On the final episode in the premiere season of Graduating Anxiety, Alex does something a little different. After spending season one talking to doctors, educators, psychologists and other professionals, he turns the tables and takes the time to speak to those at the heart of the conversation-- the students. Vera and Jeremy are two students Alex has worked with in the past and they each bring a unique story of anxiety, education, emotion and healing. On today’s episode, they each tell their story and share their perspective on living with anxiety. 

Key Takeaways:   

• Anxiety is not something you overcome nor is it something that fades away. As we change and evolve, so does our anxiety, so we must always be learning new healing and coping mechanisms to manage it.  
• Anxiety may trigger a lot of different thoughts but the realization that you are not your thoughts, you are the observation of your thoughts can be very healing. We cannot control things but we can control how we react to things.  
• Often when we are suffering from anxiety we feel isolated and lonely but this could not be further from the truth. Everyone faces similar struggles and we often stay silent because we don’t realize that we’re not alone.  

On this episode of Graduating Anxiety, Alex interviews Nina Angelo, VP of Product Marketing at Top Hat. Top Hat produces education software products to help keep students and educators engaged, motivated and moving forward, even in blended or remote learning environments. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, technology became much more prevalent in every aspect of our lives, from how we communicate and socialize to how we educate and are educated. But the role of technology is multifaceted, and not without its challenges, especially for students suffering from anxiety. How do we build a learning environment where technology is working for the students, not against them? Can technology actually benefit anxious learners? And which of these changes are here to stay, even beyond the pandemic?    

Key Takeaways:  

• It’s easy for remote learning to just seem like another hurdle anxious learners have to overcome but there are actually many ways educators can use platforms like Top Hat to customize education plans to suit the needs of each individual learner.
• We have heard it a million times by this point-- but we’re all in this together. Most teachers are struggling to adapt to remote first learning, just like students are. It’s okay to have challenges as long as you keep trying and working in pursuit of a goal.
• Technology is a product of the person operating it. If you’re a good teacher, you will be a good one on online platforms, despite challenges. If you’re a good student, you will find your stride with remote learning with time.

On this episode of Graduating Anxiety, Alex interviews Ellen Braaten, Director of the Learning and Emotional Assessment Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a renowned child psychologist, who authored the book “Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up”. They discuss the implications of slow processing speed in learners, the relationship between processing speed and learning anxiety, the benefits of psychological testing and more.  

Key Takeaways:   

• Even with psychological or learning issues, there is a “sweet spot”. Too much anxiety is bad but too little could make us unmotivated. Anxiety is not inherently “bad” as long as we understand it.  
• Slower processing speed can make it difficult for otherwise bright kids to learn in a traditional setting--but it doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them.  
• In today’s climate, we are expecting more and more from children; they are at times expected to be “mini-adults”. Quite simply, it is important to remember to let our kids be kids and give them a break sometimes.  

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.  

In our premiere episode of Graduating Anxiety, host Alex Merrill sits down with Dan Villers, Founder of the Anxiety Institute, to discuss going back to school after the outbreak, lockdown, and continuous panic around the COVID-19 pandemic. The two discuss the pandemic’s effect on children’s anxiety, the need for kids to have regular social interaction at school, and how parents can adapt to today’s online learning environments.  

Key Takeaways: 

• Just because your child is suffering from anxiety, doesn’t mean they need less parenting. It can be helpful to be a bit authoritative and establish boundaries.
• Remember to acknowledge and validate your child’s concerns, but reassure them that you don’t share the same ones and that they are safe.
• Although COVID-19 has its challenges, online learning is offering more opportunities for children to take courses and participate in programs that are not offered in their physical schools.
• Take things one step at a time. Remind your children that they only need to be on step #1, rather than step #20. Remind them it’s not regular life, but pandemic survival.