Your Anxious Child

Anxiety has traditionally been thought of in terms of a fight or flight response involving the sympathetic nervous system. But there is increasing appreciation of a freeze or immobility response-and we can see this operating in our anxious children

Just because a teacher does not see your child as anxious, does not mean your child doesn't have worrie. In this podcast, I talk about how children do not always show their anxious selves in all situations. 

Children can come up with their own solutions to their worries, but you have to be looking in order to see it.

The girls first ski jump

This compelling video can teach us a lot about dealing with performance pressure.

The importance of focusing on effort rather than performance is discussed.

The importance of establishing "islands of competence" is discussed. Anxiety can be very compelling, so it helpful to develop some alternatives that can really grab your child's interest

A very simple technique for managing anxiety on the go that involves making a fist. One version of this technique appeared in Scardies Away by Stacy Fiorille and Barry McDonagh and another verison appeared in Beat Anxiety Now by Alistair Horscroft

Techniques for helping your child get out an intense worry focus. 

A continue discussion of the freeze or immobility response using the example of a child who just will not get out of the car

Anxiety tends to create intense preoccupation and tunnel vision. In this podcast we will discuss how to help your child get out his head and focused away from his/her worries