Helping Parents Handle the Grief that Comes with an Anxiety or OCD Diagnosis Most of us had a fantasy of what parenting would look like. It might have involved Pinterest crafts, bake sales and play dates. It probably didn’t include hyperventilating, panic and avoidance. None of us signed up to parent a child with anxiety or OCD and most of us weren’t prepared to do […]
Red Flags to Watch for When Working with an Anxiety or OCD Therapist Not all therapy is the same. Not all therapists are the same. And when it comes to anxiety and OCD you really want to get it right the first time. But many parents don’t know what to look for and some don’t even realize warning bells should be going off. I invited […]
Empowering Our Kids with Anxiety or OCD to Help Themselves We want the best for our kids. We want our kids to blossom and live a happy fulfilling life. But when our kids start to struggle with anxiety or OCD we might think that rosy picture is gone forever. We might think we have to “cure” anxiety or OCD for them to be well again. […]
How to Help Kids Stop Panic Attacks Panic attacks suck. I know this not only because I am an anxiety & OCD therapist, but because I used to suffer from them as well. I have also unfortunately watched my own kids suffer from them. Genetics can be so annoying sometimes! Through my own struggles and those of so many kids I’ve helped, I’ve noticed what […]
How to Stop Catastrophic Thinking in Kids with Anxiety What if you die while I sleep? What if I throw up at school? What if I trip and everyone laughs at me? What if an asteroid hits the earth? What if I fail this test and grow up to be homeless? Catastrophic thinking takes our kids out of the now and puts them firmly into […]
4 Simple Steps to Help Kids Self-Regulate with Lauren Spigelmyer Many of our kids have a hard time self-regulating. Just like other skills, we often have to teach our kids how to successfully handle their difficult emotions. This can be especially hard for kids that have anxiety and OCD. When you are a child who already struggles with hyperarousal, it doesn’t take much to throw […]
What are the Signs of Social Anxiety? It’s Often Not What People Think. Parents often miss the mark with social anxiety. They think it means a timid child, a shy child clinging to their pant legs or a child who lacks social skills. Although a child with social anxiety can have those attributes, that’s not what makes someone have social anxiety. In fact, you can […]
Handling Overwhelm When Parenting Kids with Anxiety or OCD It can get pretty overwhelming parenting a child with anxiety or OCD. But this is a marathon not a sprint and burn out isn’t an option. Overwhelm is an issue we all deal with throughout this journey. It is something that can creep up on you without any warning. So how do we as parents dial […]
How to Help an Anxious Kid Wear a Mask Masks are a struggle for many kids, but if your child has anxiety or OCD it can be a much BIGGER struggle. This could be due to many reasons. Maybe they feel claustrophobic. Maybe they have sensory issues. Or maybe they have social anxiety and it seems embarrassing. Regardless of what the struggle is the end […]
How to Help a Child with Anxiety or OCD Who has a Hard Time Making Decisions Kids with anxiety or OCD often have a hard time making decisions. This can be for many different reasons. An anxious child might worry that they’ll miss out if they make the “wrong” decision. They might not feel confident in their ability to make their own decisions. A child […]
Helping Anxious Kids Who Crumble Under Pressure Anxious kids crumble under pressure for a variety of reasons. They might worry about deadlines and school work. They might worry about the social pressures of being called on or being watched. They might fear being less than perfect or being worse than others. They might have difficulties making decisions, worried about picking the wrong choice. In this […]
Teaching Our Kids How to Deal with Uncertainty During These Changing Times All the changes and uncertainty have been enough to make my head spin! But what if you had anxiety or OCD and you already lived in panic, you already lived with the fear of uncertainty? Uncertainty and doubt are the hallmarks of anxiety and OCD and they have become the hallmark for society […]
Preparing Our Anxious Kids for an Uncertain School Year There is one thing for sure, next school year is completely uncertain. Will kids go back to school? Will they wear masks? Will school be online or in person? There are more questions than answers when we look ahead. So how do you help an anxious child who craves consistency and stability when reality is anything […]
Ways Parents Can Help Kids with Selective Mutism with Anna Biavati-Smith “He’s just shy, he’ll grow out of it.” That’s what many parents hear when they voice their concerns about a child with undiagnosed Selective Mutism. Selective Mutism is often missed or completely misunderstood. The sad part is with early treatment, kids with Selective Mutism can make great progress. That is why I brought on […]
Helping Kids with Intrusive Thoughts We all have intrusive thoughts, but when you have OCD those thoughts get stuck in your head. They get loud and constant and are hard to ignore. So how is someone meant to get any relief from OCD and these thoughts? It is often the opposite of what you may think. OCD wants you to argue with it. It wants […]
