In light of Back to School season, when emotions and anxieties ride high for kids (and adults!), I found this to be a great episode from Today’s Mama Podcast on helping your child face their fears (based on this book) to give yourself perspective and new insights to help support your kids.

The podcast interviews the author and psychologist Dr. Eli Lebowitz (Yale) who wrote the book Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD: A Scientifically Proven Program for Parents

Dr. Lebowitz gives parents practical tools they can use with their kids, especially those who tend to be anxious.

1. Using your imagination to do guided visualization
i.e. Watch your anxiety float away in a hot air balloon

2. Diaphragmatic breathing

3. Asking questions about your anxiety
i.e. How likely is it? How terrible would it be if…?

4. Muscle relaxation

I hope you enjoy and take some new nuggets of insight to help you in parenting your children!