As parents, nothing breaks our heart more completely than seeing our child stressed, depressed, and anxious. Our impulse is to activate our “fix it” mode. But our way of fixing it often isn’t what our kids need. Instead, they need us to listen, empathize, and ask, “How can I help? That’s according to Katie Hurley, a child and adolescent psychotherapist and the award-winning author of No More Mean Girls and The Happy Kid Handbook. Katie joins us to explain the differences between stress and anxiety, and how each can appear in young kids, tweens, and teenagers. She shares practical advice on how to help kids overcome Zoom-related anxiety and brain drain, stay calm, and breathe.

Listen to this episode to learn:-Why we need to be hyper-aware (especially during the COVID-19 pandemic) of how easily our kids absorb our own fears, worries, and stress -The difference between a child that’s an “internalizer” versus an “externalizer” of stress and anxiety, and how age and gender play a role in how they respond-Coping mechanisms (like deep breathing, visualization exercises, and stress balls) and mobile apps (like Stop, Breathe & Think Kids and Calm) that help kids make mindfulness and relaxation a habit -Why taking walks, shutting off the news, and teletherapy are great ways for parents to stay centered right now-Technology, gaming, social media, and devices: are they making our kids miserable or adding value to their lives?-Advice on guiding teens to make smart, responsible media consumption choices and how to help them find accurate information (not “fake news” on YouTube)

For more information, visit https://practicalkatie.com/