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?
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.
Your child doesn’t want to participate. Inside, feelings of worry, overwhelm and panic are setting in. Outside they are starting to feel embarrassed and angry. The teacher doesn’t get the hint.
It seems like more and more these days we are having to cope with some horrific things. Mass shootings, school shootings, bombings, hate crimes, environmental disasters and devastating weather are things that we and our children have to contend with all too often. How do we talk to kids when something bad happened?
I have gotten many requests from kids on my Youtube channel to make a video on how to talk to their parents about anxiety or OCD. This breaks my heart. Kids are struggling and suffering silently. Perhaps there are loving, caring parents nipping at the bit to help, if they only knew?
Dealing with extreme picky eating can be a lonely journey. Barely anyone gets it. People will tell you all sorts of things. Some to lift you up and some to tear you down, but neither wind up being helpful.
Helping Kids Who Think Everybody Hates Me! Do you find that no matter where you go or what your child is doing, they always say, “everybody hates me!” Perhaps it baffles you because you see your child talking to other kids. You see them laughing. You see people waving at them. They have friends to play with at recess. They are invited to birthday […]
It was bedtime. While most parents were breathing a sigh of relief and doing a mental countdown, I was starting to tense up. I was tired. No, I was exhausted. I hadn’t had a good night sleep in months. We were on a bad run.
