Escape Anxiety: 8 Steps to Freedom Through Meditative Therapies

By Suzanne Jessee and Lavelle Jacobson

It’s estimated that forty million Americans suffer from anxiety disorders—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Millions more suffer in silence. Suzanne Jessee was one of them. Hospitalized at age thirty with severe depression, anxiety, and panic disorder, she was determined to overcome the mental paralysis and addictive behaviors that ruled her life. Not only did she personally triumph over these debilitating disorders, but she set out to study, train, and work in the world's leading treatment centers and has helped thousands of others to recover from severe anxiety.   

Through her research and stories of her experience, Escape Anxiety: 8 Steps to Freedom through Meditative Therapies Jessee gives the causes and patterns of these complicated and often misunderstood mental health problems and offers a program of natural treatments to regain health and happiness.      

Accompanied by a PBS special, Escape Anxiety is an exclusive look at the revolutionary treatment program Jessee successfully pioneered at the Betty Ford Center and other top addiction treatment centers. Her 8-Step Escape Anxiety program is designed to provide holistic, natural techniques to manage extreme stress and depression in order to escape their destructive consequences.      

At the heart of her program is Jessee’s innovative method of Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy™ (NMT). Combining proven therapeutic techniques such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with ancient mindfulness practices, her methods empower anxiety sufferers by liberating them from unhealthy “thought myths” and helping them create sustainable, life-changing habits. Backed by recent scientific proof that meditation has a transformative effect on the physical brain, Suzanne demystifies the practice of meditation and demonstrates its power as a viable alternative to synthetic medications for treating anxiety. Each of the following steps of Jessee’s program to break the patterns of anxiety is accompanied by exercises the reader can do at home, including a specially designed script for meditation:  

Step 1: Conquering Codependent Control Issues
Step 2: Dismantling Perfectionism
Step 3: Releasing Resentment and Forgiving Others
Step 4: Surrendering Shame and Resentment: Forgiving Yourself
Step 5: Defusing Catastrophic Thinking
Step 6: Mastering Self-Regulation
Step 7: Making Conscious Choices About Your Emotions
Step 8: Rewriting Your Internal Dialogue  

After years of personal experience helping patients at the Betty Ford Center and other clinical settings, and recognition for her success from the top experts in the field, Suzanne Jessee now offers an affordable and accessible in-home treatment program to heal those who suffer from the devastating effects of anxiety disorders.

• Language: English
• Publisher: SelectBooks
• Release date: Feb 1, 2015
• ISBN: 9781590793077

Book preview

Praise for

Suzanne Jessee’s Escape Anxiety Program

If you have the desire to change your life and rebirth yourself free of your old emotional afflictions, this program will coach and guide you in ways, which will allow you to escape your past and its destructive messages.

Bernie Siegel, MD

Author of 365 Prescriptions for the Soul, Prescriptions for Living

and Love, Medicine and Miracles

"Suzanne Jessee has written an informative and instructional book on the ‘How’s and Why’s’ of using meditation-based therapies to ‘Escape Anxiety.’

The therapeutic value of these practices and the practical steps she gives in this book guide the reader toward a modicum of self-control over the anxiety and panic that plagues them.

I congratulate and honor her effort to bring this information to all who suffer in a most useable and simplified system."

Harry L. Haroutunian, MD

Physician Director, Betty Ford Center, a part of the Hazelden Betty Ford

Escape Anxiety is a powerful program that will help many people calm the worry and stress that steals their joy.

Dr. Daniel Amen

Amen Clinics, Inc.

Author of Change Your Brain, Change Your Body

Think of Suzanne as a scout, or the one who ‘goes before’ you, as one who marks the path to follow toward freedom and light. If you dive into this book, immerse yourself in the story, try out the tools, and incorporate the principles into your own life, you will find safety, healing, freedom and peace.

Lavelle Jacobson, Master of Divinity

Spiritual Care Counselor

Betty Ford Center, a part of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

"Some years ago during a business trip, I was caught in the cross gunfire between two gangs. It left me dealing with anxiety attacks. I tried ignoring them and hoping they would go away and realized that this was getting worse and must be resolved.

Doctors were some help, but most of the work needed to be done by the person burdened by the attacks. I found Suzanne’s meditation tapes very helpful and would carry them with me even when I traveled. They were a vital tool for my journey of recovery and are still used when I have a stressful day."

Wanda

Victim of a violent crime

The Escape Anxiety program has literally changed my life. It’s the driving tool that fine-tunes the mind to allow one to accomplish goals. The program has given me the mental power to release the stress in my life. Through Suzanne’s techniques, I can now clearly see and set aside the negative aspects that were once driving my life. The Escape Anxiety program has literally transformed me. It has allowed me to lose 15 pounds and focus on eating healthier and smarter. But most importantly, it has allowed me to respect and love myself. This in turn has brought those that are dearest to me closer. I owe a life of gratitude to Suzanne Jessee’s program.

Cameron Fraide

Palm Desert, California

Copyright © 2015 by Suzanne Jessee

All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the publisher.

Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy™ (NMT) is a trademark of Suzanne Jessee

This edition published by SelectBooks, Inc.

For information address SelectBooks, Inc., New York, New York.

First Edition

ISBN 978-1-59079-301-5

ISBN: 9781590793077

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Jessee, Suzanne.

  Escape anxiety : 8 steps to freedom through meditative therapies / Suzanne

Jessee, M.A., CHt. -- First Edition.

      pages cm

 Includes bibliographical references and index.

 Summary: Author presents her 8-Step Escape Anxiety program, used at the Betty Ford Center and other treatment facilities, developed after her own experience of hospitalization for anxiety disorders and related alcoholism. Program is based on her concept of Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy (NMT) that integrates practices of progressive relaxation, mindfulness meditation, guided imagery meditation, hypnotherapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy-- Provided by publisher.

 ISBN 978-1-59079-301-5 (hardbound book : alk. paper) 1. Anxiety. 2. Anxiety--Treatment. 3. Meditation. I. Title.

 BF575.A6.J47 2015

 152.4’6--dc23

2014037642

Book design by Janice Benight

Book illustrations by Lidiya Matvisiv

Spot illustrations © istockphoto/Helga Wigandt

Manufactured in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

This material has been written and published for educational purposes to enhance one’s well-being in regard to health issues. The content of this book is the sole expression and opinion of its author, and not necessarily that of the publisher. The information given herein is not intended for the diagnosis of any medical condition, and the 8-Step Escape Anxiety program and the practice of Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy™ (NMT) presented here are not intended to be a substitute for an individual’s prescribed medications or psychiatric or psychological treatments or therapies. Reliance on any information provided herein is at your own risk. The publisher and author will have no responsibility to any person or entity with respect to loss, damage, or injury claimed to be caused directly or indirectly by any information in this book.

Symptoms of anxiety and panic may be related to a serious medical condition. If you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, consult with a healthcare professional to determine if you need medical intervention and treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition that you or those you are caring for may suffer from. Consult with your primary care physician or therapist about incorporating this or any other mental health improvement program into any existing course of treatment. Seek immediate help if you are exhibiting symptoms that may threaten your health, including but not limited to persistent insomnia, dramatic mood changes, or thoughts of suicide.

To all of the beloved children:

Jason, Breanna, Sarah, Amber, Amanda, Stephanie,

and Baby Girl born 8/24/77,

whose delicate lives God entrusted to me.

To my grandchildren, now and to come,

with my deepest love.

Manifest your dreams!

Contents

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I

Decoding Anxiety Disorders

CHAPTER ONE

Freaking Out! Anatomy of a Panic Attack

Understanding Anxiety

Common Anxiety Disorders

Quiz: Anxiety Self-Assessment

Anatomy of a Panic Attack

Why Do We Panic When There Is Nothing to Panic About?

Thoughts Are Chemical

CHAPTER TWO

Anxiety Disorder: What Causes It and Who’s At Risk?

Major Influences on the Development of Anxiety Disorders

The Power of Perception

Creating a Trauma Time Line

Exercise: Create Your Trauma Time Line

What Are You Afraid Of?

CHAPTER THREE

The Surprising Science Behind Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy: What’s Thought Got to Do with It?

Bringing Meditation Down to Earth

Exercise: Breathing Meditation

Meditating with a Script

Five-Minute Guided Meditation Script

The Science of Meditation

Creating an Escape Route

Meditation vs. Medication: Which Is Best for You?

Five Methods Used in Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy (NMT)

Progressive Relaxation

Mindfulness Meditation

Guided Imagery Meditation

Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Preparing for the 8-Step Escape Anxiety Journey

Part II

Eight Steps to Freedom:

The Escape Anxiety Program

CHAPTER FOUR

Step 1: Conquering Codependent Control Issues

The Development of the Need to Control

Misplaced Expectations

Exercise: Whose Holding Your Happiness Eggs?

The Dangers of Codependency

The Change Process

Quiz: Do You Suffer from Codependent Control Issues?

Exercise: Know Your Cans

Guided Meditation for Conquering Control Issues

CHAPTER FIVE

Step 2: Dismantling Perfectionism

Quiz: Are You a Perfectionist?

Three Faces of Perfectionism

The Great Divide

Tips for Managing Perfectionism

Perfectly Imperfect

Exercise: Know Your Cans

Guided Meditation for Dismantling Perfectionism

CHAPTER SIX

Step 3: Releasing Resentment and Forgiving Others

What Forgiveness Is Not

So, What Is Forgiveness?

Exercise: Preparing to Forgive

The Cost of Not Forgiving

Guided Meditation for Forgiving Others

CHAPTER SEVEN

Step 4: Surrendering Shame and Resentment: Forgiving Yourself

The Fear-Panic-Shame Cycle

Three Keys to Freedom from Shame

Releasing the Shame of Sexual Abuse

Exercise: Name the Shame

Exercise: Name the Guilt

Guided Meditation for Forgiving Yourself

CHAPTER EIGHT

Step 5: Defusing Catastrophic Thinking

When Worry Doesn’t Work

Addicted to Thought

Exercise: Accidental Pie

Exercise: Make a Date with Yourself

Guided Meditation for Defusing Catastrophic Thinking

CHAPTER NINE

Step 6: Mastering Self-Regulation

Learning to Self-Regulate

Exercise: Minding the Body

Stopping the Runaway Mind-Train: The I.R.S. Tools

Exercise: Using the I.R.S. Tools

Guided Meditation for Mastering Self-Regulation

CHAPTER TEN

Step 7: Making Conscious Choices About Your Emotions

Naming Your Emotions

The Story of Two Wolves

An Invitation to Dine

Exercise: Create Your Guest List of Emotions

Guided Meditation for Making Conscious Choices About Your Emotions

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Step 8: Rewriting Your Internal Dialogue

Tips for Shifting Your Self-Talk

Positive Self-Talk

Exercise: Create Your Own Mantra

Exercise: Turn Your Trauma Time Line into an Achievement Time Line

Guided Meditation for Rewriting Your Internal Dialogue

AFTERWORD

It’s In the Cans

Information and Resources

for Anxiety Sufferers

APPENDIX ONE

Nutrition For Peace of Mind

APPENDIX TWO

Exercise and Anxiety

APPENDIX THREE

Substance Abuse and Addiction Resulting from Anxiety Disorders

Notes

Index

About the Author

Foreword

There are times in life when we need something, anything, to get us through. And there are times in life that we’re doing okay, but need that extra sparkle of inspiration to add some dazzle to our daily lives. No matter where you are coming from, or why you picked up this book, you are guaranteed to find some light and inspiration here.

This is not just a how to book, but a story, a journey with Suzanne as she shares her life story and the transformation that she experienced from the darkness of anxiety to freedom and light. Better than fiction, Suzanne tells her story with heart, always sharing her profound wisdom, the tools she has learned, her expertise as a clinical counselor and the hope she has experienced and brings to you, the reader.

Suzanne came into my life at a crucial time. Struggling with major life-altering decisions, a stressful yet rewarding career, overwhelming transitions in my home life, and significant grief and loss, Suzanne’s friendship was steady, present, consistent, and deep. When I think of Suzanne, these are a few of the things that come to my mind: breath of fresh air. Cool water on a hot afternoon. Rest when weary. Light in darkness. Lighthearted yet not one to skim the surface, Suzanne was a safe haven of friendship where I could be real, yet not be left to despair.

You will find Escape Anxiety to be the same. Lighthearted yet not superficial, safe but not boring, real but not melancholy.

As a friend and colleague, Suzanne saw my anxiety and slipped me one of her meditation CD sets. I began to use it daily, giving myself the much-needed break and rejuvenation. And slowly things began to change. I felt lighter, more centered, more able to surrender the uncontrollable aspects of my life and trust rather than live in worry and anxiety. It felt like a spa for my soul. I had found a tool to help with life, or rather, stressful life. (Oh, you have one of those too?) Suzanne’s meditations led me to a peaceful place each day, giving me the serenity, connection to my own spirituality, an ability to let go of heavy things, and the rejuvenation and strength I needed for the day.

As a Spiritual Care Counselor at the Betty Ford Center, I knew this had to be shared. With her permission, I began using Suzanne’s meditations with the addicted and alcoholic women on my hall at Betty Ford Center. Each time I did, their response was Where do we get those meditations? We want those for when we get home! The meditations are non-religious (and not weird and woo-woo-ey at all!) but rather are grounded in deep spirituality, inspired by the beauty of nature and principles of goodness and truth. Therefore, they are perfect for people from any religious or cultural background.

Suzanne’s journey was not easy. And my guess is that yours is not either. So think of Suzanne as a scout, or the one who goes before you, as one who marks the path to follow toward freedom and light. (Not blindly, of course, because that’s not good for anyone.) If you dive into this book, immerse yourself in the story, try out the tools, and incorporate the principles into your own life, you will find safety, healing, freedom, and peace.

—Lavelle Jacobson, Master of Divinity

Spiritual Care Counselor

Betty Ford Center,

A part of the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

Acknowledgments

Iwant to thank a few special friends and my beloved family for being the wind beneath my wings in manifesting my dreams.

I want to thank God for giving me a peace of mind beyond all understanding, for inspiring my purpose and vision, and for planting in me an insatiable drive to guide others to peace of mind. Along my journey, I have often made many appointments for one purpose but discovered that God had an entirely different plan for these meetings. God planted very special people in these meetings who became my unintentional dream-makers—I call these meetings divine appointments.

Thank you Mike Hammer for your generous contribution to my plan and purpose. It is with your belief in me that my dream has taken flight. You were a divine appointment!

My deepest gratitude goes to my dear friend since childhood, Kerre Randel—a witness to my life, an encourager, supporter, contributor, and believer in my quest to share my story of struggle and triumph for the greater good.

My son Jason, at the tender age of eleven, had the courage to be the mirror to my broken reflection. My life was forever changed in that moment. Thank you, my dear loving son.

My daughter Breanna encouraged me to never lose my sight of my dream, ever nudging me forward. Go forward mom, don’t give up, you’ve got this she would say to me on our frequent hikes up the San Jacinto Mountains. Thank you, my beautiful love.

Ellen Daly, you are gifted beyond measure. Thank you for giving my words a voice with flow in print. I thank God for the divine appointment with Mike Murphy that brought me to you so that we could bring this work to all those who will benefit from it, with ease and grace.

The first moment I heard the soothing, spiritual music of Mark Watson, I knew I had been divinely appointed to share the private meditations of my mind within the melodic language of his sounds. This collaboration has been essential to the development of this work.

I also want to express my deep appreciation to my publisher and editor, who took a chance on me with time limitations that most publishers would not have been willing to work within. I’m forever grateful for the divine appointment with Joel Pitney, who initiated this fortuitous partnership.

To my patients, thank you for trusting in me to gently guide your frail and vulnerable minds to a place of peace, hope, and renewal. It was your peace-filled faces and grateful voices that affirmed my purpose in life. I am forever grateful.

Finally, to my mom and dad, thank you for allowing me to share the story of our journey unfiltered and for giving me perfect love. We are perfectly imperfect! All my love to you both.

Introduction

In 1991, just shy of my thirtieth birthday, I was hospitalized with severe depression, anxiety, panic disorder, and the early stages of agoraphobia (fear of going out in public). If you’d told me back then, as I stood shaking uncontrollably in my kitchen, that one day I’d be writing a book to help anxiety sufferers, or that I’d train and work at some of the leading recovery centers in the country as a clinical therapist, I’d have thought you were crazy. Because, after all, that’s what I was: crazy. So crazy I couldn’t even leave the house. Anyone telling me I’d be making anything of my life must be crazy too. At that moment, all I could see ahead was a life incarcerated in a psych ward. I even wondered if I’d have a life at all.

When I realized I would survive the incapacitating effects of panic disorder, it became my life’s passion to understand the nature of anxiety and panic attacks from a physiological and psychological perspective. I wanted to understand why I became so ill in a fairly short period of time, and make sure that I would never experience that degree of mental distress again. With a passion for my personal wellness as the catalyst for my mission, I set out to study, train, and work in the world’s leading hospitals, treatment centers, and educational institutions.

More than two decades later, I look back in amazement and gratitude at how far I’ve come. In my own journey of recovery from anxiety and the alcoholism I developed through attempting to self-medicate, I discovered tools that were so powerful I felt compelled to share them with others. These tools are not new—in fact, some of them have been around for thousands of years. But only recently has the medical community come to understand the effectiveness of these therapies for treating anxiety. And thanks to advances in science, we can now not only witness their effectiveness, but can study the physical evidence of their impact on our brains and bodies.

I have seamlessly woven the most effective therapies for treating anxiety—which include Progressive Relaxation; Mindfulness Meditation; Guided Imagery Meditation; Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy; and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy—into a new powerful treatment for recovery from anxiety disorders, which I call Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy™ (NMT). NMT is a form of guided meditation that is the central treatment in my 8-Step Escape Anxiety Program, which I’ve used at leading recovery centers, including the Betty Ford Center, Brighton Hospital, and Dawn Farms Treatment Center.

The Escape Anxiety Program, which I am unveiling for the first time in this book, is the culmination of my clinical understanding of panic disorder paired with the absolute best alternative-healing methods known to science for the reversal and prevention of panic disorder. Now, through this book, I’m thrilled to be able to make this program available to tens of thousands more sufferers—people who may not be able to afford expensive recovery centers, or may be too ashamed or confused to seek treatment.

I believe that in our ever-more-stressful culture, it’s critical to help people understand anxiety and remove its cloak of shame. It’s estimated that forty million Americans suffer from this disorder. My mission in life is to make excellent mental healthcare affordable and accessible to anyone who needs it, in the comfort of their own homes.

If you’ve picked up this book, perhaps you are one of those people. Or perhaps someone you know and love is suffering the agony of anxiety, and you are seeking to help him or her. Whether you are a long-term sufferer with an advanced anxiety disorder, a concerned friend seeking help for a loved one, or simply someone who has suffered an occasional panic attack and wants to prevent it escalating into something more serious, I can help you. In fact, the tools in this book are relevant for anywho lives a high-stress lifestyle, which most of us do. Prevention is by far the best medicine, and I hope this book will prove useful not just as a responsive treatment but as a preventative treatment as well, helping to avert the spiral into an anxiety disorder for many.

In part I, I will share my own story of breakdown and recovery, as well as the stories of my patients (with names and identities changed to protect privacy), and use these to highlight and demystify the causes and symptoms of the disorder. In part II, I will be walking you through my proven 8-Step Escape Anxiety Program, giving you tools and techniques to manage your condition and find freedom from its devastating consequences, such as addiction, depression, and more. At the end of this book, I also include vital information about nutrition, exercise, and the dangers of substance abuse. Knowledge is power, so I encourage you to spend time reading through this information, as it will help you to manage your own symptoms more effectively through smart lifestyle choices.

The overall objective of the exercises in the 8 steps in the Escape Anxiety program is to take a close look at the contributing factors to your anxiety and panic disorder. Those factors may include, but are not limited to, control issues, perfectionism, resentment, anger and guilt, catastrophic thinking, low self-esteem, and negative self-talk. All of these elements are rooted in deep-seated fear that creates unmanageable stress resulting in chronic anxiety and panic attacks.

As we work through the 8 steps, we will do some mental reorganizing and de-cluttering by throwing out the old and bringing in the new—purging negative energy and replacing it with positive, healthy energy. Each step addresses specific emotional contributors to anxiety and panic disorder.

Take as much time as you need to work through the 8 steps in the program. Each of the steps in part II includes exercises and a specially designed guide for meditation called a Neurogenesis Meditative Therapy script. If you find yourself struggling with any particular step, I encourage you to stay with it and repeat the exercises until you feel confident you have fully absorbed the ideas and practices. And please don’t stress over trying to