Supporting a Child Who Worries - Practical Tools for Parents

Join Anna Scetinina, an author and practicing therapist, for a 1-hour workshop to help parents and caregivers support children who struggle with worry and anxiety, followed by a 15–30-minute Q&A.

Anna is a registered psychotherapist, specializing in anxiety and OCD, and the author of A Workbook for Kids Who Worry - a self-help activity workbook for children based on the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) approach. In this workshop, Anna will introduce practical, compassionate strategies for parents to use at home to respond to children’s worries in helpful and supportive ways.

The workshop will include:

• A brief introduction to the presenter’s experience and area of competency
• A discussion of common challenges parents face when responding to anxiety (including responding with demands or accommodation)
• Ways to validate and normalize children’s feelings without reinforcing anxiety
• What practical, supportive responses can look like in everyday situations
• A gentle overview of how Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) can help anxious children
• A short grounding/mindfulness exercise parents can try themselves and with kids
• An overview of the presenter’s workbook and how families can use it as a self-help resource to deal with worries

This workshop is suitable for parents, caregivers, and professionals who support children ages 5–12 who struggle with worry or anxiety.