Anxiety is a normal human emotion that is a wonderful sign that your child’s brain is developing. Around the age of 2 your child will begin to develop the ability to imagine this capacity is a fantastic gift. Watching your child engage in imaginative play is an incredible experience. But, this capacity to imagine comes with the capacity to worry, to imagine the possibility of something bad happening.

When a child is young a parent can spray Monster Away (i.e., lavender scented water) and make the world safe again. And for many children that is the end of monsters. But, for some children and teens, the world remains feeling unsafe unless a parent is near them, the fire alarms are tested, no one fights, they are never late, no one gets sick, they never get called on in class, everyone likes them, they get good grades, etc.

Parents are in the difficult position of figuring out when to make the world safe and when their child’s worries are Anxiety. But, if the anxiety remains and the only thing that makes them safe is the parent or avoiding the stressor, then anxiety grows stronger and can act as a gateway to additional mental health difficulties later in life. There is a mental health crisis for our children! Anxiety is on the rise among children and adolescents; 1 in 8 children may experience significant anxiety. The sooner anxiety is addressed, the less likely it is to lead to serious mental health conditions.

The research is overwhelmingly clear. The gold standard for treatment of anxiety in children and teens is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). With the help of your Psychologist, parents become a coping coach and a cheerleader encouraging their child’s bravery and courage rather than their saviour to keep them safe.

I can help your child feel brave and I can help you feel like their support. Please feel free to book an appointment today.