Working with Parents of Anxious Children: Therapeutic Strategies for Encouraging Communication, Coping & Change

by Christopher McCurry

Overview

Changing the parent-child dynamic to improve anxiety symptoms.

The topic of anxious children is on the front burner these days, both among parents and mental health professionals, and its only gaining attention as more and more clinicians are presented with anxious kids in their practices. Anxiety symptoms—whether panic, OCD, phobias, social or separation anxiety—are one of the primary reasons parents seek help from a mental health professional for their child. And yet, parents may unintentionally reward or encourage the problem through their own behavior (overprotection on the one hand, punishment on the other, or avoidance of all possible anxiety-provoking situations). This book will tackle that very issue, exploring the critical parent-child “dance” at the center of child development and uncovering how, with the proper knowledge and tools at hand, therapists can guide parents in changing their dynamic so anxious outbursts are reduced and a child’s confidence and growth are better supported.

A range of techniques that therapists can teach parents will be presented, including how to “change the choreography”—the parent-child dynamic—and how to work with “goodness of fit”, or temperamental differences between a parent and a child. Parent management training and parent-child interaction training strategies will also be provided.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780393734010
Publisher:	Norton, W. W. & Company, Inc.
Publication date:	06/29/2015
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.30(h) x 1.40(d)

About the Author

Christopher McCurry, Ph.D. is a father, husband, and a clinical child psychologist in private practice in Seattle, Washington, where he specializes in the assessment and treatment of childhood anxiety, with an emphasis on parent-child interactions. He is also an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Washington. He received his M.A. in Developmental Psychology from San Francisco State University and a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Nevada, Reno.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

Part 1 Understanding the Anxiety Dance

1 Biology, Temperament, and Adaptability 3

2 The Role of Parents in Child Anxiety 33

Part 2 Creating a New Dance

3 Talking to Parents About Anxiety 53

4 Changing the Choreography 86

5 Helping Parents Develop Effective Communication Skills 123

6 Treating Anxiety in a Family Context 1: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy 157

7 Treating Anxiety in a Family Context 2: Mindfulness-and Acceptance-Based Therapies 193

Part 3 Sustaining the Dance-and the Dancers

8 Learning When to Push and When to Yield 231

9 Fostering Self-Care and Resilience 254

Appendix A Validation Handout 281

Appendix B Child-Directed Play Handout 284

Appendix C Breathing Exercises Handout 289

Appendix D Valued Living Questionnaire 295

Appendix E Resources for Parents 296

References 297

Index 311

Editorial Reviews

"What loving parent would not want to end the suffering of their child? Yet anxiety will run roughshod over families, taking advantage of responses that, on the surface, seem so caring. By the time they arrive in treatment, parents feel helpless and exhausted, while the worried child has become dependent on reassurance and overprotection. McCurry expertly elucidates for readers the tactics of therapeutic change that will stabilize the family system, empower the parents, and foster resilience in the child."

Reid Wilson

"This book is an incredibly valuable resource for every clinician working with anxious children and their parents. McCurry expertly integrates evocative clinical vignettes with a sophisticated, yet easily understood, biopsychosocial model. He explains the negative parent-child interactions so common in the families of anxious youth and provides an elegant and effective therapeutic approach for enhancing family communication and resolving conflict. Drawing from the cognitive-behavioral, functional analytic, acceptance, and mindfulness literatures, this book provides clear guidance and an abundance of clinical "pearls" for teaching parents how to create a healthy and resilient home environment."

John Piacentini

"As a therapist working in an inpatient facility, I see many young clients with anxiety. I probably see it more often than any other diagnosis. . . . I know firsthand how hard it can be to explain to parents that their child’s oppositional, defiant, or moody behavior is related to anxiety. . . . McCurry helps clinicians think about how biology and environment work together to either support or work against a child with an anxiety disorder [and] facilitate greater understanding in parents, highlighting therapeutic tools the therapist can use to help educate families."

PsychCentral

"Work with parents of anxious children is becoming richer and more nuanced as practitioners used to doing parent training, communication skills work, and traditional cognitive behavior therapy begin to use acceptance and mindfulness-based therapies as well. This wise and well-written volume will help provide that sense of nuance and balance. It is not a treatment protocol, nor is it dedicated to any one approach; it is a guidebook, helping you to use your existing skills in more sophisticated ways and to learn new skills and approaches without having to abandon what you already know. Highly recommended."

Steven C. Hayes