregnancy, high anxiety, pleasant ending with breach baby, commonality of breach births, peaceful C-section, beautiful birth. 00:14:50 Anticipatory anxiety is worse than reality. 00:18:53 Anxiety in youth: prevalence and cultural impact. 00:22:26 Exposure therapy: practice and face-to-face interaction. 00:23:59 Anxiety feeds into family planning, COVID impact. 00:28:55 Fast paced world makes it hard to stay. 00:32:36 Empowered acceptance: acknowledging realities, taking action. 00:34:06 Holistic healing can be approached indirectly. 00:37:06 Deviance from norm, dysfunction, danger, support 00:40:15 Music game changer. Lift you. Spotify playlist. 00:46:47 Fear Free Childbirth podcast: removing pregnancy fear. Episode Guest Meet Dr. Lauren Cook, a licensed Clinical Psychologist, company consultant, author, and speaker. With a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy, Dr. Lauren appears frequently in the media to provide commentary while also working with companies as well as individual adults, couples, families, and teens to help reduce anxiety and improve personal and professi...