Controlling What We Pay Attention To: Dr. Ashley Smith on Anxiety in the Digital Age
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In this conversation, Dr. Ashley Smith shares her personal journey with anxiety and how it has shaped her professional expertise. The discussion explores the intersection of mental health, technology, and education, emphasizing the importance of resilience, control, and the role of parents and schools in supporting children's mental health. Dr. Smith highlights the impact of technology on attention spans and anxiety, the potential of mental health apps and AI, and the need for a shift in parenting and educational practices to foster resilience and emotional intelligence in children.
Brought to you by Pacific Preparatory.
About our guest:
Award-winning psychologist, speaker, author, anxiety expert, and self-proclaimed happiness quester, Dr. Smith earned a PhD in clinical psychology in 2007 from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln, where she began studying and treating anxiety disorders. She did her internship at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City before joining the staff at Omaha Children’s Hospital to help develop their dedicated anxiety services. In 2009, she returned to Kansas City to serve as a senior staff psychologist at an anxiety speciality center. She ventured out on her own in 2017 and has had a private practice until 2025. She’s been actively involved with the Anxiety and Depression Association of American since graduate school and was honored to receive their 2023 Special Recognition Award, in large for her public outreach efforts. She’s passionate about using psychology and applied neuroscience to help people live better lives. That passion led her to co-found Peak Mind: The Center for Psychological Strength in 2019 and to prioritize reaching wider audiences.
Find her at:
Website: http://www.drashleysmith.com
Instagram: @drashleysmith
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drashleysmith
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drashleysmith/
Resources mentioned in the episode:
Feeling Good: Overcome Depression and Anxiety with Proven Techniques and The Feeling Good Handbook by Dr. David D. Burns
Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic–and What We Can Do About It by Jennifer Breheny Wallace.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) adaa.org
