On this episode of Strategies for Living, David McMillian and Lauren Leon McMillian explore the hidden power behind emotional triggers and negative thinking patterns. Why do certain situations create such intense emotional reactions? And how can we challenge the thoughts that fuel anxiety, fear, anger, and self-doubt?

Drawing from cognitive therapy, mindfulness, meditation, Byron Katie’s The Work, and practical psychological strategies, David and Lauren discuss how self-awareness, breathing, compassion, and conscious thinking can help us move from automatic reactions to intentional living. Learn how cognitive distortions like all-or-nothing thinking, overgeneralization, and “should” thinking keep us stuck—and how to reclaim your emotional power one thought at a time.

Original Airdate: 5/13/2026