Anxiety is like a dog | @caroline-cavanagh | Giving Anxiety Leadership

18 Aug 2025 · 1 min

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1:12

In this brief talk, Caroline Cavanagh (Speaker A) uses a humorous dog analogy to illustrate how anxiety can dominate a person if left unchecked. She engages the audience by asking for dog owners and caregivers, drawing a parallel between managing a pet or children and managing anxiety. The core claim is that, like a dog that will take the lead if not guided, anxiety will take control unless the individual asserts leadership over it. The speaker emphasizes the need to be the ‘boss’ of one’s anxiety, positioning herself as a guide who understands the mess that ensues when anxiety runs the show.

Chapters

Anxiety has a lot in common with dogs. Just like a dog— actually, before we even do that, how many dog owners do we have in the room? Oh, loads of you! And also raise your hand if you've ever looked after young children. Okay, there's some very sage nodding going on there. So, can we agree for today that if you allow Your 2-legged small people or your 4-legged furry things to take control, it can get really messy. Yes. Oh, yeah. The same is true of anxiety. And that's why Hera knows that I'm the boss. But let's come back to why anxiety is a lot like a stupid-lipped dog. Firstly, if you don't control anxiety, it controls you. I have walked past many a dog owner standing there frustrated with an empty lead whilst it's the canine that decides when they're going home.