Anxiety
“You’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”
– Christopher Robin
Childhood is such a fun and exciting time in life, but…
It can also be very stressful and overwhelming.
Children are the “new kid on the block” to everything. I mean… EVERYTHING: socializing, making friends, learning math, talking to a teacher, dealing with confrontation, accepting the consequences, getting good grades… it goes on and on.
And their world is constantly changing. Every year at school they’re with a new teacher and new classmates, learning new information… and sometimes even in a new school.
Sometimes, it’s just TOO much.
… which is understandable because they aren’t born with the tools to communicate and cope with their BIG feelings.
Sometimes, they shut down, either by isolating themselves or shutting you out.
Other times, they cry or do anything to avoid anxiety-provoking situations (e.g., bedtime, school, soccer practice, etc.). Through tears, they ask if they can skip “just this one time.”
And it breaks your heart to force them to go. You know they’re experiencing anxiety. After all, you were a kid once, too!
So, you get it… but you don’t know how to help them cope with it.
I can help your child learn to manage their anxiety.
Counseling gives your child a safe outlet to talk about their worries.
Their confusion with a subject at school and their fear of telling the teacher.
The argument they had with their best friend and their fear of admitting they “no longer have someone to sit with at lunch.”
The worry they experience when their mom goes to work is because “what if something bad happens to them while they’re away.”
When your child talks about their BIG worries with me in sessions, their worries begin to seem a little smaller, and we work through them together!
Your child will learn to cope with their anxious thoughts and feelings.
Your child will learn skills taught in their language to “boss back” their anxiety-provoking thoughts. These include meditation, breathing exercises, “worry monsters,” and building their own personal “coping skills toolbox.”
It’s unrealistic for all your child’s anxiety triggers to be avoided forever (we wish!), but we can help you and your child prepare for them! They’ll develop a plan to help anxiety levels decrease through the “feelings thermometer” activity and plan for pesky triggers.
We’ll also help your child defeat the unhelpful thoughts that cause them to worry more! By helping your child identify their anxious thoughts and reframe them to be more helpful and positive, your child will begin to “boss back” their anxiety.
They’ll also begin using healthy ways to communicate their feelings to you.
I will help your child understand the benefits of expressing their feelings and worries and work with them to identify and practice talking with their support persons at home. They’ll also learn to express their feelings to you using “I-feel statements” and “I-messages.”
You’ll be a part of this, too!
You and I will work together as a team to support your child.
As your child develops skills, you will be invited into sessions to allow your child to teach you the skills they have been learning.
We will all talk together about your child’s worries and anxiety triggers, and your child will practice communicating their feelings to you in a healthy way.
You will help your child outside of sessions with their plans of “showcasing” their skills to combat those triggers.
Together, we will also put a plan in place for any additional support your child may need outside of therapy. These could include safety planning, behavior planning, or planning for a set “calm-down” time at home.
Don’t put this off… I’m here to help.
And there’s no reason for your child’s anxiety to cause them to miss out!
Coming to therapy for the first time can be nerve-wracking. I totally get that! I’m here to provide a safe landing of support. I’ll make sure you both feel comfortable from our very first conversation.
Call today to get started with a free 15-minute consultation! (901) 209-9454