Anxiety, ugh!

Dr. Toy focuses on diagnosing, normalizing, and treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and severe acute panic attacks. Reviewing criteria out of the DSM-5, she maps out how underlying panic activates primitive fight-or-flight stress responses in the body, generating severe somatic physical pain like constant digestive illnesses and migraines. Using water and a University of Pittsburgh cup as a visual threshold prop, she demonstrates actionable self-regulating habits, including her signature ‘Feel Better Bag’ art intervention, muscle progressive relaxation, and tactical cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).