Anxious Kids = Anxious Parents

Does your child suffer from fears and worries, phobias, separation anxiety, panic attacks, social anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, or other anxiety related issues? Do you want to help your child push through his/her fears to become more resilient, independent, and happy? Anxious children often make anxious parents. While anxious parents can also make anxious children. Is your anxious child making you "walk on eggshells" and feel helpless? If so, this event is for you!

We will cover the basics of anxiety from a Cognitive Behavioral perspective. This will give you a better idea of the key areas to be looking for when your child is anxious. We will also discuss how to remain emotionally and physically neutral, while being empathetic to your child. You will learn Cognitive Behavioral parenting strategies to help your child be less dependent on you and more confident to work though anxious situations on his/her own.

INSTRUCTOR

Randy Floyd, LSCSW, Founder, Clinical Level Therapist

Randy is the founder of Midwest Anxiety. He is a Licensed Specialist Clinical Social Worker who is an optimist and passionate about helping people focus on what they can do rather than what they can't do. Randy believes building a strong therapeutic relationship and tapping into a person's strengths are the most essential components of the therapeutic experience. Randy is passionate about changing the way we do mental health. He is focused on making mental health normal, a positive experience. He is also adamant about doing mental health differently. Randy believes the "old ways" suggest mental health is for the "broken" or "mentally ill." Randy believes that "Everyone Struggles." Sure. Some people struggle more than others, but everyone struggles with something. With this belief, Randy is focused on providing a wide range of programs and services to help people be mentally well ;) Go give Randy a fist bump on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

CLASS RECORDING

This class is > about You and < About your child

Self awareness is the #1 Super skill.  Understanding how your parenting thoughts, feelings, and behaviors impact your child are the key that unlocks all things parenting.

Are situations Positive, negative, or neutral?

Anxiety makes your child...

  1. Thoughts

    1. Zone into the threat, thoughts become negative.

    2. Difficult to focus on other things other than anxious situation.

  2. Feelings

    1. Experience various physiological sensations such as heart palpitations, sweating, headaches, etc.

  3. Behaviors

    1. Fight, Flight, or Freeze.

    2. Generally need reassurance, accommodations, or avoidance.

Parenting Rules to increase your child's responsibility

  1. Thoughts

    1. Encourage but don't make your child "Think opposite thought"

    2. At the most tell your child "you can handle whatever happens"

  2. Feelings

    1. Encourage to "push through" feelings.

    2. Let your child feel anxious! This will allow your child to develop skills to work through anxiety.

  3. Behaviors

    1. Don't decrease your child's anxiety by reassuring, accommodating, or avoiding.

    2. Be more of a problem solver with your child than a fixer...."So what do you think are some options here?"

    3. Educate! Educate! Educate! about short term benefits vs long term consequences of not facing anxiety

Two things have to happen for your child to become less anxious: Be uncomfortable and be uncertain.  this requires less of you and more of your child.

Don't Get Pulled In!

  1. Expect your child to get anxious. Celebrate your child getting anxious, because that is when the true work happens.

  2. Get out of the business of providing content to reassure, accommodate, and avoid the anxiety. Don't make it better! You can empathize with your child but be consistent that you will not "fix it" for them.

  3. Name and externalize the anxiety. "It sounds like anxiety is showing up again, what do YOU think you should do about it?"

  4. Let your child be uncertain and uncomfortable. This will help them build tolerance and skills to anxiety.

  5. Don't get overwhelmed by the consequences of your child being anxious.

Resources

What's NExt?

  1. Nothing. Just let it ride and see how it goes ;)

  2. Take some more classes.

  3. Need more help than just a class? Try Individual Therapy.

  4. Stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.

QUESTIONS?

LIMITS & RESTRICTIONS

The materials distributed are provided with the understanding that the author and presenters are not engaged in rendering professional services. This is a psychoeducational class and information in the presentations or group discussions by the presenters, facilitators, or participants should not be considered to be medical, psychological, legal, financial, or spiritual counsel. The presentations and written materials are not intended to provide medical, psychological, legal, financial, or spiritual services or counseling. If expert assistance or counseling is needed, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Any opinions, finding, recommendations or conclusions expressed by the author(s) or speaker(s) do not necessarily reflect the views of Midwest Anxiety, LLC.