What happens when anxiety, self-doubt, and a major life transition collide?—and how do you find your way back? In this episode Zack sits down with Shane Holcomb, a former Mountain Valley resident and current University of Colorado Boulder student, to explore the real challenges of anxiety during the transition to college. Shane reflects on how social anxiety, loss of confidence, and impulsive behaviors—including sports gambling—began to take hold when he assumed his struggles would disappear just by going to college.

Through candid storytelling, Shane shares how treatment helped him rebuild self-trust, confront fear through exposure work, and rediscover joy, confidence, and purpose. From learning to ride a bike at 19 to reclaiming his passion for sports without addiction attached, this conversation highlights recovery as a process—not a quick fix. It offers hope to young people who feel stuck and reassurance to parents navigating high-stakes decisions about support, treatment, and the path forward.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Susie Kassam,who is an American writer, poet and philosopher.

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

What happens when autism, anxiety, and OCD look so similar that even caring parents and professionals can't tell what's driving the behavior? In this episode of the Fear Less podcast, host Zack talks with Dr. Alison LaFollette, Clinical Director at Mountain Valley Treatment Center, about why these conditions so often overlap—and how to start separating what's sensory, what's anxiety, and what's OCD. Dr. LaFollette explains the core autism criteria (social communication differences plus rigidity/routines, transitions, specific interests, and sensory sensitivities) and shares why anxiety is so common for neurodivergent kids navigating a world not built for them.

They also dig into treatment: ERP (Exposure and Response Prevention) can work for autistic teens with anxiety/OCD, but it often needs smart adjustments. Dr. LaFollette highlights the importance of practicing exposures across many settings (so learning generalizes), building real-life skills alongside ERP, and checking understanding with open-ended reflection instead of "Does that make sense?" The takeaway for parents: the goal isn't "no accommodations" or "accommodate everything"—it's a balanced plan that reduces suffering, supports regulation, and helps your child build a meaningful, more independent life.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Emily Swiatek, "Girl Unmasked: How Uncovering My Autism Saved My Life."

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.

Parenting a teen with anxiety can feel confusing, contradictory, and emotionally exhausting. In this episode Zack breaks down what he calls the five key dichotomies of parenting an anxious child—the opposing truths parents must hold at the same time in order to truly help their teen grow. From being compassionate and firm, to offering support while allowing struggle, this episode speaks directly to parents who feel stuck between "doing too much" and "not doing enough."

Drawing from years of clinical work with anxious adolescents, Zach offers practical guidance for navigating common parenting challenges such as school avoidance, emotional overwhelm, boundary setting, and fear-driven decision making. Parents will learn why progress isn't linear, how to reduce anxiety without reinforcing avoidance, and how to lead with confidence even when anxiety is loud. This episode is especially helpful for parents of teens struggling with anxiety, OCD, or emotional regulation—and for anyone looking to parent with clarity, balance, and long-term resilience in mind.

Zack's Hack- In this week's anxiety hack Zack shares a quote from Victor Frankel, author of the book "Man's Search for Meaning".

Fear Less is sponsored by Mountain Valley Treatment Center.