Season 5

We want our teens to be able to talk openly about their struggles, but in this listener question, a mom struggles with her daughter’s ability to manage a peer’s demand for accommodation. When anxiety becomes identity, what’s ...

In this episode Lynn answers listener questions for families dealing with OCD patterns in their kids, including when and if to start medication in addition to therapy, how to handle compulsive apologizing, and the key to appl...

When things don’t go the way we plan or hope, powerful feelings show up. Disappointment is common, and the smaller you are, the bigger it feels. How do we help our children learn to manage this emotion as they mature? In this...

The recent ABC-TV show The Parent Test has sparked much discussion, so Robin and Lynn (skeptically) decided to dive in. In each episode, parents with different “styles” of parenting are given challenges to complete with their...

We asked our podcast listeners to share embarrassing stories and, boy, did they deliver. Humiliating moments happen to everyone, but as you’ll notice with the stories we share, often feel so much more devastating to tweens an...

Does you child freak out when it’s time for a shot? Or a blood draw? A strep test? And what about more extensive treatments? We’ve been getting many questions about how to approach this common and powerful fear. In this episo...

Worries that show up at night seem to hold special power. They are discussed, analyzed, and often treated as a “going to sleep issue” instead of anxiety that happens to show up at bedtime. It’s understandable. Problems at bed...

This is a juicy episode— and a really important one for all concerned about the mental health trends with our teens. After over thirty years in the mental health field, Lynn addresses very directly her concerns about the mess...

Worry is a part of parenting and can help us plan ahead and problem solve. But when it becomes more constant, you may get stuck in a pattern of rehearsing for catastrophic patterns that aren't happening. In this episode, we b...

We previously detailed the parenting phrases we hate (and why you should considering dropping them.) In this week’s episode, we head in the other direction: the parenting phrases we love, how they help with emotional manageme...

Habits can be good and bad, hard to start and even more challenging to break. Our brains like them and they often serve a purpose to self-soothe. To begin the new year, we dive into habits: how to break the bad ones and devel...

For some families, holidays bring out their toughest dynamics. How do divorced parents manage a blended holiday putting their kids first? What if you have a house of angry teenagers with one of them recently in crisis? Is it ...

Many listeners have asked for an episode that talks directly to teens. Here it is. With many high schoolers dealing with unhealthy stress, and worn out college students returning home for break, Lynn offers some concrete advi...

Your child won’t give away any old clothes, even though they are 3 sizes too small. Your daughter saves gum wrappers and broken crayons and stashes them under her bed. Are they hoarders? Or collectors? Is it OCD? In this epis...

The term High Functioning Anxiety has been showing up, used to describe those that feel anxious but perform at a high level. Criteria are given, symptoms are listed. Is this a new category of anxiety and does this label offer...

Anxiety, anger— and even aggression— can hang out together. Remember, it’s FIGHT or flight, and when we combine poor emotional management and a desire to avoid, behavior escalates. But even though we understand it, it’s not a...

The term “boundary” is everywhere these days. The importance of creating and setting them is being discussed all over, from therapy sessions to Tik Tok videos. But what is a healthy boundary? We’re heading into the holiday se...

This episode tackles the question we hear most often from our new listeners: how do I support my anxious child? Lynn lays out the three keys for parents: information about how anxiety works, owning family patterns, and moving...

In this episode, we talk about exercise and anxiety and our moods. One of us loves it, and one of totally gets the value but compares it to a “cat being put out in the rain.” Most of know the benefits (although there’s new re...

We tackle the statements our friends and families use when they're staying stuck in their anxiety patterns. If you hear them or use them, listen up. We have responses ready to go. BUY LYNN'S NEW BOOK, THE ANXIETY AUDIT Lynn's...

Some parenting phrases are so common, they border on cliche. And a good portion of them push all of Lynn and Robin’s buttons. In this episode we go after six of the offenders, phrases that sound harmless but are not. Listener...

Most have heard of exposure therapy. If you’re scared of snakes, wrap one around your neck! Afraid of elevators? Get in! Research shows that it works, but there’s more to it than just pushing yourself—or your child—into the f...

In this episode, a listener is surprised that her 8 year old is still having big meltdowns and asks if this is common in anxious. While we associate emotional meltdowns and tantrums with little children, they can happen at an...

The decision when and if to begin therapy is often discussed, but the next steps (like when to stop) don’t get much attention. The mom of a 19 year old has found therapy very helpful for her daughter, but, she wonders, when d...