In this episode, Talia Bombola interviews Robyn Isman, a therapist specializing in working with parents of anxious children. They discuss the importance of working with parents in addressing childhood anxiety and the concept of anxiety as a gateway diagnosis. Robyn explains the interpersonal aspect of anxiety and how parents can inadvertently accommodate their child's anxiety. They also emphasize the importance of parental accountability and empowerment, as well as the need for parents to apologize and take ownership of their actions. The conversation highlights the challenges and learning process of parenting and differentiating anxiety from personal preferences.

In this conversation, Talia Bombola, LMFT, and Robyn Isman discuss anxiety in children and teens. They explore the importance of understanding anxiety versus oppositional behavior and the impact of anxiety on parent-child relationships. They also highlight the benefits of addressing anxiety and increasing independence to decrease anxiety. The role of parents in anxiety treatment, including validation and belief in children, is emphasized.

The conversation concludes with a discussion on the power of modeling emotional regulation, the challenge of balancing emotional and physical health, and the importance of humor and lightness in parenting.

Takeaways
- Anxiety in children and teens should be explored and understood, distinguishing it from oppositional behavior.
- Addressing anxiety can lead to closer parent-child relationships and increased independence in children.
- Parents play a crucial role in anxiety treatment by providing validation and belief in their children.
- Modeling emotional regulation and using supportive language can have a significant impact on children's emotional well-being.
- Bringing humor and lightness to parenting can help create a positive and supportive environment for children.

Robyn's Links:

@parentingtheanxiouschild

00:00 Introduction and Background

02:55 Anxiety as a Gateway Diagnosis

05:50 The Importance of Working with Parents

09:13 The Interpersonal Aspect of Anxiety

13:02 The Role of Parents in Accommodating Anxiety

15:55 Empowerment and Accountability for Parents

22:12 Parenting as a Learning Process

24:00 Differentiating Anxiety from Personal Preferences

24:58 Exploring Anxiety in Children and Teens

26:23 Understanding Anxiety and Oppositional Behavior

27:49The Impact of Anxiety on Parent-Child Relationships

28:48 Benefits of Addressing Anxiety in Children and Teens

29:44 Increasing Independence to Decrease Anxiety

30:23 The Role of Parents in Anxiety Treatment31:11The Importance of Validation and Belief in Children

31:59 Modeling Emotional Regulation and Validation

33:19 The Impact of Parental Invalidation on Children

34:08 The Power of Validation and Supportive Language

36:12 The Challenge of Balancing Emotional and Physical Health

37:06 The Role of Parents as Role Models

38:14 Differentiating Between Parent and Child Responsibilities

39:29 The Power of Naming and Validating Emotions

40:27 Bringing Humor and Lightness to Parenting

43:19 The Importance of Modeling Behavior and Language

44:36 The Impact of Humor on Parent-Child Relationships

46:00 Resources and Courses for Parenting the Anxious Child