Stress has become the background noise of our lives—an endless hum that shapes our health, our relationships, and even how we see ourselves. But what if the story we’ve been told about stress and anxiety is incomplete?

In this conversation, Danielle sits down with her dear friend Dr. Ellen Vora, board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, yoga teacher, and author of The Anatomy of Anxiety, to explore the truth about stress: what it really is, how it shows up in the body, and why healing has to go beyond “the neck up.”

Together, they dive into:

The difference between “true” anxiety and “false” anxiety
How physical imbalances like blood sugar swings, poor sleep, and inflammation fuel stress
Why women’s cycles—and our culture’s dismissal of them—play such a big role in how we experience anxiety
The importance of saying no, slowing down, and creating spaciousness in a world that glorifies doing more
How to preserve relationships with boundaries, compassion, and nuance
Reclaiming dignity, presence, and a sense of calm in our modern lives

Whether you’re navigating parenthood, work, or just the day-to-day demands of modern life, this conversation is an invitation to rethink what stress means—and how to live with more resilience, compassion, and peace.

Check out the video version on the Sakara Life YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/20NOnwm5odY

Ellen Vora, MD is a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist, and yoga teacher, and the author of The Anatomy of Anxiety. She takes a functional medicine approach to mental health—considering the whole person and addressing imbalance at the root. Dr. Vora received her B.A. from Yale University and her M.D. from Columbia University.

About Dr. Vora:

Dr. Ellen Vora: Breaking the Stress–Anxiety Cycle