Rough is an understatement
It’s hard to watch your child struggle. To see your child panic at the last minute when you are trying to rush out the door because they can’t get their shoes on right or forgot their favorite toy or piece of homework. You see the big emotions when it’s time to turn off the TV or devices, get homework finished for the night, or plans change. You see them spiraling out of control over what someone said to them at lunch or consumed with worry that their friend is mad or upset with them. For them - everything is a worry project.
You see how the worry impacts their school, the missing assignments, willingness to be flexible, and their struggle to clean up after themselves or end an activity. You find yourself constantly nagging and checking in on them because you just want them to succeed only to be met with irritability, frustration, and overwhelm.
It’s definitely not what you pictured when you thought about becoming a parent.
You’re lucky just to make it to bed time and even that is a struggle. The difficulty of going to sleep when their mind is fully on and spinning at bedtime about all the bad things that could happen or waking up from bad dreams. The late night talks to try to soothe them and nothing really seems to help.
Anxiety is taking over your child’s life.
Does my child really need therapy for anxiety?
Only a trained therapist can assess and diagnose your child for anxiety. You may want to seek support if any of the symptoms below impact your child’s ability to do the things they want and need to do. This might mean their friendships are suffering, grades are tanking, homework or chores around the house is an all out battle, your spending countless hours trying to calm the anxiety, and you feel like the child you once knew isn't really there anymore. Symptoms can include:
Will anxiety therapy even help? Will my child participate?
Starting therapy for your child can be a big commitment and you can definitely worry if all the stress of starting therapy will be worth it. It is hard work for children and teens to get at the root and work through what is causing their anxiety. And, as a parent, making the call to start therapy can be one of the most difficult calls you can make.
At Create Wellness we find that most kids actually like participating in therapy, especially with a therapy experience that is centered around them with specific modalities designed to be the most effective and enjoyable for children to help them lose the anxiety and overwhelm and create a life they love.
You want your child to be confident and independent
To be able to let the worry, stress and stuck feelings melt away. To feel free to do the things they want to do like see their friends, try new things, and have independence. To know that even if some tough things happen - they can get through it. To be able to put their darn clothes in the hamper, try out for the basketball team, or get out the door on time without all of the hesitation and overthinking.
You're tired of trying to manage all the stress in your child’s life alone and you need help figuring it all out.
Therapy can help.
Through mental health therapy children and teens can get the support of someone who really “gets them” and meets them at their level. For children this might mean engaging in Play Therapy. For teens a safe and confidential space to come to sort everything out, to feel heard and understood, along with some concrete and practical strategies and tools.
What does anxiety therapy for my child look like?
Anxiety therapy for teens and children usually involves understanding what triggers the anxiety and fears and learning some skills and practical real life tools to help manage the anxiety. It also looks like understanding what thinking patterns lead to the anxiety, rumination, and stress and learning to evaluate and challenge thoughts that lead to the anxiety and stress.
For children and teens it might also look like using a type of therapy called EMDR to help them make sense and sort out some of the difficult memories that may lead to anxiety in the present.
Parents are also an active part of the process. We will work together to decide the best way for you to become part of the therapy process and you will have a deeper understanding of what leads to your child’s anxiety, what tools they are learning for their toolbox, and tools that you as a parent can use to help calm the big emotions.
Start therapy for your child’s anxiety today!
Click the link below to schedule anxiety therapy for your child today in the Duluth and Cloquet, MN area. Learn more about Ann HERE!
Other mental health services at Create Wellness Center for Child and Adolescent Therapy
Our Cloquet, Minnesota practice offers therapy services exclusively for children and teens who are struggling with big emotions and difficult life events. In addition to therapy for anxiety, Create Wellness offers mental health counseling for children and teens with difficulties with anger, depression, and trauma.
We offer other specific types of specialty therapy including Play Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
It’s hard to watch your child struggle. To see your child panic at the last minute when you are trying to rush out the door because they can’t get their shoes on right or forgot their favorite toy or piece of homework. You see the big emotions when it’s time to turn off the TV or devices, get homework finished for the night, or plans change. You see them spiraling out of control over what someone said to them at lunch or consumed with worry that their friend is mad or upset with them. For them - everything is a worry project.
You see how the worry impacts their school, the missing assignments, willingness to be flexible, and their struggle to clean up after themselves or end an activity. You find yourself constantly nagging and checking in on them because you just want them to succeed only to be met with irritability, frustration, and overwhelm.
It’s definitely not what you pictured when you thought about becoming a parent.
You’re lucky just to make it to bed time and even that is a struggle. The difficulty of going to sleep when their mind is fully on and spinning at bedtime about all the bad things that could happen or waking up from bad dreams. The late night talks to try to soothe them and nothing really seems to help.
Anxiety is taking over your child’s life.
Does my child really need therapy for anxiety?
Only a trained therapist can assess and diagnose your child for anxiety. You may want to seek support if any of the symptoms below impact your child’s ability to do the things they want and need to do. This might mean their friendships are suffering, grades are tanking, homework or chores around the house is an all out battle, your spending countless hours trying to calm the anxiety, and you feel like the child you once knew isn't really there anymore. Symptoms can include:
- Frequent worries they can’t get out of their head
- Worry and fixation on specific topics like weather, school, or social situations
- Stress and worry about “everything”
- Feeling on edge
- Trouble sleeping
- Irritable or angry mood
- Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
- Panic symptoms like racing heart, feeling sweaty, or feeling dizzy
- Somatic symptoms like upset stomach and headaches
- Feelings of restlessness or fidgety
- Difficulty separating from parents or preferring to stay at home
- Clingy to parents and caregivers
- Difficulty with focus and concentrating or their mind going blank
- Procrastinates on assignments and chores
- Feeling overly tired or having low energy levels
Will anxiety therapy even help? Will my child participate?
Starting therapy for your child can be a big commitment and you can definitely worry if all the stress of starting therapy will be worth it. It is hard work for children and teens to get at the root and work through what is causing their anxiety. And, as a parent, making the call to start therapy can be one of the most difficult calls you can make.
At Create Wellness we find that most kids actually like participating in therapy, especially with a therapy experience that is centered around them with specific modalities designed to be the most effective and enjoyable for children to help them lose the anxiety and overwhelm and create a life they love.
You want your child to be confident and independent
To be able to let the worry, stress and stuck feelings melt away. To feel free to do the things they want to do like see their friends, try new things, and have independence. To know that even if some tough things happen - they can get through it. To be able to put their darn clothes in the hamper, try out for the basketball team, or get out the door on time without all of the hesitation and overthinking.
You're tired of trying to manage all the stress in your child’s life alone and you need help figuring it all out.
Therapy can help.
Through mental health therapy children and teens can get the support of someone who really “gets them” and meets them at their level. For children this might mean engaging in Play Therapy. For teens a safe and confidential space to come to sort everything out, to feel heard and understood, along with some concrete and practical strategies and tools.
What does anxiety therapy for my child look like?
Anxiety therapy for teens and children usually involves understanding what triggers the anxiety and fears and learning some skills and practical real life tools to help manage the anxiety. It also looks like understanding what thinking patterns lead to the anxiety, rumination, and stress and learning to evaluate and challenge thoughts that lead to the anxiety and stress.
For children and teens it might also look like using a type of therapy called EMDR to help them make sense and sort out some of the difficult memories that may lead to anxiety in the present.
Parents are also an active part of the process. We will work together to decide the best way for you to become part of the therapy process and you will have a deeper understanding of what leads to your child’s anxiety, what tools they are learning for their toolbox, and tools that you as a parent can use to help calm the big emotions.
Start therapy for your child’s anxiety today!
Click the link below to schedule anxiety therapy for your child today in the Duluth and Cloquet, MN area. Learn more about Ann HERE!
Other mental health services at Create Wellness Center for Child and Adolescent Therapy
Our Cloquet, Minnesota practice offers therapy services exclusively for children and teens who are struggling with big emotions and difficult life events. In addition to therapy for anxiety, Create Wellness offers mental health counseling for children and teens with difficulties with anger, depression, and trauma.
We offer other specific types of specialty therapy including Play Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy.
