Anxiety

Understanding Anxiety in Children and Teens

Anxiety is one of the most common reasons families come to Totally Psyched. It can show up as excessive worry, avoidance of school or social situations, difficulty separating from caregivers, physical symptoms like stomach aches or headaches, meltdowns, or trouble sleeping.

Who this is for

We work with children, teens and young adults experiencing anxiety at any level of severity - from everyday worries that are starting to get in the way, through to diagnosable anxiety disorders such as generalised anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety, phobias, and panic.

What to expect

Support usually begins with an Individual Mental Health Assessment, to understand what's driving the anxiety and what's keeping it going, before agreeing a plan together. From there, our clinicians draw on evidence-based therapies most suited to the individual and their age, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), play-based approaches for younger children, and EMDR where trauma is a contributing factor.

Therapy typically focuses on understanding the anxiety, building coping strategies, and gradually and safely facing the situations that feel difficult, at a pace that suits the young person.

Where anxiety is significantly affecting daily life, a Psychiatric Medication Consultation can also be discussed with your clinician as part of a broader treatment plan.