My guest this week is Dr. Steve O’Brien, author of the excellent new book, The Essential Guide to Treating Child and Adolescent Anxiety (affiliate link).

Topics we discussed included:

The ongoing epidemic of anxiety among young people
Greater anxiety responses to smaller triggers
Falling levels of resilience
Overstimulation of kids’ bodies and minds
The overload of information through social media
The critical trio for basic health: sleep, nutrition, exercise
Less obvious signs of anxiety in children
Recognizing and respecting the challenges that come with parenting
Kids’ deep need to feel understood
Using a developmental systems lens
Why we fall in love with therapists
What to tell parents who blame themselves for their child’s struggles
Overestimating the effects of parenting
Inherent brain and temperamental differences between kids
The bidirectional influences between children and parents
Offering support while also encouraging kids to face their anxiety (empathic empowering)
Slowing down our reactions

Steve O’Brien, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist in Tampa Bay, Florida, with over 30 years of experience working with children, adolescents, and families.

He specializes in the treatment of childhood anxiety, depression, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders.

Steve utilizes an integrative, developmental-systems model and relies heavily on psychoeducation, cognitive behavioral methods, interpersonal and client-centered approaches.

A national speaker, on-air mental health reporter, and trusted media psychologist, Steve also developed the first-of-its-kind app for obtaining a child’s perception of family life (psychtouch.com). He is the author of The Essential Guide to Treating Child and Adolescent Anxiety (PESI Publishing, 2023).

Find Steve online at his website.

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FODI: The In-Between | 02.5 | Anthropocene | B-Side