Supporting Children with Anxiety: Insights from Therapists and Psychologists in San Diego
Anxiety among children is a prevalent concern that affects their well-being and development. As caregivers and parents, understanding how to support children dealing with anxiety is crucial. In San Diego, our team of therapists and psychologists at Thrive play a pivotal role in providing guidance and professional help to families navigating these challenges.
Parenting children with anxiety is one of the most challenging groups of children to parent, which may surprise some of you! However, anxious children often will engage in avoidance of the things that would help them reduce their anxiety in the long run. For example, a child could start avoiding school due to fears of being separate from their parents. What is most beneficial for that child is to help them attend school and confront their fears, but often parents are met with tantrums and increased symptoms when they attempt to encourage their child to do so. As a result, professional support is critical to shifting these patterns.
Since we have a large team of therapists and psychologists at our office, we often will have one therapist work with the child individually to improve their coping skills and have another therapist work with the parents on shifting their parenting style to reduce overly accommodating their child’s anxiety (as this only increases it in the long run). This can be challenging, so professional support with the best therapists and psychologists in San Diego is key to getting lasting results!
- Reducing Accommodations: Encourage parents to identify ways they accommodate their child’s anxiety to avoid tantrums and gradually reduce those accommodations.
- Communicate Faith in their child: Our team of therapists and psychologists work with parents to help them communicate their belief in their child’s ability to overcome the challenges they are experiencing.
- Build Coping Skills: We work with the whole family in therapy in San Diego to improve each member of the family’s ability to cope. This often also involves supporting parents in managing their own anxiety more effectively.
If you’re in San Diego and seeking support for a child experiencing anxiety, reaching out to our team of the best therapists and psychologists can provide the expertise and tools necessary to foster a resilient and confident child.
Remember, with the right support and strategies, children can overcome anxiety and build a foundation for a healthy future.
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