Your Anxious Child

Melanie McNally, PsyD has just published Helping Your Unmotivated Teen: A Parent's Guide to Unlock your Child's Potential. She was seeing a lot of parents complain about how their teens appeared lazy and what she found was it was really a problem in motivation. Dr McNally talked with me about how to think about motivation and what goes into it,  She talks about how motivation involves three skillsets: drive, grit and goals and then how to address difficulties with skillset

Dr McNally is a licensed clinical psychologist  who is also the author of The Emotionally Intelligent Teen. You can learn about Dr McNally at her website https://www.destinationyou.net/

PDA or Pathological Demand Avoidance, alternatively also called Persistent Demand for Autonomy is a topic that is getting increasing attention in the United States. Ruth Fidler and Diane Gould have just published Navigating PDA in America

In this interview, I talk with Diane Gould, LISCW, who founded the PDA North America in 2020, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating the public about this condition. PDA is viewed as a type of autism in which ordinary demands of everyday life are experienced as a threat and consequently fought against. In this interview, Ms Gould explains this complex condition and how parents can respond to it.

For more information about PDA https://pdanorthamerica.org/

Anna Housley Juster has just published a delightful book How to Train Your Amydgala, illustrated by Cynthia Cliff. In this interview we talk about her book and how to use it effectively with children. This children's book talks about how befriend the amydgala, our first responder to any threat or danger, and how to talk it down from any false alarm. A book which is both accessible to any child and accurate with regard to the latest neuroscience is going to be an important addition to the books I share with families. A helpful resource for all children but especially for those who struggle with anxiety

Anne Housley Juster, PhD, LICSW is a licensed mental health clinician and education consultant. Among the many things Dr Juster has done, she was for many years as the director of content for Sesame Street.

In this interview, I talk with Peter Vermeulen about his hypothesis that context blindness is the primary feature of autism. This is a perspective that I think beautifully explains some of the unusual fears and phobias that autistic individuals and thus significantly enlarges our understanding of autism and anxiety. His most recent book with Kobe Vanroy is What Really Works for Children with Autism written especially for parents and teachers.

Dr Vermeulen has written over 15 books on autism and is an internationally recognized expert on this topic. 

More information about Dr Vermeulen can be found at

https://petervermeulen.be/

If you have had more than one child, it is very hard not to realize how important temperament is when it comes to children. It certainly plays a role in the development of anxiety disorders. In today's episode I talk with Drs Lengua and Gartstein about how we need to take temperament into account in raising our children. It is such an important topic that can such a difference in raising our children and helping  us really see them as the individuals they are.

Liliana J. Lengua, PhD and Maria A. Gartstein, PhD have just published Parenting with Temperament in Mind: Navigating The Challenges and Celebrating Your Child's Strengths

Dr Lengua is Martiz Professor of Psychology at the University of Washington, Director of the Center for Child and Family Well-Being. She is the author of over 150 published articles on the effects of stress and adversity on children. For more information about Dr Lengua

https://ccfwb.uw.edu/team/liliana-lengua/

https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/contributors/liliana-j-lengua-phd

Dr Garstein is Professor of Psychology and Director of Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program at Washington State University. For more information about Dr Garstein

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/contributors/maria-gartstein-phd

Paul DePompo, PsyD, ABPP and Cassandra Moore, LMFT have written Tic'd: a child's guide to defeating tics. Dr DePompo is the founder of the Cogntive Behavioral Therapy Institute of Southern California. Cassandra Moore, LMFT is in private practice specializing in Tourette Disorder, ADHD, mood disorder and and anxiety disorders. 

They have written a very practical and helpful book for children dealing with a tic disorder. The authors provide an easy to follow sequence of steps to implement, CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics) the most effective non-medication treatment for Tourette's Syndrome. It is a resource that clinicians, parents and children will find very helpful. Listen to this podcast and you see why I am so positive about this book

For more information 

https://getticd.com/

Danielle Dick, PhD is the distinguished Commonwealth Professor of Psychology and Human and Molecular Genetics at Virgina Commonwealth University. She is an internationally recognized expert on genetic and environmental  influences on human behavior. 

In this interview, we talk about her book The Child Code. In this book, she provides a interesting review on how genes influence behavior, spoiler alert-there isn't a gene for anxiety-it is more complicated. But more importantly from a parenting perspective, she provided a convenient way of thinking about temperament, what she called the 3 E's and quizes to help you figure out where you and your child are on this dimension. Importantly, she notes that we have to adjust our parenting style to match the temperament of your child. The Child Code is an extremely useful book for parents that is grounded in very solid science.

For more informaton about Dr Dick and access to her online resources for you to explore your child's genetic code.

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrhdUqZUoxmfFgfv7dXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzIEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1721681818/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.danielledick.com%2fabout/RK=2/RS=x9LSJGmG3cgi7kWLccRRgKZd2M0-

Dr Sherryse Corrow is a professor of psychology at Bethel University in St Paul University, Minnesota. She is talking  with me today about her research into face-blindness or Prosopagnosia. Developmental Prosopagnosia is a condition that has been estimated to effect 1 in 50 with very profound implications for those with this condition. Quite simply, the world is going to be a much more anxious place if you can't identify faces. Dr Corrow explains how this condition shows up in children, how adults can begin to identify it and some of the research into Prosopagnosia.

Dr Corrow can be reached at

[email protected]

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrEsGa8E3tmCAQA0wtXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1720551613/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.bethel.edu%2facademics%2ffaculty%2fsherryse-corrow/RK=2/RS=_KLD0xt2y42lz5iqMfMNY5NlAHI-

A link to where she summarizes her research in more scientific terms

https://youtu.be/4n8_upaJMxI?si=NHHewNFR6vXDO91S

and for a reference mentioned in the podcast

https://www.faceblind.org/

Dr Sherryse Corrow is a professor of psychology at Bethel University in St Paul University, Minnesota. She is talking  with me today about her research into face-blindness or Prosopagnosia. Developmental Prosopagnosia is a condition that has been estimated to effect 1 in 50 with very profound implications for those with this condition. Quite simply, the world is going to be a much more anxious place if you can't identify faces. Dr Corrow explains how this condition shows up in children, how adults can begin to identify it and some of the research into Prosopagnosia.

Dr Corrow can be reached at

[email protected]

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrEsGa8E3tmCAQA0wtXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1720551613/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.bethel.edu%2facademics%2ffaculty%2fsherryse-corrow/RK=2/RS=_KLD0xt2y42lz5iqMfMNY5NlAHI-

A link to where she summarizes her research in more scientific terms

https://youtu.be/4n8_upaJMxI?si=NHHewNFR6vXDO91S

and for a reference mentioned in the podcast

https://www.faceblind.org/

Kiley Hanish, OTD, PMH-C is a neurodivergent occupational therapist specializing in mental health during the perinatal period which includes pregnancy, postpartum and perinatal loss. She has coauthored "Descriptive Study of the Sensory Experiences of Autistic Mothers as Occupational Beings". Recognizing that the majority of autistic individuals experience sensory processing challenges, this study looks at the challenges autistic mothers face in the transition to parenting. Becoming a parent is an intense experience from a sensory standpoint at each point in the journey. In this interview Dr Hanish describes some of the challenges autistic mothers face and the implications for health care. It is a fascinating topic which has not received the attention it deserves. 

For more information about Dr Hanish: https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrEqxvcx2hmIjoBfepXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1719352541/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fwww.drkileyhanish.com%2f/RK=2/RS=8BPfR.zToOrMxj_B.c1WCsPKSFI-

And for her nonprofit about perinatal loss, Return to Zero: HOPE https://rtzhope.org/

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwriiK1CyGhmHQQAEy9XNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzQEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1719352643/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2frtzhope.org%2f/RK=2/RS=wZ7b.lvdCYyWokpOIkBMOgYl5Ys-

Jonathan Dalton, PhD is a licensed psychologist who is the founder and director of the Center for Anxiety and Behavioral Change in Rockville, MD. He specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. He is a sought after speaker and passionate advocate of public education concerning mental health issues.

In this podcast, Dr Dalton explains anxiety may present differently in neurodivergent children. While a decrease in parental accommodation is a central part of the treatment in neurotypical children, Dr Dalton points how accommodations to the sensory sensitivity of neurodivergent can be a critical part helping the child. Listen to this podcast to learn some practical interventions and also the thoughtfulness required in helping these children. Dr Dalton has a way of presenting methaphors that I think you will also enjoy

Dr Dalton can be found at:

https://changeanxiety.com/about-us/

His recent master class "Understanding Anxiety: A Strength-Based Perspective" can be found at

https://neurodivergentinsights.com/trainings

Yshai Boussi, LPC is a licensed professional counselor who works with teens and families. Polyvagal theory developed by Steven Porges is a perspective that many clinicians have found very useful. Yshai Boussi has presented this theory in very practical terms that can help parents become more attuned to their teenager and remain more connected to them.

To learn more about Yshai Boussi and view his blog

https://portlandfamilycounseling.com/about-us/yshai-boussi-lpc/

Lenore Skenazy is the author of Free-Range Kids: How Parents and Teachers Can Let Go and Let Grow and is President of Let Grow, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting play and independence in children and adolesecence.

Ms Skenazy created quite a sensation after her article "Why I Let My 9-Year-Old Ride the Subway Alone" and got labeled "America's Worst Mom". This lead her to start Let Grow which is an invaluable resource for helping schools and parents promote healthy growth promoting independence in children. Her approach has the benefit of simplicity and common sense. By encouraging independent activity, you are promoting confidence and decreasing anxiety in your child. And it also happens to be fun. Pair this interview with the one I did last year with Camillo Ortiz, PhD who developed an innovative approach to helping anxious children by givng them mega doses of independence. 

Ms. Skenazy also helped Jonthan Haidt in his recent book Anxious Generation write the recommendations about how to correct a "phone based childhood" and return it to a "play based childhood". 

Let Grow website

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrFEIxplh1mPrQWQyNXNyoA;_ylu=Y29sbwNiZjEEcG9zAzEEdnRpZAMEc2VjA3Ny/RV=2/RE=1714424681/RO=10/RU=https%3a%2f%2fletgrow.org%2f/RK=2/RS=UD_aH_MXQEBH_BBxdrHFYlXabIM-

Linda K. Murphy is a speech language pathologist who has written two books, Declarative Language Handbook and Co-Regulation Handbook. I found her books wonderful in clarifying how language can either turn the volume up or down on anxiety. Imperative language, those questions or comments that demand a response can create stress or anxiety. In contrast, declarative or descriptive language can help your child achieve a more regulated and open state. In this conversation, we talk about the power of just describing or observing, rather than jumping into problem solving. In this approach, we can begin to avoid unproductive power battles and foster a more collobrative relationship with our children.

For more information about Linda K. Murphy, MS, CCC-SLP https://www.declarativelanguage.com/

Regine Galanti, PhD has just published Parenting Anxious Kids: Understanding Anxiety in Children by Age and Stage. She is the author of several other books aimed at helping children with anxiety such as Anxiety Relief for Teens.  She is the founder of Long Island Behavioral Psychology and can be found at https://www.longislandbehavioral.com/team

In this interview we have a chance to explore her new book which contains invaluable advice for parents of anxious children at each stage of their development

Dr Jame Gregory is a clinical psychologist and researcher based at the University of Oxford. She has written with Adeel Ahmod a very helpful book on Misophonia that clinicians, those with misophonia and significant others will truly benefit by. She helps clarify why misophonia often gets attached to a significant person and details a program of therapy that can lessen the severity of this condition. It is really a must read for anyone concerned with this condition, but first listen to the podcast because her passion for this material is so evident.

It was a pleasure to have Natasha Daniels as a return guest on this podcast to talk about her new book Crushing OCD: Workbook Kids.  This book is going to be an excellent resource for families and therapists trying to help children with OCD. One of strengths of this book is that it lays out in very digestible units the sequence of steps needed in order to "crush OCD". It is also no small feat the language in this book is very child friendly but always respectful. 

https://hillchildcounseling.com/

https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com/p/difficult-behaviors

Stephen P. H. Whiteside, PhD is a clinical psychologist, Professor of Psychology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science, and Director of the Pediatric Anxiety Disorders Prgram at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  His new book will be out in April in which he  outlines parent-coached exposure therapy. Unlike other therapy experiences, where children meet alone with a therapist, Dr Whiteside focuses on teaching parents how to help children work on their anxiety or OCD at home. In this interview we talk about his approach to treating anxiety disorders and some of the challenges in treating all anxiety disorders. 

I had the opportunity to talk with Aimee Kotrba, PhD on the occasion of the release of the second edition of Selective Mutism: An Assessment and Intervention Guide for Therapists, Educators and Parents co-authored with Katelyn Reed, M.S. She is an international expert on the topic of selective mutism and I have used her material frequently with children struggling with selective mutism. Listen to this informative and fun talk with Aimee Kotrba, PhD.

Dr Aimee Kotrba,  is the owner of Thriving Minds Behavioral Health Clinic in Michigan and directs a camp for children with selective mutism Confident Kids Camp

For more information about Dr Kotrba and to access her webnairs and other material

https://www.thrivingmindsbehavioralhealth.com/

Emily Edlynn, PhD is a clinical psychologist who has just published Autonomy-Supportive Parenting: Reduce Parental Burnout & Raise Competent, Confident Children.

As Emily Edlynn explains "This book gives parents a roadmap to move away from hovering and over-helping (burning us out and undermining our kids competence and confidence) to raising self-sufficent children ready for the world. We can all shift from "full service" to "self-service" in our homes by focusing on three fundamental human needs: autonomy, relatedness and competence."

In this interview, Emily illustrates how we can move away from more fear based parenting which tends to be very controlling and contributes to anxiety in children to parenting that fosters competence and a sense of agency. 

https://www.emilyedlynnphd.com/

She is also co-host on the podcast Psychologist off the clock and check out her interview with Jennifer Wallace author of Never Enough: When Achievemnt Culture Becomes Toxic-And What we Can do About it.  This book nicely compliments Autonomy-Supportive Parenting

https://offtheclockpsych.com/toxic-achievement-culture-with-jennifer-wallace/ 

In this episode, I talk with Suzanne Mouton-Odum, PhD and Ruth Goldfinger Golomb about their recent book with Charles S Mansueto.  These authors have done some of most important work in developing effective treatment for BFRBs. We discuss   the key elements  ComB model for the treatment of hair pulling and skin picking. Since sensory issues are often very important in the treatment of BFRB, we also talk about Suzanne Mouton-Odum and Ruth Golomb other books on sensory dysregulation.

Helping Your Child with Sensory Regulation: Skill to Manage the Emotional and Behavioral Components of Your Child's Sensory Processing Challenges by Suzanne Mouton-Odum and Ruth Goldfinger Golomb

Psychological Interventions for Children with Sensory Dysregulation by Ruth Goldfinger Golomb and Suzanne Mouton-Odum

Ruth Goldfinger Golomb, LCPC can be found at http://www.behaviortherapycenter.com/new-page-2

Suzanne Mouton-Odum, PhD can be found at https://psychologyhoustonpc.com/.

The brain changes that happen as a result of pregnancy is a fascinating topic. Dr Pawluski is one of the leading authorities on this topic. We talk about her book Mommy Brain in which she discusses how the brain changes as a result of pregnancy and how the transition to parenthood does not get the recognition that it deserves. She also sets the record straight about what actually happens to a mother's memory during pregnancy. Most importantly she highlights the amazing ways the brain adapts to the task of having a child. 

Jodi Pawluski, PhD is a neuroscientist who specializes in the neuroscience of motherhood and perinatal mental illness. She has a podcast Mommy Brain Revisited in which she talks to leading scientists and others about the latest thinking and research on the changes in the maternal brain as a result of pregnancy.

 https://www.jodipawluski.com/mommybrainrevisited/episode/3735c11f/43-attachment-and-neural-synchrony

Her website where you can also information about Dr Pawluski's webinars for parents

https://www.jodipawluski.com/about

And her book which is available in English and French

https://www.drdonnahenderson.com/

In this interview I talk with Donna Henderson about autism and anxiety. Dr Henderson and Sarah Wayland with Jamell White have written two books about autism: Is This Autism: A Guide for Clinicans and Everyone Else and Is This Autism: A Companion Guide for Diagnosing. 

Dr Henderson talks about how understanding some of the nonobvious ways in which autism can present itself and the unique features of anxiety in this population. 

Camilo Ortiz is an Associate Professor of Psychology and the director of clinical training at Long Island University-Post as well as maintaining a private practice.

Dr Ortiz is developing a novel approach to treating childhood anxiety by providing children with opportunties to practice being independent. Everyday acts of doing things independent of adults essentially exercise the same psychological muscles that a child need to deal with anxiety. His approach has the potential to be a promising addition and at times an alternative to traditional exposure based therapy for anxiety. This approach has an accessible simplicity and leverages children natural wish to be independent and competent. 

His Website is http://drcamiloortiz.com

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/04/opinion/anxiety-depression-teens.html

https://profectusmag.com/treating-childhood-anxiety-with-a-mega-dose-of-independence/

https://letgrow.org/program/the-let-grow-project/

Chelsea Conaboy is a  journalist specializing in personal and public health. Her recent book, Mother Brain, is now available in paperback. Her book is a thoughtful and well researched discussion of the emerging neuroscience about the brain changes that occur as a result of becoming a parent. In addition, she offers an incise critique about the concept of "Maternal Instinct" and how it is fundamentally flawed and inaccurate.https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/26/opinion/sunday/maternal-instinct-myth.html

This is a major developmental period and transition which is actually similar in magnitude to the changes that occur in adolescence.  However, this sensitive developmental transition has not received the attention and recognition that truly deserves. Chelsea Conaboy has corrected this imbalance with her highly readable and thoughtful book 

https://cc.au.dk/en/recreational-fear-lab

The question of why we would be drawn to movies and other material such as haunted houses is what Mathias Clasen and Marc Andersen investigate at the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University. The negative effects of children watching movies that are inappropriate for their age has received substantial attention. However, Clasen and Andersen note how all ages are drawn in different ways to scary material, and in their work they demonstrate some of benefits of this exposure. Among other things it can help us learn how to manage our fears and bring us closer together. In this interview we talk about "the threat simulation theory of horror movies" and importantly how horror movies represent one end of a continuum in which we seek to explore fear and other emotions.  They point that even in nursery or preschools books, such as We're Going on a Bear Hunt by Michael Rosen and Helen Oxenbury explore what it is like to be afraid. These safe explorations are one way in which we learn to manages anxious feelings. 

We are born with a set of primitive reflexes that are necessary for our survival but over the course of the first year should be gradually inhibited or integrated with higher cortical functions over time. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons primitive reflexes do not always get integrated as higher cotrical functions get online. Sonia Story is a leading expert on the role of primitive reflexes in contributing to a variety of mental health issues. It is an exciting area that provides a new set of interventions for children based on movement patterns. 

Some helpful links to supplement the podcast

How neurodevelopmental movements can help with mental health issues.

https://www.moveplaythrive.com/MentalHealth

The importance of Primitive Reflexes

https://www.moveplaythrive.com/learn-more/item/importance-of-integrating-reflexes

About ADHD and Primitive Reflexes

https://www.moveplaythrive.com/learn-more/item/can-adhd-be-dissolved

About Sonia Story's Brain and Sensory Foundation course

https://www.moveplaythrive.com/OBSF1

In this interview we talk about needle phobia and pediatric pain with Dr Jody Thomas who is the Founder and Director of the Meg Foundation. The Meg Foundation is one of the primary resources to help children deal with needle phobia and pediatric pain. It is so important for parents and childen to know that something can be done to make the experience  vaccinations and blood draws less scary and painful. Dr Thomas and the Meg Foundation are the go to resource for helping parents and children cope with vaccinations and other medical procedures. In this interview Dr Thomas outlines the steps to help children with this important part of their medical care.

• https://www.megfoundationforpain.org/

Bethany Saltman has written a compelling book about the science of attachment. It is a memoir of her journey into the science of attachment, a summary of what is known about attachment and the process of how this important theory was established. In this interview we talk about some of the basic features of attachment. The relationship an infant forms with their caregiver puts down a psychological foundation that biases development in certain directions. For the purpose of this podcast, we note that an insecure attachment increased the probablility of developing an anxiety disorder. However, developmental trajectories are complex and nothing is fixed in stone. 

Bethany Saltman has many facets to her work, including being a writing coach and she can be found at https://www.bethanysaltman.com/strange-situationn.com

Dr Zucker is a licensed psychologist in Washington D.C. She has published several books on the treatment of anxiety disorders. In this interview , I talk with her about her two most recent books: A Perfectionist's Guide to Not Being Perfect and How to Manage Your Social Power in Middle School. The two books deal with separate but related challenges of the middle school years. The middle school years can pour jet fuel on any tendencies towards perfectionism. And it has been said of middle school children that peer relations become so important that it is as if children get addicted to popularity. Her comments on social power can help children manage these rough waters.

For more information on Dr. Zucker

https://www.bonniezuckerandassociates.com/publications

We discuss two videos in the interview that she recommends.

J. Jiang What I learned from 100 days of rejection.

https://youtu.be/-vZXgApsPCQ

Brooks Gibbs How to Stop a Bully

https://youtu.be/7oKjW1OIjuw

Anxious Nation is a provocatively intelligent look into the global crisis of anxiety and mental health as it affects Americans, especially it crippling impact on children and adolescents. In this podcast I talk with Laura Morton about her new film which opens on May 3 with livestream event. For more information go to anxiousnation.com

If you have a child with OCD, Natasha Daniels is a resource you want to know about. She has a variety of online course such as "How to Teach Your Kids to Crush OCD" and "Crushing OCD Classs for Kids & Teens" and actually much more. 

She can be found at natashadaniels.com

Judith Warner is author of AND THEN THEY STOPPED TALKING TO ME: Making Sense of Middle School which is the topic of this podcast. It is a time period most of us remember all too well and a time when many anxiety disorders become quite evident. She has also written New York Times best sellers: Perfect Madness: Motherhood in the Age of Anxiety and We've Got Issues: Children and Parents in the Age of Medication. She has been a frequent contributor to The New York Times and is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress. She has written a highly readable book which explains this vulnerable phase of development with clarity and precision.  

You can read her other articles on her website

https://judithwarner.com/

To talk about reading on a podcast concerning anxious children may seem a little far a field. However, reading is an essential skill in which if you struggle with it, school  becomes a very stressful and anxiety provoking environment. Reading also helps in many different ways in dealing with anxiety. Unfortunately, we are in bit of a reading crisis, where recent surveys have shown the 2/3 of 4th graders are not proficient readings.

Claire N. Rubman, PhD is a psychologist who specializes in reading and we are talking about her new book This May Be Difficult to Read: But You Really Should (for your child's sake) 

For more information Dr Rubman website is https://difficulttoread.com/

David Carbonell, PhD is a clinical psychologist who has specialized in the treatment of anxiety disorder since 1985. He is the author of several books on anxiety: Panic Attacks Workbook, The Worry Trick, Fear of Flying Workbook, Outsmarting Your Anxious Brain The Intrusive Thoughts Toolkit (coauthored)and he has a very helpful website anxietycoach.com

In this interview we talk about some of the basic in the treatment of anxiety disorders and how he has found it helpful to conceptualize anxiety as a trick. 

Randy Frost is a emeritus professor of psychology at Smith College. He is the co-author of Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding the Meaning of Things.   He is widely considered to the world's expert on the topic of hoarding and has published over 100 scientific papers on OCD, hoarding and perferctionsism.

Eric Storch, PhD is a professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Department at Baylor College of Medicine. He is an expert on OCD and  related conditions in childhood with over 100 publications on these topics

  Also Randy Frost and I have published a paper on hoarding in children

Edward H. Plimpton, Randy O. Frost, Brianna C. Abbey and Whitney Dorer "Compulsive Hoarding in Children: 6 Case Studies" International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 2009,, 2 (1) 88-104

Dr Kissen is a clinical psychologist who is the CEO of Light On Anxiety CBT Treatment Center. I talked with her about her recent book on using cognitive behavior therapy to help with parental anxiety. 

In this interview, I talked with Ellen Hendriksen, PhD about social phobia and her book How To Be Yourself: Quiet Your Inner Critic and Rise Above Social Anxiety She is clinical psychologist  who works at the Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CARD) in Boston MA. Her website ELLENHENDRIKSEN.COM contains a number of helpful resources for dealing with Social Anxiety and a very helpful online course on Social Anxiety. 

I have found the way in which she talks about Social Anxiety in terms of a worry that a fatal flaw will be revealed in four potential ways a very helpful tool in my work, but there much more as you will see in the interview 

Michael A. Tompkins, PhD has just published the anxiety & depression workbook for teens: simple cbt skills to help you deal with anxiety, worry, and sadness with New Harbinger Publications. He a cofounder of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy, an Assistant Clinical Professor at the Universtiy of California at Berkleley and an adjunt faculty at the Beck Institute for Cognitve Therapy. Among his other publications relevant to this podcast are My Anxious Mind: A Teens Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic and Zero to 60: A Teen's Guide to Manage Frustration, Anger and Everyday Irritations.

Given the documented increase in the prevalence of depression and anxiety in teens, this is a timely and important topic that I was fortunate to talk with Dr Tompkins about.

Jeremy W. Pettit, PhD and Ryan M. Hill, PhD,  experts on suicidal ideation and suicide in teens talk about their new book overcoming suicidal thoughts for teens: cbt activities to reduce pain, increase hope, build meaningful connections

I apologize for the sound quality in this interview, there were some unexplained technical problems, but the content is still very important and worth your listening time.

Ed Tronick, PhD is one of the leading authorities on infant development. His collaboration with the famous pediatrician, Berry Brazelton, MD was instrumental in the development of Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale. His Still Face Experiment with mothers and infant monumental in demonstrating the social competence infants. A link to a video demonstration is listed below

https://youtu.be/YTTSXc6sARg

Robyn L. Stern, LCSW, is a licensed social and therapist in New York where she specializes in Body Dysmorphic Disorder, OCD and BFRBs. This is a condition someone becomes preoccupied with perceived defects in their appearance which are not apparent to others. 

This is an important psychiatric condition to know about. It is more frequent than OCD, and can lead to unnecessary cosmetic surgery.

In this interview I talk with Robyn Stern who is passionate advocate for BDD awareness

She knows first hand about what it is like to suffer from BDD and she has two very compelling videos in which she bravely tells her story. I would strongly recommend watching these videos. 

https://youtu.be/77JthR5HXv8

and

https://fb.watch/go3vJ3C-2q/

Heather White is the author of One Green Thing: Discover Your Hidden Power to Help Save the Planet.

She is the founder of OneGreenThing.org and has two decades of experience in environmental advocacy including serving as a presidential campaign staffer for Al Gore and numerous other activities.

Climate change is the big challenge for the younger generation and many therapist such as myself are noticing how much it comes up with our young clients. Heather White discusses the importance of a intergenerational discussion of climate change, how doing one green thing a day can create the necessary cultural shift to deal with this crisis and most importantly how to identify the ways in which you and your child can play a part. The program of action Heather White describes are crucial in managing the understandable anxiety that comes with thinking about climate change. 

Silke Rose West and Joseph Sarosy have written a wonderful book How to Tell Stories to Children. Anxious children can greatly benefit from stories that parents tell them and this book tells you how to get started. As they explain storytelling "... becomes like a Swiss Army knife for parents-a multi-tool that helps a child learn new skills, build empathy, soothe difficulty emotions, and make meaning out the challenging moments in life". Story telling is as much and probably more  about building a connection with your child than making a narrative. As they explain "The goal is not perfect story. The goal is connection". And if we are going to help our anxious children, it begins with connection. 

 You can learn more about this story telling method at HowToTellStoriesToChildren.com and there is also a podcast on itunes with the same name

Jon Hershfield, MFT is the Director of The Center for OCD and Anxiety at Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore Maryland. He is the author of several books on OCD and is prominent figure in the world of OCD treatment. In this interview, we talk about his book for teens the ocd workbook for teens: mindfulness & cbt skills to help you overcome unwanted thoughts & compulsions  with illustrations by Sean Shinnock, New Harbinger Publications. 

Jon Hershfield has provided a workbook that provides both an explanation of  the treatment of OCD and relevant exercises presented in a very adolescent friendly fashion. This is a valuable resort for clinician, parent and teen. 

Perfectionism in children and adolescence is a growing problem with serious implications. Drs Molnar and Flett are leading investigators on perfectionism and children. In this interview they provide an overview of perfectionism, discuss an intriguing study they did on the effect of the pandemic and provide a cautionary word about perfectionism and suicide. 

Danielle Molnar, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University in Catharines, Ontario, Canada. Her blog/vlog on her most recent research findings can be found at https://brocku.ca/dphwb-lab-blog-the-young-and-the-perfectionistic

Gordon Flett, PhD is a professor in the Department of Psychology at York University in Toronto, Canada. His most recent book with Paul Hewitt is Perfectionism in Childhood and Adolescence: A Developmental Approach. 

I interviewed Stephanie Meyers, MS, RDN about her recent book End the Mealtime Meltdown: Using Table Talk Method to Free Your Family from Daily Struggles over Food and Picky Eating  newharbingerpublications.  She is a registered dietitian nutritionist and founder of Families Eating Well, a nutrition practice training parents to coach healthy eating habits in kids. She can also be found on Instagram under tabletalkcoach. 

Mealtimes can be a tremendous source of stress for parents and children for many reasons. Fortunately, there are some very simple ways that you can change the way you talk about food with your child that can have a dramatic difference. In this interview, Ms. Meyers describes how changing your table talk can dramatically decrease mealtime time stress and anxiety. She provides very concrete suggestion about what to say that is reminsent  of the classic parenting book How to talk so children will listen and listen so children will talk.  Ms Meyers provides us with a great opportunity to change the tone at dinner time  by the way we talk about food with our children. 

Angela Mansolillo is a speech-language pathologist and Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Diorders who works at Cooley Dickenson Hosptial, Northampton MA. She is a clinical supervisor and adjunct faculty member at Elms College Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders. She is the author of Let's Eat! A Clinical Guide to the Management of Complex Pediatric Feeding and Swallowing Disorders.

I have encountered a number of children who have developed a fear of choking and consequently become very cautious eaters. Choking is of course a very frightening thing to happen and can be rather traumatic.  Interestingly, there a some children who have a reason to be worried about choking because of the mechanics of their eating. In this interview, Angela Mansolillo talks about how sometimes a fear of choking and cautious eating can be the result of a problem in motor component of eating. This leads to an additional approach in dealing with a fear of eating where the mechanics of eating are addressed. 

David A Clark, PhD is a clinical psychologist and emeritus professor at the University of New Brunswick. He is a leading authority on the nature of intrusive thoughts, cognitive behavior therapy and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. He is the author of numerous books and articles, in this interview I talk with him about his latest book the anxious thoughts workbook for teens: cbt skills to quiet the unwanted negative thoughts that cause anxiety & worry newharbinger publications 2022.

The adolescent has a new found ability to think about thinking which is a departure from the more concrete thinking of middle childhood. This ability opens new possibilities but also create challenges. Dr Clark provides a comprehensive guide for dealing with the more problematic aspect of dealing with unwanted thoughts,

Dawn Huebner, PhD is a clinical psychologist and parent coach specializing in childhood anxiety.  Today we are talking about two of her more recent books for school age children Facing Mighty Fears About Throwing Up and Facing Mighty Fears About Health.

Her workbooks for children and parents, What to Do When Worry Too Much: A Kid's Guide to Overcoming Anxiety and What to Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck: A Kids Guide to Overcoming OCD  are basically the classic, go-to references for helping anxious children. In addition, she has a book for older children Outsmarting Worry (An Older Kid's Guide to Mangaging Anxiety) that was the focus on an earlier podcast in 2018 with me.

At her website there is an online class Seven-Step Solution For When Worry Takes Over that covers in greater depth what was talked about in this podcast. 

Heather Turgeon, MFT and Julie Wright, MFT have written their third book together Generation Sleepless: Why Tween and Teens Aren't Sleeping Enough and How We Can Help Them  which is the topic of this interview. 

As they point out in their book, it is going to be very hard to help an anxious child if they are sleep deprived. This book explores this alarming problem of sleep deprivation in tweens and adolescents and offers some very practical suggestions. 

Their other books are The Happy Sleeper: The Science-Backed Guide to Helping Your Baby Get a Good Night's Sleep-Newborn to School Age and Now Say This: The Right Words to Solve Every Parenting Dilemma

They also offer online courses at their website thehappysleeper.teachable.com for infants, toddlers and preschool children.

The topic of today's podcast is fostering resilience in children. Caren Baruch-Feldman, PhD and Rebecca Comizio, MA, MEd have just published a very timely book The Resilience Workbook for Kids: 32 Skills to Build "I CAN DO IT Muscles"

Caren Baruch-Feldman, PhD is a clinical psychologist and a certified school psychologist. She maintains a private practice in Scarsdale, NY and works as a school psychologist in Harrison, NY. She is also the auther of The Grit Guide for Teens. 

Rebecca Comizio, MA, MEd was named Connecticut's 2019 School Psychologist of the Year. She is a practicing school psychologist , and licensed professional counselor at the New Canaan Country School, in New Canaan, CT. and the Waverly Group. She is also the cohost of the School Psyched Podcast and the coauthor of 70 Play Activities for Better Thinking, Self-Regulation, Learning, and Behavior.

They also have an instructional webnair on teaching resilience to children which can be found below

https://www.praxiscet.com/our-courses/#courses-tabs-1

Mona Delahooke, PhD is a clinical psychologist with a specialization in infant mental health. She is the author of Brain-Body Parenting: How to Stop Managing Behavior and Start Rasing Joyful, Reslient Kids  and Beyond Behaviors: Using Brain Science and Compassion to Understand and Solve Children's Behavioral Challenges

In this interview, she describes how using Steve Porges Polyvagal Theory helps us understand when our children's behavior is intentional and when it is a stress response and how making that distinction is a critical guide about what to do next.

Her website www.monadelahooke.com contains several useful webnairs, a blog and other very practical information

Dr Alan Sroufe has been described as "attachment chief spokesman in the United States"  He conducted a longitual/prospective study of 170 people from birth to middle age looking at the type of attachment they had in infancy and what happened to them in subsequent years. He found certain types of experiences in infancy increased the chances that one might develop an anxiety disorder in adolescents. He is the author of three books: The Development of the Person: The Minnesota Study of Risk and Adaptation From Birth to Adulthood, Emotional Development: The Organization of Emotional Life in the Early Years, and A Compelling Idea: How We Become the Persons We Are and 150 scientific papers.

Ben Sedley, PhD is a clinical psychologist in Wellington New Zealand and author of two books for teens Stuff that Sucks: a teen's guide to accepting what you can't change and committing to what you can and with Lisa Coyne, PhD Stuff's That's Loud: a teen's guide to unspiraling when OCD gets noisy He is talking with us today about the treatment of OCD and how ACT (Acceptance and Committment Therapy) is an important tool in helping teens with OCD.

https://www.competitivedge.com/dr-alan-goldberg/

Dr Alan Goldberg is a sports performance coach and internationally recognized expert in peak sports performance. He is talking with us today about the how the principles used to enhance the performance of atheletes can be used in everyday performance situations with children.

Dr Jennifer Jo Brout is the Director of the International Misophonia Research Network. She is the author of several scientific publications as well as a book for parents Regulate Reason Reassure: A Parent's Guide to Understanding and Managing Misophonia

She has online classes for parents, adults and clinicians at misophoniaeducation.com

Cammie McGovern is the author of three novels for adults and two for young adults. Say What You Will is her YA book that includes a character struggling with OCD. Her book Hard Landings explores the territory for children with autism once they age out of disability services at 21. Every parent with an anxious child struggles with how much to push their child and how to find the right balance between protecting and preparing their child for adulthood. Knowing the environment you are "pushing your child into" is helpful in conveying the confidence to your child that they can master the next step. Hard Landings is a discussion of the wider context in which young adults with autism may live and it speaks to the importance of a fit between the child and their environment. 

In this interview, I talk with two experts on the topic of hoarding. Randy Frost, PhD published the first scientific study of hoarding in 1993 and book Compulsive Hoarding and The Meaning of Things with Gail Steketee was a popular best seller. Eric Storch has published extensively on the topic of OCD and related disorders in children. He is a Professor in the Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston Texas. 

Dr. Eli Lebowitz has developed a parent based program, SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Children's Emotions). This innovative program helps anxious children by working exclusively through the parent. It has been proven as effective as individual CBT for children. For more information and a list of SPACE providers go to www.spacetreatment.net

Interoception is one the hidden senses that provides us with information about how are body is doing. In this interview Kelly Mahler will explain how Interoception is critical to understanding you anxious child, how it the basis for mindfulness and much more. Kelly Mahler has written several books on Interoception such as The Interoception Curriculum  and My Interoception Workbook:A Guide for Adolescents, Teens and Adults with Chloe Rothschild and Jarvis  Alma. She has a web site with many useful resources on the topic of Interoception https://www.kelly-mahler.com

Sometimes phobias and other forms of anxiety can be the result of your child's sensory system overresponding or underresponding to sensory input. In this interview, Ruth Goldfinger Golomb, LCPC describes the way in which problems with sensory regulation can be reflected in emotions and behavior. Helping Your Child with Sensory Regulation: Skills to Manage Emotional and Behavioral Components of Your Child's Sensory Processing Challenges by Suzanne Mouton-Odum, PhD and Ruth Goldfinger Golomb, LCPC. This book compliments their earlier book Psychological Interventions for Children with Sensory Dysregulation by Ruth Goldfinger Golomb and Suzanne Mouton-Odum. Suzanne Mouton-Odum, Ph.D in Houston Texas at Psychology Houston, PC, The Center for Cognitive Behavioral Treatment. Ruth G. Golomb, LCPC is at the Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington. 

Dr Sharon Saline is an expert on ADHD in children and adolescents. Her recent book What Your ADHD Child Wishes you Knew: Working Together to Empower Kids For Success in School and Life  is based on her interviews of children with ADHD. It is a book with  compelling stories and practical advice. Today she talked about the experience of anxiety with children who have ADHD. 

Joan Lovett, MD has recently retired from active practice but graciously agreed to do this interview. She is a behavioral pediatrician who has written two books on using EMDR with children: Small Wonders: Healing Childhood Trauma with EMDR and Trauma-Attachment Tangle: Modifying EMDR to Help Children Resolve Trauma and Develop Loving Relationships.  Among other things she creatively uses story telling to help children resolve early traumas. Her books are useful for both parent and clinician. 

Tom Bunn is a return guest to this podcast where in an early episode he talked about the fear of flying based on his earlier book SOAR: The Breakthrough Treatment for Fearing of Flying. He recently published Panic Free: The 10-Day Program to End Panic, Anxiety and Claustrophobia which is the topic of the current interview. His creative approach to panic utilizes the latest insights from neuroscience. His approach is especially useful for panic triggered by infrequent events such as flying, thunderstorms, trips to the dentist and getting shots.

Amanda Stern recently published her memoir Little Panic: Dispatches From An Anxious Life, a compelling story of growing up as an anxious child. She is also the author of The Long Haul and eleven books for children written under the pseudonyms Fiona Rosenbloom and AJ Stern. In her memoir, she provides a very compelling description of what it is like to grow up struggling with anxiety. I found the way she describes how alone and different anxious children can feel very helpful and compelling

Somatic Experiencing Therapy is a type of therapy developed by Peter Levine to deal with trauma, but which is extremely relevant  helping all sorts of anxiety conditions in children. When children become anxious they often "shut down" or "freeze up" and this type of therapy has an important contribution to helping children with this part of the fight/flight/freeze response.

Candy Smith is a licensed clinical professional counselor, somatic experiencing practitioner and registered play therapist as well as certified yoga instructor. She is a highly regarded therapist in translating somatic experiencing therapy into effective treatment for children.

More information about Candy Smith can be found on web site candysmithcounseling.com where she has a blog and a series of videos explaining Somatic Experiencing Therapy. The videos are short and to the point, just want the busy parent and professional need.

In this interview we explore how some avoidant behavior may be a function of sensory dysregulation rather than what we typically think of an anxiety. Ruth Goldfinger Golomb and Suzanne Mouton-Odum have written Psychological Interventions for Children with Sensory Dysregulation  which discusses how children with sensory systems that either overregister or underregister sensory input can appear to be anxious. A child with a very sensitive auditory system may avoid fire alarms because of the intense sensory discomfort the sound creates rather than a fear of something bad happening. We explore this important topic in this interview.

More information about Ruth Goldfinger Golomb can be found at www.behaviortherapycenter.com

Carolyn Broudy, MD is a psychiatrist who specializes in expecting parents and families with children 0-5. She is the director of The Family Connections Center in Northampton, MA (www.thefamilyconnectionscenter.com). In this interview she discusses the anxiety that natural comes with having an infant and some of the problems that parents encounter. She is an expert both infant development and in the psychological challenges of parenting.

The topic of anxiety in the preschool child is continued with an interview with Dr. Claudia Gold. She is a pediatrician and a writer and currently specializes in early childhood mental health. She is the author of The Silenced Child: From Labels, Medication and Quick-Fix Solutions to Listening, Growth and Lifelong Resilience, Keeping Your Child in Mind: Overcoming Defiance, Tantrum and other Everyday Behavior Problems by Seeing the World Through Your Child's Eyes and most recently The Developmental Science of Early Childhood: Clinical Applications of Infant Mental Concepts from Infancy Through Adolescence.

More information about Dr Gold can be found on her website: claudiagoldmd.com

Elizabeth Haske is a teacher and parent living in Sophia, Bulgaria who has just written a book for anxious children When Worry Takes Hold. In this interview we talk about her  new book which highlights the importance of mindfulness and breathing. We also discuss the special considerations needed when dealing with an anxious preschool child.

Beth Maloney is the author of Saving Sammy: Curing the Boy Who Caught OCD and Childhood Interrupted: The Complete Guide to PANDAS and PANS.    She has written two very important and helpful books describing and explaining how a strep infection can lead a child to develop OCD, tics and other difficult behaviors. More information can be found at bethalisonmaloney.com

Lesley Koplow, M.S., L.C.S.W. talks with me about what I consider to to be relatively neglected topic in discussions of anxiety which is the preschool child. She is the Director of the Center for Emotionally Responsive Practice at Bank Street College in New York City. Her book Bears Bears Everywhere! Supporting Children's Emotional Health in the Classroom will be a focus of our conversation. She has also written Unsmiling Faces: How Preschools Can Heal and Creating Schools That Heal:Real-Life Solutions.

Sharon Selby is a therapist who specialized in anxious children and she just written a book for parents and children, Surfing the Worry Imp's Wave. This is an important book for parents and children to read together in order to establish a common vocabulary and strategy for dealing with anxiety. Her book comes with supplemental activities and worksheets that are available on her website www.sharonselby.com

Dawn Huebner, PhD is a psychologist in Exeter, N.H. who has written several extremely popular workbooks for elementary school children dealing with anxiety, such as What To Do When Your Brain Gets Stuck: A Kids's Guide to Overcoming OCD. In this podcast, she discusses her new book, Outsmarting Worry geared towards 9-13 year olds. This book will an important resource for children in this transitional age where they have outgrown material that might have worked in elementary school but are not ready for more adult oriented books. Dawn Huebner has a distinct talent in speaking to children at their developmental level. 

Emily Hodos is a Neuromovement Consultant and Licensed Brain Gym Instructor. There are some anxious children who do not seem to make enough progress with psychotherapy. In this interview, Emily Hodos provides an additional consideration about your anxious child which is that there  may be some problem in their sensory and motor development which is playing a role. Interestingly, those children who have not integrated some of the reflexes they were born with, may have a more anxious disposition. In this interview, Emily Hodos explains this interesting perspective. More information about Emily Hodos can be found at Tendril Kinetics (tendril kinetics.com)

Denise Stack is the past president of the International OCD Foundation and has been a leader in bringing OCD into public awareness. She is talking today about how OCD may show up in the classroom and what teachers and parents can do in response.

Sebern Fisher, MA is an internationally recognized expert on the use of neurofeedback in the treatment of developmental trauma. She is the author of Neurofeedback in the Treatment of Developmental Trauma: Calming the Fear-Driven Brain. In this discussion she talks about when a parent should consider neurofeedback for their child. She also discusses how trauma of different types can create a "fear-driven brain". Neurofeedback is an important treatment modality that has something quite distinct to offer.

Lynn Lyons, LICSW is a psychotherapist in Concord New Hampshire. She has co-authored with Reid Wilson, PhD two books Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous & Independent Children and Playing with Anxiety: Casey's Guide for Teen and Kids and more recently Using Hypnosis with Children: Creating and Delivering Effective Interventions.  She is is sought after speaker and consultant. Her website is lynn.lyonsnh.com where additional material, including DVDs can be found.