Anxiety in Children and Teens
Anxiety is one of the most frequent reasons why parents seek treatment for their kids. The good news is that anxiety responds well to evidence-based treatments.
Children diagnosed with anxiety may have an increase in negative emotions: fear, worry, sadness, anger, and guilt (Ray, 2014). Children with anxiety can also exhibit a low ability to regulate these emotions (Ray, 2014). Anxiety can disguise itself and can often be misdiagnosed as a variety of things, such as attention problems or misbehavior.
Symptoms of anxiety:
Crying, tantrums
Unreasonable or excessive fears
Excessive worrying
Physical symptoms: shaking, tummy aches, nausea, muscle tension, racing heart, sweating, trouble breathing
Refusal to attend school
Trouble separating from caregiver
Avoiding social situations for fear of scrutiny by others
Irritability
Sleep disturbances
Difficulty concentrating
How can I help?
Building a therapeutic relationship with the child based on trust.
Allowing clients to talk through their fears, nervousness, and anxiety. At the same time, they talk, giving them unconditional positive regard and acceptance.
Using role-play and play therapy techniques
Practicing calming skills, deep breathing, and coping skills
Teaching kids how to talk back to the worry monster
Helping kids step outside of their comfort zone and face uncertainty
Providing psychoeducational information—because this is a competition and helps to know the challenger.
I am trained in CBT, or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is suitable for children over 8. I am also trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is an excellent treatment for OCD.
If your child or teenager is experiencing anxiety symptoms, please do not hesitate to call me at 517.258.1615 to schedule an assessment.
Works Cited
Ray, D. (2014, October 9). High Anxiety: Play Therapy with Clinically Anxious Children. Lecture presented at 31st Annual International Play Therapy Conference in Westin Galleria, Houston.
