"Anxiety is the work of a strong, healthy brain that’s a little overprotective" - Karen Young

I recently came across a really great article about anxiety in Kids and Teens that aligns very closely with our first blog post, which you can read here.

"Anxiety is the work of a strong, healthy brain that’s a little overprotective" - Karen Young

In this article, found on the website 'Hey Sigmund,' Karen Young does a great job of explaining what parts of the brain are involved in anxiety, and what kids, teens, and parents can do to help.  It is a must-read for parents of anxious children or teens, and can also be used as an excellent psycho-education tool for therapists working with children and adolescents.  

Often times, kids and teens don't know that they are anxious... They just know that they feel really bad.  They may think they are sick.  They may think nobody likes them or wants to be their friend.  They may feel like they can't do anything (or many things) right.  It may be easy for them to give up, or to avoid the risk of failure by not even trying.

For parents of anxious children or teens, they may not know how to handle the refusal, the avoidance, the tantrums or arguments, and the pleading to stay home from school.

There are very important skills that children, teens, and parents can learn in therapy to help manage anxiety.  Still, if a child or teen spends 1 hour a week in counseling, that's 167 hours spent in other environments throughout the week.  It's no wonder why practicing skills outside of session is so important for success in managing anxiety!  This is why the role of parents and schools is so important in creating successful treatment outcomes.  At Pinnacle Counseling and Testing Center, we believe the role of parents, teachers, and other mentors is crucial.  Therefore, not only are anxiety-management skills learned and practiced in session with the child or teen, but these skills are then are taught to parents (and teachers and other mentors, where applicable) so that progress can continue to be made between sessions.

If you believe that you, or your child or teen may have anxiety, and you are looking for skills and support, please contact us here for your free consultation.

Could your child have anxiety? How anxious children are often mislabeled and lost in the mix.

There is no age limit on stress and anxiety.  While some parents have always seen their child as a “worrier,” some families are noticing the effects of stress on their child for the first time.  Still, some children may only have experienced anxiety after a trauma or other high-stress event.

The truth: anxiety looks different in kids!  Children who are affected by anxiety and stress are often mislabeled and misdiagnosed.

HOW ANXIETY, TRAUMA, OR STRESS MAY LOOK IN A CHILD

An anxious child may be seen as:

THE COOL KID

Damian is the “cool kid” in class.  His teacher reports that he refuses to complete school work and spends much of class time socializing with his friends.  When his teacher talks to him after class, he is like a completely different student: compliant, friendly, apologetic, and perhaps a bit embarrassed.  While on the outside Damian may seem like a student who doesn’t care about school, his fear of criticism from his peers takes precedence.  He fears that his friends will tease him if he gets good grades.

THE PERFECTIONIST

Sarah is a good student who follows the rules of the classroom.  While she gets excellent grades on her assignments, you won’t find her raising her hand when the teacher asks for a volunteer.  Sarah fears humiliation at the risk of saying or doing something wrong.  As a result, she refuses to try things unless she can be certain of success.  Maria can also be found spending much more time than is expected to complete various school assignments, often resulting in staying up late.  In the morning, Sarah finds it difficult to get moving because she is so tired, and may even miss school that day.

THE SHY ONE

At school or in the community, Anthony finds himself frozen; unable to speak.  Feeling the need to protect her child from discomfort, and not wanting to make others feel uncomfortable when he stares blankly or hides in response to their greetings, Anthony’s mother often explains that he is “shy.”  However, he is very talkative and even a bit high-energy when at home with his family or with close friends.

THE TUMMY TROUBLED

Maria has a few close friends at school, but they aren’t in many of her classes.  In her eyes, everyone in her math class is surrounded by their friends and she feels completely left out.  Whenever her teacher announces that it’s time to work with a partner or in groups, Maria feels sick to her stomach and asks to go to the nurse’s office.  Maria’s tummy troubles increase throughout the school year and, despite being seen by a number of different medical specialists, there is no medical explanation for her pain and discomfort.  On the weekends, her symptoms improve.  When Monday morning comes, however, Maria’s symptoms reappear and she pleads with her parents to let her stay home. Her school has expressed concern over the number of absences she has had.

How We Can Help

At Pinnacle Counseling and Testing Center, we take the time to complete a comprehensive evaluation of each client so that we can provide accurate and effective treatment to help children manage their symptoms so that they can get back to school, and back to being a kid!  We also understand the value of family, so parents will always have involvement in our therapeutic work together.  This way treatment can continue at home, increasing the likelihood for lasting results with symptom reduction, helping your child reach peak mental health performance.  Climb on.

If you think your child might be experiencing anxiety or stress, click HERE to schedule a comprehensive intake session.

- Clare Gosney, PsyD, Pinnacle Counseling and Testing Center