TPP 316: Dr. Tamar Chansky on How to Free Our Children from Negative Thinking

In this episode, we’re talking about negative thinking and how to help kids who are more “glass half empty” thinkers shift their mindset. My guest is the woman who literally wrote the book on the subject, psychologist Dr. Tamar Chansky, author of Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking.

Tamar and I talked about what negative thinking is, whether it is possible to change, how to respond when our child is venting their unhappiness or negative thoughts to us, and Tamar’s four steps to combating negative thinking. There’s a good chance that we as the parents and caregivers and adults in the room have our own work to do when it comes to hyperfocusing or dwelling on negative thoughts, so we explore that as well. Honestly, I’ve listened to this episode 3 times already – once recording it, and two more times before releasing it because it’s packed with so many nuggets that I personally need to hear right now. I hope it lands for you the same way. 

Dr. Tamar Chansky, is a psychologist and a writer on a mission to teach kids, adults, and couples how to make the mind a safer place to live by changing their relationship to anxiety one thought at a time. In 1999. Tamar founded Children’s and Adult Center for OCD and Anxiety in Plymouth Meeting, PA. In addition to the book we’re talking about today, Tamar is the author of Freeing Your Child from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Freeing Your Child from Anxiety, and Freeing Yourself from Anxiety.

Things you'll learn from this episode

• Whether or not neurodivergent kids are more prone to negative thinking than neurotypical kids
• What the definition of negative thinking is
• Whether it’s possible for a child whose default mode is “glass half-empty” thinking to become more optimistic
• What the negative patterns are that we are trying to disrupt when working on negative thinking with our kids
• Whether venting is something that encourages negative thinking or not
• The four steps to combat negative thinking
• How to navigate the balance of protecting children from adversity and exposing them to the nature of the world around us

 Resources mentioned:

• Dr. Tamar Chansky’s website
• Freeing Your Child from Negative Thinking: Powerful, Practical Strategies to Build a Lifetime of Resilience, Flexibility, and Happiness by Dr. Tamar Chansky
• Freeing Yourself from Anxiety: Practical Strategies to Overcome Fears, Worries, and Phobias and Be Prepared for Life--from Toddlers to Teens by Dr. Tamar Chansky
• Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents by Dr. Tamar Chansky
• Children’s and Adult Center for OCD and Anxiety in Plymouth Meeting, PA
• Worrywisekids.org

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