Helping Anxious Kids Who Feel Like Everybody is Staring at Them When you have anxiety, especially social anxiety, you can think the world is a stage. The minute you leave your house, you can feel like all eyes are on you. This can be an unsettling feeling to say the least. Now add hormones and normal childhood insecurities, and those feelings can feel like a […]
Health and anxiety have an intimate relationship. They love to hang out together. They love to work together. Anxiety can make you feel sick. Sickness can make you feel anxious. It can be a vicious duo that can wreak havoc in your child’s life.
Sometimes it just seems impossible. Beating anxiety or OCD seems like an insurmountable task that is not worth taking. This is especially true for our kids. When just getting them to do their homework or eat healthy is an uphill battle, how on earth can we encourage them to take steps towards their fear?
Living with anxious kids requires a different kind of parenting. Sometimes it can feel exhausting. Sometimes it can feel frustrating. And sometimes it can feel inspiring and hopeful. It can be quite the rollercoaster ride.
Helping Kids with Anxiety or OCD who have Holiday Overwhelm What can be wrong with lots of time off, plenty of parties, some pent up excitement and gift giving? Lots actually, especially if you are a child with anxiety or OCD. It is not unusual for kids to struggle a bit more during the holidays. The reason for this varies depending on the child’s […]
Anxiety and OCD can take its toll. It can be exhausting, overwhelming and traumatizing for the whole family. So, when your child starts to make some big improvements, it’s normal to be worried about how long it will last. It’s normal to doubt the progress. You might ask yourself, “Is this for real? Is this the new normal?”
As a child therapist, I am often asked what to do when a child is in the middle of complete panic. Their brain has shut off and it can seem like there are no good options to help them. So how are you supposed to reduce anxiety?
I love the holidays. I mean LOVE them! But my three anxious kids can hit some pretty big bumps during the holiday season. In fact most kids who have anxiety or OCD hit a few bumps during this time of year.
We often think there is nothing we can do if our child doesn’t work on their anxiety or OCD. I often say, we are in the passenger seat and they are in the driver’s seat. But there is one thing, one HUGE thing we can do.
Some people look at a crowd and see fun and energy, while other people see a lack of air and nowhere to escape. I am definitely the latter of the two and I know many anxious kids are right there with me!
Does “self care” equal “self-ish” to you? Often there is a negative connotation with the idea of focusing on yourself, especially when you have a child who is in crisis. Sadly, that is when self care is the most needed.
How to Help a Child Who Gets Images Stuck in Their Head We all get songs stuck in our head from time to time. But kids with anxiety or OCD have “sticky” minds. Things get stuck in their brains all the time. When a child gets images stuck in their head, it can cause some serious distress. They might wonder: When will this image […]
If you want to not only survive, but thrive with anxiety – you have to learn how to protect the anxious mind. Our anxious minds are sponges to bad things. It files things away, only to torture us later on with it.
Anxiety doesn’t just live in our mind, it lives in our body as well. It can cause stomachaches, headaches, dizziness, shaking, diarrhea… just to name a few. Teaching kids the mind body connection can reduce the anxiety felt about these physical symptoms.
We many think my sweet, anxious child will never do drugs. In fact, how could she? She’s afraid of her own shadow! I am right there with you. But our young, anxious kids often turn into depressed, overwhelmed teens. The last thing we want is for them to self medicate. That’s why talking about drugs when they are young is so important.
