Your Anxious Child

Gina Rippon has just written Off The Spectrum: Why The Science of Autism Has Failed Women and Girls. Gina Rippon is emeritus professor of cognitive neuroimaging at the Aston Brain Centre, where she uses brain-imaging techniques to investigate patterns of brain activity in developmental disorders such as autism. She is also the author of Gender and Our Brains. She lives in England.  In this interview, Dr Rippon talks about the research on autism has overwhelming focused on males and consequently the different ways in which this condition may present itself in females has been neglected until recently. She suggests that one of primary differences between autism in males and females, may be in the predominance of camouflaging and masking in women. This is certainly relevant in understanding anxiety, as she points out in her book "...if you read the testimonies of camouflaging autistic females so much of their anxieties concern the anticipation of what might go wrong" (p219). She also talk about the particular challenges autistic adolescents face at a time when their brains are undergoing a significant reorganization. Dr Rippon presents a very thoughtful discussion about this important topic.

Lisa A Phillips talks about her new book First Love: Guiding Teens Through Relationships and Heartbreak. She teaches journalism and a very popular seminar "Love and Heartbreak" at the State University of New York at New Paltz. She noted that there are plenty of good books dealing with sex education for teens but very little addressing the emotional aspects of these first relationships. These first relationships and crushes are not "puppy love" but "first drafts" in the development of a romantic identity. In this podcast and in her book, Lisa Phillips provides thoughtful suggestions about how a parent can help their child deal with a break-up and many other issues. For more information https://www.lisaamyphillips.com [https://www.lisaamyphillips.com]

Martha B Straus, PhD is an emeritus professor of clinical psychology at Antioch University New England. She is the author of seven books including No-Talk Therapy for Children and Adolescents, a book that has truly stood the test of time and is a favorite of mine. Today we are primarily talking about her most recent book Cool, Calm & Connected: A Workbook for Parents and Children to Co-regulate, Manage Big Emotions & Build Stronger Bonds If we are  going to help our child who is either very anxious or struggling with another "big feeling" it is critical that we don't get caught up in the excitement but remain as the title of book suggests cool, calm and connected. Easier said that done. Her workbook breaks this task down into manageable steps.

David Russ, PhD is a clinical psychologist  specializing in anxiety disorders and is the founding partner of the Carolinas Counseling Group in Charlotte, North Carolina. He and Christopher T McCarthy created the audio program for children Turnaround: Turning Fear into Freedom which I have to be a very useful resource for anxious children. He and Anna S. Christie have written Emetophobia: Understanding and Treating Fear of Vomiting in Children and Adults . For the purposes of this podcast, Dr Russ e-book for children, Emetophobia: The Ultimate Kids' Guide available as a kindle book is a must have for parents and children.  Emetophobia is a very common but understudied phobia. Dr Russ is one the leading authorities on the treatment of Emetophobia  and he generously shares his wisdom about treating this condition in our discussion   Links to Dr Russ and Emetophobia are listed below https://carolinascounseling.info/david [https://carolinascounseling.info/david] https://emetophobia.net/ [https://emetophobia.net/]

In this podcast, I talked with Dr Gordon Flett about the psychology of mattering, a topic in which he has been a leader in the field. Mattering is a core component of one's self concept which refers to a genral sense of being significant, and valued in our relationships. A felt sense of mattering is a strongly protective factor against a variety stressors. Conversely, the absence of mattering has been associated with depression and suicidal ideation. A sense of mattering becomes especially relevant  during the adolescent years as fitting in with peers becomes so important The importance of mattering is an idea that immediately resonates with many people and is the  theme in movies such as It's a Wonderful Life and Mr Holland's Opus. Unfortunately, in keeping with the crisis in youth mental health, survey data suggest that about 30% of adolescents do not feel or are not certain that they matter to anyone. So this is obviously an important topic for us to consider Dr Flett has written two books on the psychology of Mattering: Mattering As A CORE Need in Children and Adolescents  and The Psychology of Mattering: Understanding the Human Need to be Significant In an earlier podcast  on 9/13/22, I also talked to Dr Flett about his book he coauthored with Paul Hewitt Perfectionism in Childhood and Adolescence: A Developmental Approach The Mattering Movement website is an excellent source of information https://www.thematteringmovement.com/ [https://www.thematteringmovement.com/] see also https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/27/well/mind/mental-health-mattering-self-esteem.html [https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/27/well/mind/mental-health-mattering-self-esteem.html]