When’s the last time you got caught up in a mental spiral, going over and over a past event or constantly reimagining a future one? Research shows we’re more prone to this habit than ever. That cycle that peaks your anxiety and distracts you from what’s happening at the moment is called rumination, and my guest wrote a book all about it.

Donna Jackson Nakazawa is an acclaimed science journalist whose new book, “Mind Drama: The Science of Rumination and How to Outwit Your Inner Defeatist,” explores the neuroscience behind why we fall into these repetitive patterns. Her knowledge of the topic is informed by all the latest research, and she has even developed her own framework for dealing with it; I experience that approach first-hand, right in the middle of our conversation.

This episode is essential listening for anyone who wants the tools to break out of those stressful spirals once and for all. Stop spiraling and ramp up your power over your own mind:

The role your childhood plays in shaping the stories you tell yourself;
Find your voice by naming and relinquishing your negative thought patterns;
Why rumination isn’t just overthinking;
The radical reparenting approach to rewiring your mind.