Surviving a Panic Attack on the NYC Subway with Stephanie Sanz

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Stephanie Sanz. Stephanis is a Brooklyn-based therapist, coach, and founder of her own private practice. They talk about her life-altering experience with a panic attack on the New York City subway and how it shaped her professional and personal journey. Stephanie dives deep into her history of anxiety, overcoming a nontraditional and challenging upbringing, and the surprising ways her struggles have informed her mission to make mental health support accessible to all.

About the Guest:

Stephanie Sanz is a licensed therapist, coach, and founder of a Brooklyn-based private practice dedicated to supporting clients struggling with anxiety and stress. Drawing from her own experiences with panic and overwhelm—including a formative episode in her college years—Stephanie now specializes in helping others build stress resilience through therapy, neuroscience-informed coaching, and spiritual practice. She is especially passionate about making therapy affordable for college students and those without traditional access to care.

Main Topics Covered:

• Stephanie’s formative panic attack on the NYC subway and its ripple effects
• Navigating college, instability, and career indecision without family support
• The realities and stigma of panic attacks and anxiety disorders
• The pressure of perfectionism, cultural narratives around success, and “nontraditional” adulting paths
• How Stephanie transformed her personal mental health journey into a professional calling
• Balancing therapy, neuroscience, spirituality, and accessible coaching
• The challenge—and importance—of building support networks and making room for imperfection

Quote from the Episode:

"I might be creating this panic situation, thinking that the result is going to be so dire, but it's not always going to be that way. The result is not always going to be the end of the world. And this is proof of that." — Stephanie Sanz

Timestamps:

[00:00:06] Intro & where Stephanie calls home

[00:01:45] On femininity, power, and motherhood

[00:03:03] The panic attack: scene-setting & aftermath

[00:10:17] How triggers, dread, and lack of control spiral anxiety

[00:14:44] Career indecision and life crossroads

[00:19:16] Overcoming family narratives and a nontraditional path

[00:27:20] The lesson: support, not catastrophe

[00:31:46] Pivoting professionally toward anxiety & stress support

[00:38:33] Making therapy more accessible, blending spiritual and neuroscience-based tools

[00:45:23] Brooklyn eats, dreams of bagels, local favorites

[00:46:39] Wrap-up & gratitude

Special Offer from the Guest:

Stephanie is offering a FREE ebook, “Four Things Your Therapist Wants to Tell You About Anxiety But Can’t,” available at stephaniesanz.com. She also has an on-demand course, Anxiety Rewired, and an upcoming neuroscience + spirituality card deck for rewiring stress—all details at her website. Affordable therapy rates are available for college students in New York.

Note from the show: Guest offers are often limited-time and limited quantity. If you have an issue redeeming the guest offer please reach out to the guest or vendor directly.

ABOUT THE SHOW: The Art of Imperfect Adulting elevates the voices of experience by sharing real stories from real people figuring out adult life. Every episode features honest conversations about life's choices, changes, and challenges—interviews with individuals (not celebrities) who share their personal experiences and insights. Through these authentic stories, listeners find validation, motivation, and inspiration for navigating their own path through modern life. Because there's a big difference between expert advice and shared experience, and hearing another person's lived experience helps us feel less alone in our own situations.

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