On this episode of Graduating Anxiety, Alex interviews Dr. Ariel Kornblum of Manhattan Psychology Group, a New York State Licensed Psychologist and Licensed Behavior Analyst who not only treats children suffering from anxiety and depression, but also provides parent management training (PMT), school/teacher consultations and executive function coaching. Together, they break down the environmental and psychological factors contributing to anxiety. They discuss potential treatment methods and talk about how parents and caregivers can better understand when their child needs help.  

Key Takeaways:   

• Kids are starting to experience anxiety younger and younger because there can be too much expected of them. When you can’t do what you’re being asked to do, this can invoke anxiety even though they’re not deficient in any way.  
• As caregivers, we have to focus on the process and not the outcome. We often focus on getting our children to their destinations rather than praising approach-based behaviour.  
• School is not just about academic content--the learning benefits stretch far beyond this, and it’s important to keep this in mind as we help our children navigate through education during COVID.