CBT Based Parent Support for Childhood Anxiety
If your child is anxious, there are practices that can help you and your child get back to living the lives you both want.
I work with clients ages ten and up. For children younger than ten, or for children who are not ready for therapy for any reason, I am available to work with parents on how to support their anxious children at home. Trying therapeutic techniques at home can be helpful because you are around when they are anxious and need support the most.
Many strategies for anxiety/OCD can be a bit counterintuitive; we can work together to find solutions that work for you and your child. Take a look at my resource page for further reading. Many of the strategies I use are based in CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) and adapted to be neurodiversity affirming.
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Children who are anxious may avoid situations in which they experience fear. You might notice yourself needing to accommodate for this by speaking for your child or finding creative ways to avoid their fear. Anxious children may be irritable, have difficulty falling asleep, or engage in ritualistic behaviors. Jumping to “worst case scenario” thinking is also common.
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Some ways to be supportive include validating your child’s emotions while expressing confidence in their ability to face their fears. Additionally, if your child is Autistic or has ADHD, accommodating your child’s neurotype is key!
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Anxiety is a normal life long emotion just like happiness, sadness, frustration, and excitement. Sometimes anxiety improves on its own or comes and goes in waves, and other times professional support is needed. This can be especially true when anxiety is interfering with life activities such as attending school, connecting with friends, sleeping, or eating.
