(Courtesy of JFCS) Many of us know what it feels like to have anxiety. We are anxious about bills, work, politics, wars… and the list goes on. While, as an adult, we may view a child’s life as one with little worry, children actually experience the same complex emotions we do, with the same levels of anxiety. So, what can we do to help our children better manage their stress?
At JFCS, our team of licensed psychotherapists is trained to help kids deal with anxiety as well as teach parents how to help their children overcome their fears. We recognize the influential role parents play in their child’s life and we actively encourage their participation. By engaging in the therapeutic process, parents gain insight into their child’s experiences, emotions, and needs. This collaboration strengthens the parent-child bond, improves family dynamics and creates a supportive environment for change. At JFCS, our goal is to empower parents to implement therapeutic techniques beyond the sessions to promote continued resilience and growth.
Ever since October 7, we have been seeing a significant increase in levels of anxiety among children. For some, the war hits closer to home than others. We recently began treating a high school-aged girl whose anxiety spiked due to her older brother and cousin both serving in the IDF. She explained how she constantly worries for their safety and feels powerless to do anything to help them. This anxiety makes it difficult for her to interact with her friends, concentrate on school and lead a healthy teenage life. Her therapist is working with her, using various cognitive approaches, to help her realize that while worry and fear have places in our lives, they do not need to paralyze her. Through individual sessions as well as sessions that include her parents, this teenager is able to put her anxiety in a context and has learned techniques to manage it rather than letting it control her. Her parents were thankful for the tools we gave them because they felt supported and better equipped to manage both their daughter’s anxiety and their own.
When we worry, it can affect everyone around us. JFCS is here to ensure you can effectively manage your anxiety to lead a happy, fulfilled life.
To learn more about JFCS, donate, volunteer or request services, please visit jfcsnnj.org or contact us at [email protected] or 201-837-9090.
