Your Anxious Child

GI problems are so common in children and adolescents who struggle with anxiety. Dr Navidi talks about disorders of gut-brain axis such as irritable bowel syndrome and how a combination of CBT and hypnosis can lead to dramatic improvement. He talks about the brain can misinterpret signals from the body and how that can lead to the experience of chronic pain. Fortunately, there are therapeutic interventions which Dr Navidi describes in this interview, that can make a dramatic difference with GI problems Dr Navidi has established a practice GI Psychology which provides telehealth services in all 50 states. For more information https://www.gipsychology.com/

It has been estimated that 1 in 5 children and adolescents suffer from chronic pain and it can seriously interfere with their life. Pain Reprocessing Therapy is an evidence based approach that has been proven effective for chronic pain. Daniella Deutsch, LCSW, Penina Zilberberg, PhD and Paulina Soble, LCSW have just published The Pain Reprocessing Therapy Workbook for Teens: Rewire Your Brain To Find Relief From Chronic Pain. In this interview I talk with Penina Zilberberg, PhD and Paulina Soble, LCSW about pain reprocessing and how to help teens turn the volume down on the pain through a carefully structured sequence of guided exercises. Teen learn to be pain detectives and ultimately to develop a different relationship to the pain and respond differently to it. I found their book very helpful and I rather liked their use of optical illusions to explain how the brain can get things wrong and the power of belief illustrated by a London construction worker. For more information about pain reprocessing, their website contains a lot of useful material. https://www.painreprocessingtherapy.com/

David Gottsegen, M.D.. is a pediatrician who uses hypnosis and mediation to help children with discomfort and fears about headaches, stomachaches, bedwetting, sleep issues, anxiety and many other common pediatric disorders. His recently published book is Mending the Body with the Mind: Harnessing Kids' Superpowers to Stay Healthy He is a strong advocate for helping children use their natural imaginative skills to deal with many challenging health related issues. In this interview he shows us how he does it and for the sceptic there are 70 pages of references!

Dr Mari Swingle was one of the first people to warn us about the dangers of screen based technology. Her book i-Minds: How and Why Constant Connectivity is Rewiring our Brains and What to Do About It was first published in 2019. This well researched book provides a comprehensive overview of the challenges and promises this new technology poses for us. I found her explanation about why children have such difficulty getting off or dismounting from their technology compelling. Her intriguing phrase is that it involves vestibular system lock-in. Listen to the interview to hear her explanation for what is an all frequent occurrence in many households. For more information about Dr. Swingle https://swingleclinic.com/about/our-staff/dr-mari-k-swingle http://www.drmariswingle.com/about-dr-mari/

When a child engages in hair pulling, skin picking and other body focused repetitive behaviors, it can be very alarming for parents. Children feel compelled to engage in the BFRB but often feel quite embarrassed and ashamed. Drs Jennifer Gola, Marla Deibler and Renae Reinardy talk about their new book, Free To Be Me with a BFRB: The Ultimate Kid's Guide to Living Well with Hair Pulling, Skin Picking, Nail Biting, and other Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors. This book provides a very comprehensive and compassionate approach to the treatment and management of BFRB's. Our discussion provides an excellent introduction to this topic and to a very useful resource for parents, children and therapists. For more information https://thecenterforemotionalhealth.com/staff/dr-jennifer-gola https://thecenterforemotionalhealth.com/staff/dr-marla-w-deibler/ https://www.lakesidecenter.org/about.html and also see Dr Marla Deibler's blog on Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/from-surviving-to-thriving

Lizzie Assa, MSED, discusses her new book BUT I'M BORED: Discover the Power of Independent Play to Raise Confident, Resilient Kids It is a book about how to compassionately foster independent play in your child and why it is so important. It is filled with fun suggestions about how to build "play pockets" and rather profound insights such as "Who we are alone is someone different from who we are with others, and knowing both parts of yourself is valuable for everyone's growth. Until they are alone, a child may not be able to distinguish their needs and desires from someone else's" (p15) In the process of following her suggestions about fostering independent play, you will also be building many of foundational skills in coping with anxiety in whatever form in may show up for your child. Lizzie Assa is someone to listen to. For more information about Lizzie Assa https://www.workspaceforchildren.com/about

Will Dobud, PhD talks about his new book coauthored with Nevin Harper KIDS THESE DAYS: Understanding and Supporting Youth Mental Health. Rather than adopting the age old perspective of looking at the younger generation and saying some version of "Kids these days..." The authors suggest that the youth mental health crisis is what might be termed a "wicked problem" that does permit easy solutions. What has been missing is taking a serious look at the environmental context in which children are growing up in. Digital interference, environmental toxins, a culture of safety are some of the environmental factors impinging on the younger generation and adversely effecting their mental health. For more information https://www.kidsthesedaysbook.com/will-dobud

Rhiannon Theurer, LMFT has just published The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Teens: DBT Tools To Help You Deal with Sensory Sensitivity, Manage Emotional Overwhelm and Thrive. Rhiannon Theurer is a neurodivergent therapist in private practice who works with neurodivergent teens and adults. She can be found at [email protected] Rhiannon Theurer talks in her book and in this interview about how the skills taught in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be so helpful for neurodivergence teens who may for a variety of reasons experience the world in a more intense and nonvalidating manner.

Rachel Busman, PsyD, ABPP is a clinical psychologist and senior director of the Child and Adolescent Anxiety and Related Disorder Program at Cognitive Behavioral Consultants in White Plains, NY. She was previously the past president of the Selective Mutism Foundation and the director of the Selective Mutism Service at the Child Mind Institute. She also runs a camp for children with Selective Mutism Voices Rising which is held during the summer and during the school year. Dr Busman has written Being Brave with Selective Mutism: A Step-by-Step Guide for Children and Their Caregivers. This is a very helpful guide for parents and children dealing with selective mutism. In this interview, Dr Busman provides an overview of selective mutism and highlights some the key interventions for this condition. She speaks with an energy and clarity that I think you will inspiring and motivating. For more information about Dr Busman https://www.cbc-psychology.com/cbc-staff/rachel-busman-psyd-abpp and for the Voices Rising Program https://www.cbc-psychology.com/events/voices-rising-winter-2026 Dr Busman recommends the Selective Mutism YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GwY4kccpkcmgl-uNIA5tg and of course The Selective Mutism Foundation is an excellent source of information https://www.selectivemutism.org/