Kristen W. Green, PhD Licensed Clinical Psychologist Chattahoochee Child Psychology Services, LLC
Assistant Professor and Director Brenau Center for Counseling and Psychological Services Brenau University Fact of Life Occasional nervousness is expected Protective purpose Age-appropriate
Anxiety: What is Normal? Growing importance of social status Social comparisons Social acceptance Academic Performance Athletic Performance Social Group identification
Middle School Anxieties How is the worry impacting functioning? Have worry and avoidance become an automatic response? Is constant reassurance needed? Is anxiety preventing and not protecting? When to Worry about the Worry Easily distressed or agitated in a stressful situation Needs repetitive reassurance Headaches, stomach aches Sleep disruptions Anticipatory anxiety Common Red Flags Perfectionism Overly responsible, people pleasing Excessive avoidance Disruption in child or family functioning Excessive consoling and/or coaxing Common Red Flags Genetics Children of anxious parents are 7 times more likely than others to develop anxiety Genetics accounts for 30-40% of anxiety transmission No anxiety gene Learning/Modeling Anxious parents, siblings, peers, teachers Environmental Where Did The Anxiety Come From? Generalized Anxiety Disorder Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder PANDAS Separation Anxiety Disorder Panic Disorder Social Phobia Post-Traumatic Stress Reaction What Kind of Anxiety Is It? Let the anxious moment pass Worry is a false alarm Wearing worry glasses leads to What Ifs? Feeling scared Danger Identify worry thoughts and treat them differently The Anxiety Talk Maintain the same expectations Build your child's personal strengths Let your child learn to do things on their own Help your child handle their own feelings Keep your fears to yourself C0-parent effectively Parenting an Anxious Child Classroom Accommodations Seating Following directions Class participation Class presentations The board Testing Unstructured time Safe persons
Cool down pass Assemblies Return after illness Field trips Substitutes/Changes Fire/Safety Drills Homework Q & A Kristen W. Green, PhD Chattahoochee Child Psychology Services, LLC 430 Prior Street NE 678-971-5355
Brenau Center for Counseling and Psychological Services 423 Brenau Avenue 770-297-5959