What doesn’t work? There are a number of things that parents or caregivers try to do to help their anxious child. Some of the things that may not be the most helpful, and I will address why, include: Reassurance (alone) Everyone benefits from a vote of confidence, for sure. However,...
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Child Anxiety – Part 2 – What does Anxiety Do?
Anxiety recruits the whole family through "accommodation" What does Anxiety Do? Anxiety causes all of us to try to keep ourselves safe. There are a number of behaviours that kids can engage in when they are feeling anxious. When kids are able to tolerate the uncomfortable feelings of anxiety, they...
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Child Anxiety – Part 1
More than 1 in 3 children between the ages of 3-17 have anxiety symptoms that could be classified as problematic. Anxiety is one of the most common reasons that people come to us for help. We often hear things like: “My child is afraid of doing things they used to...
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The Magic of Play Therapy
When my daughter was a young toddler, we went through a phase where bath-times became a nightmare. Especially hair washing. It was so hard. She would scream, and cry, and hide, and refuse to let me wash her hair. And I would inhale deeply, try not to get frustrated, and...
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Tips for Success
Here are some ways to help you prepare your child for therapy and support them throughout the treatment process. 1. Introduce the topic during a calm and connected moment. When we are upset, we have less access to our thinking brains. We might be more likely to use words we...
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More than just a bad habit: Skin picking, hair pulling, and other BFRBs, and 5 things that will help you stop
Have you ever pulled out a stray hair, or picked a scab, or popped a pimple? If you are like most humans, then of course you have. But what if you pulled a LOT of hair, from various areas on your body? Or spent a whole lot of time focusing...
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5 things parents of teens needs to know about marijuana
It’s a big week in Canada. The government is selling recreational cannabis, as well as pipes, bongs, and other paraphernalia. Some folks are celebrating; while others can’t believe what is going on. Regardless of where you may stand, the changes to the marijuana laws have some parents of teens concerned....
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (C.B.T)
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, or CBT, is an evidence based treatment modality. This means that it has been proven to be effective for many different mental health challenges. CBT is widely used to treat anxiety and depression, but can also be applied to many of life’s other challenges. CBT focuses on...
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Free Mini E-Course for Parents of Anxious Kids
We know it can be hard as a parent to know if your child is having issues with anxiety. In this 5-part series, we uncover ways you can help your child and family members ease worry and increase confidence.
