One of our favorite interventions to teach parents, and kids and teens, was created by me and is called The Three Step Approach. You can read tons more about it here, and in my book, When Anxiety Makes You Angry. But today, we’re doing a video walk through!

So, you’ve thought about it for days, weeks, maybe even months and you’ve decided your kid needs therapy. Now what? How do you talk to your child or teen about attending a therapy session? Read on to learn what strategies work best when talking to your child, and I will also answer FAQs about preparing your child or teen for their first counseling session. 

I worry that if I bring up therapy or counseling, it might make my child or teen feel uncomfortable. 

This is a common fear, and something that can hold parents back from taking a really important step forward. The bottom line is, if you’re wondering if your child or teen needs counseling, you need to start figuring out next steps. If you’re uncomfortable and on the fence about talking with your child about therapy, you can always reach out to a therapist first, to hear more about their process and what they recommend.

After touching base with a therapist, if they feel like a good fit, then you can let your child know, “Here’s what we’re going to try out.” Point out what you’re noticing, and give them time to respond. They may feel like they don’t have a problem, or they may hate the idea of having to see a therapist. That’s ok. Let them know that they have to try it out a few sessions. The more we do something, the easier it feels.

You have a lot of needs to meet as a parent.

You want your child to be fed, but fed the best version of homemade, organic, local and nutritious meals - and oh yeah, you have your own food blog to document this and help other families.

You want your child to have self-esteem, and you want that self-esteem built at a prestigious private school, which doesn’t come cheap. But you have to give your child every opportunity that you can!

You want your child to have friends, but the right friends - friends who are also considering top colleges, or looking at the peace corps, and you want your kid to be influenced by these very driven peers.

You set your child up for as much success as you can…

So what to you do when they still have anxiety, and it feels like your fault?