Today I’m joined by the one and only Lauren Riihimaki—aka LaurDIY—for a deep, hilarious, and refreshingly honest chat. You’ve seen her build an empire with glue guns and glitter, but in this episode, we go way beyond crafts.Lauren opens up about growing up with anxiety, navigating emetophobia (the fear of vomiting), panic attacks, burnout, and what it’s like trying to stay authentic as an OG YouTuber in a world that rewards perfection.We also talk about therapy, medication journeys, the pressure of being online, marriage dynamics, wedding hacks (yes, really), and how life changes when you stop performing and just start being.If you’ve ever struggled with anxiety, emetophobia, or just being a human on the internet—this one’s for you.

Ask Kati Anything ep. 255 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 – Intro

1:30 – How LaurDIY started

10:00 – Public breakups & parasocial relationships

20:00 – Emetophobia & anxiety unpacked

35:00 – Medication, therapy & finding the right fit

45:00 – The pressure of creator life

55:00 – Weddings, burnout, and boundaries

1:05:00 – Advice for living with anxiety

💬 Drop a comment—what part of this resonated most with you?

📲 Share with a friend who needs this talk today.📌 Follow Lauren

https://www.youtube.com@LaurDIY

🎙️ Check out her podcast: Wild 'Til 9 https://www.youtube.com/@WildTil9

MY BOOKS

Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j
Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY

ONLINE THERAPY (enjoy 10% off your first month)

While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati

PARTNERSHIPS

Linnea Toney linnea@underscoretalent.com

LaurDIY on Anxiety, Authenticity & Emetophobia: The Real Talk You Didn't Expect

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