The Child Anxiety FAQ: Recent Episodes
Dawn Friedman MSEd
Each week Dawn answers a frequently asked question about child and teen anxiety. Dawn spent thirty years working with, writing about, and supporting parents and children in her private clinical practice and now as the owner of Child Anxiety Support, a membership for parents of anxious kids and teens.
In this episode, Dawn Friedman, an experienced child anxiety expert, answers a listener's question about how to involve siblings in the management of a child's anxiety. Dawn discusses the impact of family dynamics on siblings, the importance of recognizing and addressing parenting pitfalls, and strategies to ensure that non-anxious siblings receive the attention and support they need. She emphasizes the significance of understanding each child's unique needs and offers practical advice such as taking her Parenting Pitfalls Quiz to gain insights into family patterns. The episode highlights the balance between supporting an anxious child and maintaining a healthy environment for all siblings.
00:00 Introduction and Host Background
00:32 Understanding Sibling Involvement in Anxiety
01:50 Identifying Family Patterns and Pitfalls
03:44 Addressing Guilt and Insight
04:21 Practical Steps to Support Siblings
06:14 Reflecting on Personal Experiences
06:53 Case Study: Joan's Family
09:35 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
10:16 Conclusion and Call to Action
In this episode, we address a common concern among families—distinguishing between a child's anxiety and personal preferences. We explore how to identify if a child's behavior is driven by anxiety or simply a lack of interest in certain activities. Tune in to gain insights on this important topic and learn strategies to better understand your child's needs. Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to my podcast for more valuable content!
Takeaways:
- Understanding the distinction between a child's anxiety and their preferences is crucial.
- Avoidance behaviors in children may indicate anxiety, requiring careful observation and support.
- Encouraging children to experiment with their fears can help differentiate anxiety from preference.
- Social anxiety often overlaps with introversion, necessitating nuanced approaches for understanding children's behaviors.
- Parents should consider their child's interests and motivations when addressing anxiety-related issues.
- Regular engagement in anxiety-provoking situations can enhance a child's coping skills and resilience.
Links referenced in this episode:
- childanxietysupport.com/podcast
In this episode of the Child Anxiety FAQ Podcast, Dawn Friedman addresses a listener's question about the use of reward charts for anxious children. Dawn shares her extensive experience working with families and discusses the complexities of using rewards and charts. She explains her flexible stance on rewards, noting the potential pitfalls, such as children focusing on rewards rather than the process. Dawn also highlights the importance of celebrating family efforts and accomplishments holistically. For more insights and to post your own questions, visit ChildAnxietySupport.com/podcast.
00:00 Introduction to Child Anxiety FAQ Podcast
00:29 Thoughts on Reward Charts for Anxious Children
02:09 The Problem with Rewards
03:21 Effective Use of Charts and Celebrations
04:25 Implementing a Family Plan
06:56 Focusing on Family Behavior
10:06 Conclusion and Support
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
In this episode of the Child Anxiety FAQ Podcast, Dawn Friedman addresses a listener's question about why a child's progress in therapy can seem to wear off over time. Dawn explains that anxiety in children is often reinforced by family patterns, termed 'Parenting Pitfalls', which unknowingly support avoidance behaviors. She discusses the importance of continuous practice and parental involvement in managing anxiety and reinforces that setbacks are a normal part of the learning process. Listeners are encouraged to revisit therapy if needed and to apply the skills learned consistently across different contexts and developmental stages. For submitting questions, visit ChildAnxietySupport.com/podcast.
00:00 Introduction to the Child Anxiety Fact Podcast
00:28 Listener Question: Why Did Therapy Stop Working?
01:21 The Role of Parents in Managing Child Anxiety
01:40 Understanding Anxiety Patterns and Accommodations
04:29 Therapy Success and the Need for Continuous Effort
07:25 Practical Tips for Parents to Support Anxious Children
10:46 Conclusion and How to Submit Your Questions
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
In this episode of the Child Anxiety FAQ podcast, Dawn Friedman addresses how to encourage children to become more independent in managing their anxiety. Dawn emphasizes the importance of self-education on child anxiety, modeling coping strategies, practicing these strategies with your child, and consistently offering encouragement. She also discusses allowing children to make their own choices and decisions, even if it involves experiencing failure. Dawn shares personal anecdotes and insights on guiding children to be resilient and independent in managing their anxiety. Listeners are invited to submit their questions on her social media or website.
00:00 Introduction to Child Anxiety FAQ Podcast
00:37 Encouraging Independence in Anxious Children
01:32 Educating Yourself on Child Anxiety
02:12 Modeling Anxiety Management
03:08 Practicing Coping Tools with Your Child
04:12 Encouraging and Supporting Your Child
05:45 Letting Go and Trusting Your Child's Journey
07:17 Personal Anecdotes and Final Thoughts
09:10 How to Submit Your Questions
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
In this episode, I get personal and share lessons and reflections from my own parenting experiences—specifically, what I wish I’d done differently with my anxious child. Parenting is a wild ride; full of challenges, growth, and yes, some regrets, too. But don’t worry! We don't dwell there. Instead, we use these reflections as stepping stones towards understanding and doing better.
So, if you're feeling a little lost or just need some reassurance that you aren't in this alone, you've come to the right place. Hit that subscribe button to stay up to date with my latest episodes, and if you find the discussion helpful, please take a moment to rate the podcast. Your feedback helps me reach more parents who are navigating the world of child anxiety.
Come on over to childanxietysupport.com if you’ve got more questions or to learn more about how we can work together.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
Welcome to the Child Anxiety FAQ Podcast with Dawn Friedman, where listeners' questions about child and teen anxiety are answered by a seasoned child anxiety expert. In this episode, Dawn discusses what to do if you've pushed your anxious child too far, illustrated through a common scenario featuring 'Joan,' a 10-year-old with school refusal. Dawn explains how the family's efforts to manage anxiety may unintentionally exacerbate it by creating restrictive routines. Instead of focusing solely on conflict points like the morning routine, Dawn advises examining broader family dynamics to identify and untangle various 'Parenting Pitfalls.' If you have a question about child anxiety, visit ChildAnxietySupport.com to submit your inquiry for future episodes.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
Welcome to "The Child Anxiety FAQ" podcast, where we dive deep into the everyday challenges and questions that parents face when dealing with child and teen anxiety. I'm Dawn Friedman, and with over 30 years of experience working with kids and families, I'm here to offer practical advice and support. In each episode, I aim to tackle the questions you're losing sleep over, like how to differentiate between healthy coping crying and when your child might be overwhelmed or in distress. This episode references episode 120: What does healthy coping with child anxiety look like?
If you like what you hear and find it helpful, please subscribe to "The Child Anxiety FAQ" wherever you get your podcasts. And while you’re at it, rate and review the show—I appreciate your feedback and it helps other anxious parents find us. Let's figure this out together and create a supportive community where we remind each other: you’re not alone on this journey. Thanks for listening, and I look forward to being part of your support team!
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
This is an issue that's present for many of the families with whom I've worked so I thought I'd bring it here to the podcast and talk about the underlying concerns for parents when they bring this up. Our empathy and concern can make anxiety intervention difficult and we have to address it as we move forward.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
A better question might be WHEN shouldn't I ask my anxious child why they're anxious but this episode gives us a good start to the topic. Besides, of COURSE you're going to ask your anxious child why they're anxious but lots of us are anxious for no reason except that we have anxious brains. And getting too stuck in the question can keep our families stuck in anxiety. Learn exactly what I'm talking about in this episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
In this episode, we explore the dynamics of family functioning patterns and what the research has to say about how to intervene when families are struggling. If you're not sure if child anxiety is an issue for your family, I recommend you take my Parenting PItfalls Quiz. This will help you identify where you're struggling (and where you should start) and also give you the chance to catch my free webinar and subscribe to my Sunday Newsletter, where you can learn more about child and teen anxiety.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
In today's episode I'm talking about what healthy coping really looks like—it’s not always pretty, but understanding this helps us prepare to keep going even when it's hard. Realistic expectations and an understanding that (to quote Jessica Baird), "Crying is coping" makes it so much easier to power through as we support our kids in overcoming their anxiety.
Learn more about Jessica Baird and her services at Kids Can Cope
And submit your questions to the podcast by going to my website Child Anxiety Support
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
In this episode we're discussing how to talk about real-life worries, the big worries that maybe are already keeping you up at note, too, like climate crisis, economic uncertainty, or natural disasters. It's hard to be a regular old adult when we're facing these kinds of anxieties let alone being a growing kid or teen who's just trying to get a handle on how the world works! I look forward to your feedback on the topic and hope you'll come by my site at ChildAnxietySupport.com or message me on social media where I'm @dawnfriedmanmsed to let me know your thoughts and challenges on the topic.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
(Sorry about the audio quality -- I'm having some issues with my editing software!)
Welcome to The Child Anxiety FAQ podcast!
Today's episode answers the question: "How can I determine if my own anxiety is influencing my parenting of my anxious child?" We'll talk about the ways in which parental anxiety can impact child anxiety, what the research has to say about it and discuss strategies for breaking the cycle.
If you find our conversations helpful, I invite you to subscribe to The Child Anxiety FAQ podcast and leave a rating or review. Your feedback not only helps the podcast grow but also helps the information get in front of the families who need it. You can visit childanxietiesupport.com/podcast to submit your questions, or connect with me on social media where I'm @DawnFriedmanMSEd.
Mentioned in this episode:
Sign up for Resiliency Sprint at a discount!
My signature course, Resiliency Sprint, is available at a discount JUST for podcast listeners in honor of Mental Health Awareness Month! Head to my site to learn all about this 4-week program to build greater confidence and competence in your anxious child and then sign up with code PODCAST to get 50% off the coached and un-coached versions!
RESILIENCY SPRINT
In today's episode, we're diving into the topic of setting limits for your anxious child without succumbing to guilt. We talk about the complexities parents face, particularly those who are working to heal their own childhood wounds while supporting their children. We'll address why feelings of guilt are a natural part of parenting and how understanding anxiety can help in making informed, beneficial decisions for our children. If you're ready to unpack the mess of emotions and strategies around parenting an anxious child, stay tuned!
In today's episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ, host Dawn Friedman MSEd addresses a crucial question from our listeners: What are some practical steps I can take to encourage my child to tolerate their anxiety? With over 30 years of experience working with children and families, I offer general strategies that can be adapted to different age groups and situations. The goal is not to eliminate anxiety, but to help children understand and tolerate it. I emphasize education about the normalcy of anxiety, externalizing it by giving it a name or character, and developing strategies to engage with it. Join me as we talk about effective techniques to support our children in managing their anxious feelings, fostering resilience, and embracing new experiences with a sense of adventure. If you have questions or concerns about your child's anxiety, visit my website at childanxietysupport.com to learn more and while you're there, check out the Parenting Pitfalls quiz!
Welcome back to another episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ, where your questions about child and teen anxiety are answered. I'm your host, Dawn Friedman, and today we're diving into a challenging but common issue many parents face: dealing with anger towards their anxious children. With over three decades of experience working with families, I'm here to help you understand the roots of this anger, often linked to catching your child's anxiety, and offer strategies to manage it. Join me as we explore how to create space for yourself, recognize anxiety's role in these emotions, and foster forgiveness and understanding in your relationship with your child.
In today's episode, we tackle a common but complex question: "How can I support my anxious child while also addressing their inappropriate behavior?" Using a real-life example of a parent dealing with their 10-year-old's morning meltdowns before school, I explore some of the root causes of school refusal, the importance of ensuring a supportive environment, and strategies for managing anxiety and inappropriate behavior. From assessing whether the issue could be due to a poor school fit, separation anxiety, or lack of sleep, to planning and setting boundaries, I offer comprehensive advice on creating a balanced approach that supports both the child's emotional needs and your behavioral expectations.
Also here's a link to the podcast I mention about manipulation:
Episode 95: How do I know if my anxious child is just being manipulative?
Hey, everyone. Welcome to the Child Anxiety FAQ podcast, where we tackle your pressing questions about child and teen anxiety. I'm Dawn Friedman, your host, with over 30 years of experience working with kids and families. In this week's episode, we'll confront a dilemma many parents face: should you let your anxious child have a phone? This question isn't straightforward, especially when considering the myriad complications of digital life, such as social media, online games, and the addictive nature of screens. I'll guide you through the difference between restriction and caution, provide insights into how to navigate these choices, and share strategies for fostering healthy digital habits. So grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let's dive into this critical conversation about kids, screens, and anxiety.
Also! Mentions in the podcast!
https://www.ellynsatterinstitute.org (Ellyn Satter, creator of The Division of Responsibility around feeding)
http://ChildrenandScreens.org (a great resource with free webinars and a super useful newsletter)
Welcome back to The Child Anxiety FAQ podcast, where we tackle listener questions about child and teen anxiety. I'm your host, Dawn Friedman, and with over three decades of experience working with kids and families, I aim to bring you practical advice and insights. As the school year kicks off, many parents are concerned about the academic pressures their children face. Today's episode is all about exploring those pressures and finding ways to manage them effectively. We'll discuss the different kinds of academic stress kids encounter at various stages, from second graders to high school juniors, and how external factors like school culture and family values play a role. We'll also dive into how perfectionism and other underlying issues can contribute to anxiety and what parents can do to help. So stay tuned as we unravel these complexities and offer actionable strategies for supporting your child through their academic journey.
In this episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ podcast, we’re talking about whether already anxious kids struggle more with anxiety as they enter their teenage years. I’ll be sharing my experience working with kids and families for over 30 years and diving into the effects of hormone changes on anxiety. Join me for a casual, informative chat about child and teen anxiety and how it impacts parents.
Welcome back to The Child Anxiety FAQ podcast! In this week's episode, we're diving into the world of bedtime routines for anxious children. I share insight to help parents create a bedtime routine that fosters a sense of security and comfort for their anxious children. From the essential steps of a bedtime routine to addressing potential pushback from kids, I provide practical and actionable advice. I also introduce my 6 week coaching program, "Bedtime Navigator," designed to support parents in helping their anxious children get a good night's sleep. \Stay tuned for expert tips and strategies on promoting a peaceful and restful bedtime experience for anxious kids.
In this episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ, we talk about the tangible signs that a child's anxiety is impacting their sleep. Drawing from my extensive experience working with children and families, I explain how to recognize when anxiety is affecting a child's ability to sleep well. I also highlight the importance of addressing sleep issues alongside anxiety and offer insights into how improving a child's sleep can positively impact their overall anxiety functioning. If you want to learn more about my better sleep program for parents of anxious kids, you can check out my Bedtime Navigator 6-week coaching program.
This month, we're focusing on sleep, to coincide with the launch of my 6-week coaching program, Bedtime Navigator. Today's question addresses the challenge of prioritizing your child's sleep needs and your own well-being as a parent without feeling guilty or overwhelmed. We'll explore how guilt and overwhelm affect sleep, why consistency is crucial, and how to find balance in meeting both your child's and your own needs. Stay tuned for practical advice and insights on this common parenting struggle.
In this episode of The Child Anxiety Back podcast, we dive into the topic of sleep and child anxiety. We address a common concern: how to distinguish between typical sleep struggles and something more serious. I emphasize the importance of recognizing the validity of a child's sleep struggles and discusses the strong link between child anxiety and sleep issues. Delving into the definition of pediatric insomnia, we highlight the impact on both the child and the family and stress the need for parents to seek support and intervention if sleep struggles persist, offering insights into behavioral interventions and the creation of effective bedtime routines. If you'd like help with your anxious child's sleep issue, check out Bedtime Navigator, a 6-week coaching program for parents of anxious children who need a good night's sleep!
In this week's episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ, we continue to explore the delicate balance of setting limits and consequences for anxious children without causing shame or distress. Addressing feedback from previous episodes, I delve into the challenge of protecting both the anxious child and their family members from the natural consequences of anxious behavior. I emphasize the importance of understanding and supporting the child's developmental journey, especially in situations where the child struggles to control overwhelming feelings. With practical insights and empathy, I offer advice for parents navigating this complex terrain. Tune in to discover valuable strategies for supporting your anxious child and fostering a nurturing family environment.
In this episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ, we challenge the notion of avoiding distress and emphasizes the importance of helping children learn to cope with discomfort, a fundamental tool in managing anxiety. We explore the difference between punishment and consequences, emphasizing the effectiveness of logical consequences in guiding children's decision-making. We also discuss the role of shame in parenting anxious children and offer insights on utilizing time-out as a protective measure rather than a punishment. Join us as we unravel effective strategies for setting limits and consequences while nurturing our anxious children without causing undue distress or shame.
This week's question is a common one: "I am super busy. How can I prioritize working on my child's anxiety?" In this episode, we'll explore the importance of addressing anxiety, finding the time to do so, and a unique program designed to work with busy parents. So, if you've been wondering how to make anxiety a priority in your family's busy schedule, tune in for some valuable insights.
In this week's episode we talk about helping anxious children understand their feelings of resentment and blame toward their parents. As children navigate the tumultuous teen years and battle with anxiety, it's natural for them to push back against their parents. We discuss the complexities of this issue, providing understanding and guidance for parents on how to navigate these turbulent emotions. I emphasize the importance of being bigger than the conflict, setting boundaries, and fostering healthy communication with their children. Tune in to gain insight into supporting your anxious child through this difficult and transformative stage.
In this episode, we talk about how guilt can hinder decision-making and the importance of moving forward despite feeling guilty. I emphasize the significance of setting boundaries, managing anger, and maintaining loving connections with our anxious children. Tune in to gain practical advice on navigating the complexities of parenting an anxious child.
In this episode, we're getting into some solid strategies to help out kids dealing with negative self-talk. We tackle the challenges of the tween and early teen years, discuss the impact of social anxiety, and give parents some practical tips to support their anxious children.
This week we talk about the importance of acknowledging and working through personal anxieties, and I share specific techniques to help parents manage their own worries while supporting their child's journey to coping with anxiety.
This week I share insights on disrupting anxiety patterns, identifying manageable starting points, and honoring both parental and child capacities.
This is such a painful place to be! But pain can also be the motivation we need to revisit what we're doing and start doing something different! Mostly I want to reassure you that loving your kids doesn't mean you'll always love parenting those kids and that's ok.
You know what's hard about this one? Well, first not all anxious kids WANT to process their feelings and second sometimes processing their feelings gets them stuck. Learn more on this week's episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ
Spoiler alert -- you're not the cause but yes, you are the solution. Both things can be true! I talk about the fallacy that a child's diagnosis ALWAYS goes back to what the parents are doing. Nonsense!
This question is less important than the asker thought it was and I use this episode to explain why. I also talk a little bit about why it's ok if two households are handling the anxiety diffrently (mostly because there's not necessarily anything we can do about it)!
Poor self esteem is super common in child anxiety and no wonder -- anxiety upends our ability to do the things they want to do or that are expected of them. Let's talk about what we can do as loving, supportive parents.
I have several tips, mostly about finding new ways to consider what parenting an anxious child is supposed to be, which might help you feel less pressured to "fix" things.
We interrogate this whole idea of manipulation, look at child development, and talk about better ways to consider the situation.
A parent contacted me about an 8-year old whose separation anxiety means their child meltsdown every time she tries to leave the house. We talk about what we need to know and give a brief overview on how what we're doing might unintentionally be encouraging meltdowns (and what to do instead).
Because there was so little detail offered in this question it gave me the chance to explain what we need to know and why we need to know it to hopefully offer some ideas about next steps for listeners.
The person who asked this question is trying to figure out if the anxiety she's seeing in her child is just due to a specific situation or a sign that her child is more generally anxious. I share some thoughts about how to figure that out.
Parents reach out for help because they need their anxious child to learn to not be anxious or to handle their anxiety more effectively. But we can't make our anxious child or even want to change. What we can do is focus on our own change. In this week's episode, we dig into this uncomfortable truth.
This question from a listener gives us the opportunity to talk about some of the details we need to know to appropriate address our individual child's anxiety, especially around things like school refusal.
This week I explain why it almost doesn't matter whose anxiety started the anxious patterns in the family because the intervention is the same -- at least to start. Also if you'd like to sign up for the free webinar "Tell Me It Will Be OK: How to Talk About Your Child's Anxiety (without making things worse)" just head here: ChildAnxietySupport.com/webinar
This week we explore parental concern in regards to child anxiety and what it means if the child is anxious and what if it means if they aren't (or at least if they aren't clinically anxious). Remember to reach out to me if you have further questions!
This week we talk about how we can support our anxious child and help them feel validated without joining them in their anxiety.
We talk about what panic attacks are; discuss panic disorder; and get into some of the controversy and complications around the issue.
I get a lot of questions about homeschooling for kids with social anxiety or separation anxiety. Get my take on this week's episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ!
We talk about what you can do FOR YOU to best help your anxious child with a promise to get into more specifics in future episodes.
On this week's episode I share common signs that a child might be struggling with anxiety. I talk about somatic symptoms and behavioral symptoms and how to tell the difference between productive anxiety and anxiety that's become problematic.
I usually get a version of this question asking about diet, supplements, or herbal remedies. I explain why I'm not the right person to answer THAT and why I am the right person to talk about other forms of natural child anxiety treatment.
Today we go over ways to tune into our dysregulated child's calm between anxious moments to better head off anxiety meltdowns.
In this podcast I gave a shout out to some of my favorite people, namely, librarians, Mr. Rogers and child life specialists!
Based on a question I got on TikTok, I address how to support an anxious child in learning to cope when they have no interest in learning to cope. We pay particular attention to the type of child who is private about their struggles.
A big topic that's hard to cover in a quick podcast but in general, it's appropriate to help kids live up to expectations that will serve them as they grow.
We look briefly at the DC: 0-5: Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood to consider anxiety in toddlers and discuss how this can align with an irritable temperament.
After getting inundated with that question on the comments to a TikTok post, I figured it was time to do a down and dirty explanation of avoiding avoidance and going towards the things that make our kids anxious.
I respond to a longer question a listener had about her 10-year old refusing to sleep alone with some general thoughts about gentle parenting and child anxiety. For more specific support, my Child Anxiety Support program is always here for you and your family!
This episode offers a special message to the parent who's feeling guilty about the struggles of their anxious child or teen.
We talk about the difference between anxious tantrums and meltdowns and talk about first steps for learning how to deal with them.
Reassuring is the stickiest and the sneakiest of the parenting pitfalls. Let's talk about getting out of the reassurance loop!
I appreciate this question from a parent who's been listening to the podcast and says she doesn't mind being stuck in the Parenting PItfalls and wanted to know what I had to say about that. My answer might surprise you.
Since anxiety doesn't really have a cure -- because anxious brains are gonna be anxious -- what can parents expect from successful child anxiety treatment?
We take a look at gentle parenting, conscious parenting, respectful parenting, attachment parenting -- whatever term you use -- and consider how it impacts child anxiety and child anxiety treatment. I mention Parenting Pitfalls and remember you can take the quiz at http://ChildAnxietySupport.com/quiz
On this week's episode we do a quick dive into the controversies around the PDA diagnosis then jump to how it relates to anxiety treatment. You can check out the PDA webinar I mention on the show by going to ChildAnxietySupport.com/demands and use the code PODCAST to get 50% off the $27 training.
This question comes up for parents who are concerned that giving their child a diagnosis may limit their functioning in some way. We explore it and discuss the reasons for being explicit with kids about their anxiety.
Tackling child anxiety has two tasks. The first is to confront the anxiety. The second is learning the cognitive behavioral tools to manage anxiety. We talk about that second task this week on The Child Anxiety FAQ.
Think of learning to manage your child's anxiety like learning to cook. We dive into that metaphor to explain just why it might be messier than you think and why that's just fine.
This week we talk about how child anxiety is always a family systems issue and how we can shift the system by shifting our own behavior whether or not our child is motivated to change.
It can be difficult to understand the differences between a shy child, an introverted child, and a socially anxious child especially when those things overlap. In this week's episode we look at ways to determine whether a child's reluctance to be social is their natural way of functioning or if it might be cause for concern.
Today we explore the difference between accommodations and support using the definition from the study cited below, which is "changes in parents’ behavior in attempts to prevent or reduce child distress."
Johanna Thompson-Hollands, Caroline E. Kerns, Donna B. Pincus, Jonathan S. Comer, Parental accommodation of child anxiety and related symptoms: Range, impact, and correlates, Journal of Anxiety Disorders, Volume 28, Issue 8, 2014, Pages 765-773, ISSN 0887-6185,
This week we discuss what mindfulness is, how it works, how it helps child anxiety, and how to do it. I also invite you to get my free 7-day Get Yourself Grounded email course by taking the Parenting Pitfalls quiz at http://ChildAnxietySupport.com/quiz
This week I talk about anxiety in the context of a post traumatic stress disorder diagnosis and discuss how it should be addressed. I mention EMDRIA.org in the podcast and wanted to be sure to include a link.
You can also read more about the other treatments I mention here:
- TF-CBT (this links to a PDF published by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)
- What is PCIT? (a definition and explainer about Parent-Child Interaction Therapy from PCIT international)
- Child-Parent Psychotherapy Research overview
This episode is a response to a listener having a tough time and I hope they hear it and find comfort in the answer. And if you, too, are needing support right now, I hope it speaks to you and makes your way a little easier.
This week’s question is meant to address the concerns of parents who contact me and say they’ve tried to get their child help and it isn’t working or it hasn’t worked and they’re asking me what to do next. So I’m squishing all of these questions together into one to talk about the things that get in the way of child anxiety treatment.
The short answer is yes, social media absolutely can cause teen anxiety so I use this episode to talk about what parents can -- and should -- do about it. I mention the report: The Common Sense Census published by the Center on Media and Human Development at Northwestern University, which you can download as a PDF here: https://www.commonsensemedia.org/sites/default/files/research/report/common-sense-parent-census_whitepaper_new-for-web.pdf
While the answer to this question is out of my professional scope of practice, I was able to find information in a literature review specifically about the member's question in regards to vitamin D, which you can find here: The Influence of Vitamin D Intake and Status on Mental Health in Children: A Systematic Review
We talk about that and also use this episode to discuss the importance of taking a multipronged approach to the treatment of child anxiety and why that's important.
This week I explain why we need to reframe the question "How do I explain to my anxious child that they don't need to be scared" to "How do I help my anxious child cope with their fear when they are scared?"
This week we talk about child anxiety and how it can make it hard for some anxious kids to fall asleep (and stay asleep) on their own. I also mention that in March 2023 the theme for the Child Anxiety Support site is Meltdowns and that in April 2023 we'll be walking through the 6-week Strong Kids, Strong Families child anxiety program all together as a cohort. You can join the program at any time but to take the program in real time with me and the rest of the community, just join by the first week of April 2023. You can learn more about the program and get the link to join by going here. Hope to see you in the site!
It may seem counterintuitive but encouragment doesn't always help an anxious child. Learn the two reasons why this is so on this week's episode of The Child Anxiety FAQ.
This week we discuss why we need to shift our focus from motivating our anxious child and where we need to shift it to make a real difference in our parenting.
This is a topic I get asked about a lot and was finally inspired to record it after receiving a long submission from a listener that included this:
“Do we just carry on with how we handle her anxiety in our care despite being different? How does an anxious child cope with split homes? How do we ensure the anxious child doesn't play the parents off against each other (which currently happens). We are lost and her anxiety is getting worse.”
I break it down and while my answers may not be easy to hear (or easy to implement) but I hope it lets you see that what you CAN do can make all the difference for your child.
This question came up after I did a reel on instagram and TikTok where I was talking about the research behind child anxiety treatment and someone asked, "Is this true with autism and adhd then too?” Even though it isn’t anxiety specific, there is certainly enough overlap in these diagnoses that I thought it was worth discussing.
I mention two studies in this episode and wanted to include the citations here.
Dobham, V. E. (2012) Do anxiety-disordered children need to come into the clinic for efficacious treatment? Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 80, 465-476.
James, A. C., James, G., Cowdrey, F. A., Soler, A., & Choke, A. (2013). Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Cochrane Databse System Review, 6: CD004690.pub4.
We talk about coping skills -- what does that mean? what are those skills? how do we teach them to our kids? -- and explore what research has to say about anxiety treatment for kids.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Anxious kids can take up a lot of the family's bandwidth. We talk about how to support siblings while also supporting our anxious child and discuss the Parenting Pitfalls than can trap siblings, too.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Whew -- a tough question that comes up a lot. I'm not sure you're going to like the answer but I hope it helps you understand why anxiety treatment is complicated and needs to be personalized for every family and every child.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Welcome back to The Child Anxiety FAQ here in the new year! This is such a terrific question to start out and I am so proud of the person who asked because many of us -- in fact, I'd say most of us! -- struggle with this very issue! Let's talk about it -- what do we do about it when we get angry with our anxious child? And why is it happening?
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This is the last podcast of 2022 and I share what I'll be focusing on for our relaunch in 2023. You can also learn a little bit more about what inspires me to do the work that I do and how my parenting philosophy informs my work with parents of anxious kids and teens.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
There are lots of reasons why your anxious child's anxiety might not be improving with therapy. We talk about them on this week's episode.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Parents reach out for help because they need their anxious child to learn to not be anxious or to handle their anxiety more effectively. But we can't make our anxious child or even want to change. What we can do is focus on our own change. In this week's episode, we dig into this uncomfortable truth.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Figuring out when to intervene with our anxious child is tricky and it's personal. Here are some questions to consider as you're trying to figure it out.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
There's a difference between appropriate anxiety -- when there is real danger -- and dysfunctional anxiety -- when anxiety is not serving its purpose. Today we talk about those differences and how our own histories can make knowing the difference more challenging.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
I love talking about children's play and this episode gives me the opportunity to do that. Play is a great way for kids -- especially anxious kids -- to process their fears. Listen in to learn more including how to know if it's a problem and what you can do to help.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Last week we talked about whether or not co-sleeping causes separation anxiety and concluded that no, it's more complicated than that and this week's question is related so I scheduled them right next to each other.
Now you might remember I said that if a family is happy co-sleeping, then great. Go for it. But this family is not and I totally understand. It’s ok to want to sleep by yourself. Will you be doing your child damage if you insist on it? Even if they’re scared? No.
Let me explain more about that.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This is one of those parenting decisions that I don’t think you can take out of context of the family functioning and say it is GOOD or BAD. It’s neutral. It’s good if your family likes it and it works and it’s bad if your family doesn’t like it and it doesn’t work. But does it cause separation anxiety? Let's talk about it.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
I chose this big broad question on purpose so I could give you a big broad answer. I mention two other practitioners in this episode and here are the links to learn more about them:
Eve Hermann LMT SEP at Source Emodiment (Eve hosts a monthly virtual gathering in our site)
and
Dr. Gabby Goldach at the inside space
I hope you will check them out!
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This episode we talk about the three reasons we get anxious around our anxious child: first because it's catching, second because we share their worry, and third because we're worried about their anxiety.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
It's common for anxious children to say mean things about themselves like, "I'm stupid. I'm a failure. I can't do anything right." Today we talk about what we can do when our anxious children are full of negative self talk. By the way, if you want to take the Parenting Pitfalls quiz mentioned in this episode, you can do so by going here.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
Short answer? Because parents get blamed for everything. Long answer? Because it's complicated. Learn more on this week's episode.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
It's a simple question but not a simple answer. This week we talk about how to check in and see if we're being appropriately protective or being over protective with our anxious kids.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
I explain why I think the word "manipulative" isn't helpful when we're talking about child anxiety and why anxious kids might display behaviors that adults may call "manipulative."
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This week's question comes from an anonymous submission at my podcast page, which you can find here. The short answer is that no missing school due to anxiety is unlikely to help the anxiety but we also talk about other things you can do that might help. If you need help connecting to resources in your area, please contact the Crisis Lifeline at 988.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Today we talk about "failure to launch" specifically in the context of anxiety. I also mention the SPACE (supportive parenting for anxious childhood emotions) program. You can learn more about SPACE and find a practitioner at spacetreatment.net or check out my Child Anxiety Support program.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Anxiety and ADD/ADHD share some symptoms and to make things even more complicated, at least one third of all children and teens who are diagnosed with ADD/ADHD are also diagnosed with anxiety. We talk about this more in this week's podcast.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Today we're talking about the ways that anxiety can begin or be perpetuated in the context of social anxiety (but also debunking the idea that there needs to be a traceable cause).
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Today I introduced my Bill of Rights for Anxious Kids, which was inspired by Ross Greene's Bill of Rights for Behaviorally Challenged Kids. You can download my Bill of Rights by going here: ChildAnxietySupport.com/rights
You can learn more about Ross Green's work at his website, Lives in the Balance and download his bill of rights as a PDF right here.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
A very brief overview of what to consider when you're making a decision about whether or not to seek medication support for your anxious child or teen. I make mention of the Anxiety Disorders: Parents’ Medication Guide from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which you can download as a PDF here. It's a great starting point to help you understand what to talk about with your child's doctor.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
We talk about the importance of planning when we're working on sleep in the context of child anxiety especially because it's likely to get worse before it gets better. I also recommend the wonderful Macall Gordon as a sleep coach. You can find more info about her at her web site LittleLiveWires.com. You can also follow her at Instagram right here.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
In order to answer this question we talk about social anxiety -- what it is, what it looks like -- as well as why it might show up. I also share some interventions to help kids who are socially anxious.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
We consider two ways parents can get impatient with an anxious child -- in the moment and in the big picture relationship. Also here is a direct link to the quiz I mention in the show http://ChildAnxietySupport.com/pitfalls
I hope you'll check it out!
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
I wanted to talk more about validation and anxiety and specifically how to validate and why to validate in that particular way. Thanks to my son, Noah, who let me share a couple of stories from his own growing up.❤️
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
The episode answers a listener submitted question which was much longer: “I’ve been following your instagram and listening to your podcast for sometime. You tell people to validate their child’s feelings but this does not work. It doesn’t calm down my child or make her less anxious so why are you recommending it?"
That's a great question and gave me the opportunity to explain how the answer lies in adjusting our expectations.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
We examine our assumptions about giftedness and anxiety, look at the research, and discuss the ways that anxiety and giftedness may overlap.
I reference two studies in this episode, which you can find here.
Mental Disorders Among Gifted and Nongifted Youth: A Selected Review of the Epidemiologic Literature
Emotional and Behavioral Characteristics of Gifted Children and Their Families
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This week we talk about what parents need to understand when they bring their child to counseling to address anxiety.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
Anxious children and teens often demand repeated reassurances from their parents. In this episode we talk about whether or not giving them that reassurance help or hinder their struggle with anxiety.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
I take the opportunity to use this very specific question to speak more generally about temperament and how we can mistake a child with a high withdrawal temperament for anxiety (and how to tell the difference).
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
It's hard to find a therapist who works with children and teens. Here are some tips to help make your search a little easier. This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This episode offers a rundown of what OCD actually is (hint: it's not being super neat and clean), how it shows up in kids, what parents can do about it and what NOT to do in treatment!
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This episode looks at what schools can do to support anxious kids with an introduction and overview to 504 plans.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
To answer this question we look briefly at the idea of a disorder and discuss what this means in the context of diagnosis. Then we dig into the question.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This week we explore parental concern in regards to child anxiety and what it means if the child is anxious and what if it means if they aren't (or at least if they aren't clinically anxious). Remember to reach out to me if you have further questions!
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
We talk about rupture and repair in healthy parent-child relationships and talk about what it has to do with the challenges of parenting an anxious child. By the way, you can find the citation for the paper I quote here: Repairing the Bond in Important Relationships: A Dynamic for Personality Maturation This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
We talk about what panic attacks are; discuss panic disorder; and get into some of the controversy and complications around the issue. This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
We talk about when homeschooling an anxious child makes sense and when it doesn't. Have questions about anxious kids and homeschooling? Let me know!
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
We talk about what you can do FOR YOU to best help your anxious child with a promise to get into more specifics in future episodes. This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
On this week's episode I get asked how to calm down an anxious child and we explore whether or not that's the thing we ought to be doing.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
On this week's episode we talk about whether or not a parent can cause a child to be anxious (spoiler alert: no) and explore what influence a parent does have on their child's anxiety. This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
On this week's episode I share common signs that a child might be struggling with anxiety. I talk about somatic symptoms and behavioral symptoms and how to tell the difference between productive anxiety and anxiety that's become problematic. This podcast and website represents the opinions of me, Dawn Friedman MSEd. The content here should not be taken as clinical advice. The content here is for informational purposes only.
While I make every effort to ensure that the information I am sharing is accurate, I welcome any comments, suggestions, or correction of errors.
This website or podcast should not be used in any legal capacity whatsoever, including but not limited to establishing “standard of care” in a legal sense or as a basis for expert witness testimony. No guarantee is given regarding the accuracy of any statements or opinions made on the podcast or website.
In no way does listening, reading, emailing or interacting on social media with our content establish a counselor-client relationship.
In this episode we talk about the concept of Rest and the idea of doing Generative Work with Erin Upchurch MSSA LISW-S (she/her).
Erin wears many many hats. She is the executive director of Kaleidoscope Youth Center; a Community Lecturer and Field Instructor at Ohio State University’s College of Social Work; a leader and activist in the Central Ohio community. In 2017 she ran for the Columbus City School Board on the Yes, We Can Columbus and she has served on several boards including including TransOhio and the Ohio AIDS Coalition. Currently, she is on the board for the Central Ohio Fair Housing Association.
She is also the co-founder of the Ohio REST Collective along with her partner Karen Hewitt Med (ze/hir/she/her) and a single mom to two.
You might read all that and say, wait and she's talking about rest?!? Don't worry -- we talk about that, too!
Erin's interview is thoughtful, encouraging, and paradigm-bending. She has a special message to single parents and to those who are healing generational trauma and are working to attend to their own complex trauma.
I hope this episode will give you much inspiration to bring into 2022!
Harriet and I talk about her book, Shadow Daughter: A Memoir of Estrangement and discuss our own experiences of estrangement from our moms. We share the way estrangement ripples through families, how we cope with the pain of estrangement, and what we learned about ourselves in our relationships with our mothers.
You can learn more about Harriet at her website here: http://harriet-brown.squarespace.com
You can buy her memoir, Shadow Daughter, at Bookshop here (note: this is an affiliate link and any money I make from Bookshop is donated to Postpartum Support International).
I also encourage you to check out her other books Body of Truth: How Science, History, and Culture Drive Our Obsession with Weight -- And What We Can Do About It and Brave Girl Eating: A Family's Struggle with Anorexia.
In the episode we mention the UK organization Stand Alone, which you can find here: https://www.standalone.org.uk
As well as the work of Joshua Colman, whose book When Parents Hurt: Compassionate Strategies When You and Your Grown Child Don't Get Along focuses on the experiences of parents of estranged children.
Finally, I mention my Get Yourself Grounded course, which is free until the end of the year. I would love for you to join and you can do so here.
In which I explain my absence, some big changes, some things that won't change and what's next.
Michelle Risser, a counselor specializing in perinatal mental health and a coach who works with moms who are therapists at JoyfulHappyMom.com, sits down to talk with me about burnout.
We discuss:
05:03 What made her decide to go beyond counseling to add coaching to her repetoire
07:58 The special challenges for working moms in the past pandemic year
09:42 How a breast cancer diagnosis was her wake up call
13:53 How mindfulness changed her life for the better
18:36 Easy tips to add mindfulness to your own life
25:59 Michelle's epiphany about the "put your own oxygen mask on first" advice
29:31 The differences between stress, chronic stress, and burnout
I also talk a little about the DSM diagnosis of adjustment disorder and how knowing about it might make it easier for someone to reach out to a therapist
Learn more about Michelle at her counseling site here: http://michellerissercounseling.com and her coaching site here: http://joyfulhappymom.com
I had a great time talking to Deidre A. Prewitt MS LPCC of ReconnectingColumbus.com about the ways that our relationship with our parents helps shape our relationship with our partners and why it's so important to set boundaries with our families of origin. Deidre had a lot of great things to say including:
@5:52 How to know when your "couple bubble" is being violated and what to do about it
@10:28 The difference between guilt and shame and what it has to say about the way we're functioning
@13:54 Why you need to think about the legacy you're building in your relationship with your partner
@16:18 The importance of finding a "guider couple" to inspire growth in your partnership
@23:24 On setting boundaries with your inlaws (even if your partner doesn't want to)
@30:45 Why it can be so hard to let go of parenting our grown kids
@42:57 What you NEED to know if you decide to use your insurance for couples' therapy
Learn more about Deirdre and her group practice at her web site ReconnectingColumbus.com
This year has been traumatic for ourselves and our kids but there are things we can do to help our children grow through it. I sit down to talk with Dr. Amy Marschall of ResiliencyMentalHealth.com to talk about parenting beyond the pandemic. Amy has a lot to share including:
@4:19 Tips to help kids express big feelings appropriately without stepping on those feelings
@13:18 Why you want your kids to be a challenge
@14:13 How to tell that you're doing a good job helping your child with emotional regulation
@18:35 A new way to look at it when your child says "I hate you"
@22:49 The way that emotional literacy develops in kids
@25:58 Why you should look for teaching moments instead of punishing moments
We also talk about how to know if your child needs counseling and how to find a counselor that you BOTH like.
Learn more about Dr. Amy Marschall here: http://resiliencymentalhealth.com
Buy her books here: https://resiliencymentalhealth.com/books/
I sit down with Macall Gordon MA, a sleep coach at LittleLivewires.com, who specializes in supporting parents with temperamentally intense kids. We talk about why there's no such thing as bad habits, why commonsense sleep wisdom doesn't work for every child, and what the parenting books have wrong about getting kids to sleep. Members of the You Are Not Your Mother membership site can also come to the site to ask Macall questions throughout the month of March 2021.
I talk to Eve Hermann a licensed massage therapist and somatic experience practitioner about the concept of Presence. Eve and I discuss what presence is, why it's important, and how we can bring it back into our lives. Members of the You Are Not Your Mother membership site can also come to the site to ask Eve questions throughout the month of February 2021.