These days, children have a lot to be anxious about, so it’s no surprise, that anxiety is growing among children and adolescents. While there is no exact cause, in many cases, children's environment fosters opportunities for them to worry. This ranges from the shows and news stories they see on TV, to financial struggles in their home.
If you are concerned about your child’s increased anxiety, you both may benefit from a psychotherapist in Wellington, FL. The right treatment can help alleviate the anxiety your child faces daily and learn problem-solving skills to cope.
At Serene Trails Therapy, we specialize in counseling children and adolescents suffering from many conditions, including anxiety. We employ therapy techniques from experiential modalities such as Equine-Assisted Psychotherapy to teach stress management and communication skills.
In this article, we will help paint a clearer picture of what anxiety looks like in children. Understanding the condition and possible cause is an important step on the road to your child’s recovery.
What Is Your Child Worried About?
As children get older, they begin to worry about the world around them. They often worry about their parents, getting bad grades, making friends, losing friends – and the list goes on. With social media and unlimited information at their fingertips, they are exposed to more concerning issues, such as climate change, COVID scares, school shootings, and more. It is possible that the world around them reveals more negative aspects than positive ones. As a result, they can develop one or more types of anxiety, including:
- broad-based anxiety
- separation anxiety
- social anxiety
- generalized anxiety
The good news is these conditions can be managed through adolescent therapy in Wellington, FL.
Do Parents Cause Anxiety?
There are things that parents should and should not say to children and behaviors they should avoid, so children don’t develop greater worries. It is advised that parents not allow their children to pull away from stress-causing activities, as this will impede their child’s development. Instead, parents should encourage their children to face these activities and find solutions to their problems.
It is also important to listen to your children about the issues that cause them distress.
You won’t be able to help them out of their anxiety if you don’t know what is causing it. There are also several phrases that parents should avoid saying to their kids, such as “calm down,” as this is not a constructive approach. At Serene Trails Therapy, your therapist can work with you as well as your child to help you learn coping mechanisms that effectively reduce anxiety.
Will Your Child Outgrow Their Anxiety?
With children, it is more common for their anxiety to worsen as they get older. Anxiety is considered a “gateway” condition, meaning it opens the door to other mental health conditions. As a result, it is important that your child receives treatment for anxiety before it gets worse or leads to more serious concerns. Children who do not get help when it’s needed will continuously find more to be worried about. Their worry will likely result in them missing out on experiences that help with social and emotional development.
Therefore, the sooner they learn the array of cognitive skills to manage their concerns, the better.
Cognitive-behavioral Therapy And Children
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is the best way to treat anxiety in children. By working with a therapist, your child will learn about anxiety, what causes it, what is triggering their anxiety, and what can be done to fix it. Currently, they may be experiencing negative thinking patterns due to their anxiety. At Serene Trails Therapy, children are in a safe environment, working with a therapist to replace negative thought patterns with positive ones.
Visit Serene Trails Therapy
As a parent, the best thing you can do for your child is to be simply aware that they have anxiety. Talk to them. It’s possible they are trying to hide their problem from you because they’re ashamed. Once you know your child has anxiety, find help. In therapy, you will both learn important skills to reduce your child’s anxiety. For a psychotherapist in Wellington, contact Serene Trails Therapy. Call 561-335-6658 to schedule an appointment.
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Have questions? Contact Serene Trails Therapy for a free phone consultation.