Parents often focus on the details of a child’s anxiety or frustration or distress. The parental interrogation fueled by “I have to know what happened and they should be able to tell me” is a common sentiment. Do you fall prey to needing to know the details? Our desire to know is less important than supporting our children’s ability to manage their emotions and learn problem solving. Can you help without knowing the details? Yes, yes, yes! WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU...

It’s graduation time. Robin is smack in the middle of this emotional time and Lynn has navigated it twice. So they’re both crying.  ...and here's the Katrina Kenison piece that Lynn mentions: https://www.katrinakenison.com/2020/03/16/the-gift-of-an-ordinary-day/ WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn...

Have you been hearing a lot about boundaries lately? And “toxic relationships"? Buzzwords capture our—and our children’s—attention, but what do memes and quotes on social media actually teach us about managing friendships and repairing ruptures? In this episode we talk about the skills of repair, the importance of connection, and valuing relationships amidst the pull of a throw-away culture. WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our...

Sometimes kids have big reactions over seemingly small things. Or they panic over something that hasn’t really bothered them in the past. Is this a “new” problem, or a different piece content that worry has discovered?  WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and the 7-part anxiety disruptor series...

Pediatricians and family physicians are on the front lines of our children’s mental health needs. In fact, they are reporting more and more that it’s the most common (and often most challenging) issue they are addressing with families. On this episode, Lynn and Robin are joined by Dr. Jessica Hochman, whose practice and podcast (Ask Dr. Jessica) focus on helping families feel more confident and informed. What is it like to be a pediatrician in the age of worry? What is most...

In this recast of a popular Season 5 episode, we continue our discussion on loneliness, this time focusing on adults. Making friends in adulthood feels risky. If you are at all anxious or introverted, vulnerability and rejection hardly seem worth it. But connection is possible once we dispel some limiting beliefs.  VISIT OUR SPONSORS FOR SPECIAL OFFERS JUST FOR YOU: Get 20% off your first order when you go to LIQUIDIV.com and use code FLUSTER at checkout. Go to zocdoc.com/FLUSTER and...

Do you wish your child could hear about worry directly from Lynn? Here you go! In previous episodes Lynn has spoken directly to teens; this episode is for the youngsters. She describes how worry works, what makes it better and worse, and how to externalize and talk to worry. Listen with your child!  Get 20% off your first order when you go to LIQUIDIV.com and use code FLUSTER at checkout. Go to zocdoc.com/FLUSTER and download the ZOCDOC app for free. Then find and book a top-rated doctor...

We’ve talked about kids and phones before, but it deserves another deeper look. What’s the impact of younger and younger children having smartphones? The research shows big shifts on mental health after 2010? It’s time to talk about the consequences of smartphones seriously.  Here is the article by Jonathan Haidt which we discuss in this episode: https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2024/03/teen-childhood-smartphone-use-mental-health-effects/677722/  Get 20% off your first order...

Death is a part of life, but it still scares most of us. When children experience death and other types of loss, they grieve in different ways, depending on age, family culture, and personality. How can you help your child deal with loss and grief, especially when you yourself are grieving? What can parents do and say to help children navigate a painful but universal human experience? And can we do better when showing our children how to support others?  UPDATED: WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR...

Every once in a while, teens need a pep talk that is based on accurate information and hopeful language about their moods, their relationships and their mental health. Anxiety and depression are common and powerful but not inevitable and certainly not permanent. Listen to this with your teen. Then, have a talk and listen more.  UPDATED: WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand...

It’s a fact: some kids need more social coaching than others. And if your child (or you!) struggle with anxiety, practicing social skills is both more challenging and more vital. How do we enhance our kids’ ability to make good friends? The research offers some interesting do’s and don’ts that will be helpful to all parents!  UPDATED: WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new...

Lynn often says that the hardest people to work with in her practice are the ones that don’t own their own stuff. In this episode, we talk about owning patterns in your marriage. Both Robin and Lynn work with their husbands and both are consistently working on owning and breaking patterns. Do you get defensive? Of course you do! We’ll get specific in this episode.  UPDATED: WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of...

A global cognitive style, to use the fancy terminology, means that your perceptions of the world or yourself are broad and overly general: “All dogs are mean” or “I never get anything right.” Because this pattern is a solid predictor for depression and anxiety, it’s one to recognize and interrupt. We’ll talk about how to make helpful shifts in your family.  UPDATED: WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids,...

As college acceptance letters arrive, it 's timely to revisit this popular episode from Season 4! Parents and students are focusing on college admissions earlier and earlier, hoping to get a head start on what has become an increasingly competitive race through high school. They say they want their kids to be “happy” and “successful” in college, but if parents are obsessed with the "getting in," are they developing the right skills to help them thrive once there? Anxiety expert and therapist...

Adults often wonder why the “plan” they have in place for their anxious child doesn’t work. In this episode, Lynn explains why this happens (your goals and hopes aren’t enough) and what to do instead (it’s all about the skills to manage worry when it arrives.)  UPDATED: WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring...

Lynn often refers to anxiety as a cult leader: powerful, demanding compliance, and full of rigid rules. What happens when one family member wants out? Or when a long generational pattern of worry resists any change? In this episode, we break down the pull of the anxiety cult and how to change the rules for you and your family, even when others refuse. UPDATED: WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start...

Lately listeners have been asking about performance anxiety, particularly when it shows up in sports. Should we push our child to compete? What if they love to practice but don’t perform during games? The truth is that very few children will actually become pro athletes, so sports and other activities become opportunities to learn valuable anxiety and emotional management skills.  Here is the Today show article which Lynn mentions: Should you let your kids quit? Experts share advice on when...

What happens when children are the absolute focus of a family? Marriages suffer, says Michele Weiner-Davis, a renowned relationship expert who pulls couples back from the brink. We asked Michele to bust some couple myths and set us straight. Boy, she knows her stuff.  Books by Michelle Weiner-Davis: Divorce Busting, The Divorce Remedy, Healing from Infidelity, The Sex-Starved Marriage, The Sex-Starved Wife. The Sex-Starved Marriage, a Ted Talk by Michelle Weiner-Davis. UPDATED: WE'VE MADE...

Dating and doubt go together like peanut butter and jelly. Anxiety and worry love to invade, looking for certainty in every text, post, and conversation. And what about parenting teens through this stage? Teens are (developmentally) driving full speed while we’d like them to pump the brakes. In this episode, what you need to know about worry, dating, ruminating and relationships.  UPDATED: WE'VE MADE PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our...

Seeking therapy for you or your child can feel like a big step for many reasons. Combined with busy schedules and long waiting lists, and affordability getting help can be unobtainable. In this episode, we talk about how to overcome some of those barriers, with DIY ideas and great resources available right now. Books, podcast & websites referenced in this episode: ADHD Expert Dr. Sharon Saline How to Recover from Depression: A talk on Youtube by Michael Yapko Breaking the Patterns of...

Categories and labels are appealing because they help us make sense of a complex world. And there are definitely times when a label can help. But labels can also be limiting. When we label our kids—and when teens label themselves—we risk permanent and global identities that get in the way of growth and malleability.  WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast,...

In this recast of a popular episode, we talk about the parenting phrases we love, how they help with emotional management, and why you need to have a few of these in your back pocket, ready to use when needed. These help for your kids whether they are 3 or 33. WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn...

In this recast of a popular Season 5 episode, we discuss how positive connection is the goal... but is there such a thing as too connected? Yup, and it’s called enmeshment. In this episode, Lynn and Robin talk privacy, autonomy, and boundaries. If your goal is to be “best friends” with your child, have a listen.  WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we...

Are you afraid of your anxious child’s outbursts? Are you allowing those big tantrums to rule the house and dictate your parenting? Sparked by a listener question, this episode dives into a common problem: how do we change the family patterns caused by a rigid, anxious child’s explosive behavior?  WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting...

Two (really) stressed gals show up for this episode to talk about injecting fun and playfulness into holiday events. Robin and Lynn share lots of ideas wrapped up in a little encouragement, and by the end, they both feel better. We think you will, too!  WE'RE MAKING PLAYLISTS OF OUR EPISODES TO HELP YOU FIND RESOURCES ON SPECIFIC TOPICS. Here is our first: Parents of Anxious Kids, Start Here For those brand new to the podcast, we suggest starting with this playlist featuring Lynn Lyons and...