Your Anxious Child

Rhiannon Theurer, LMFT has just published The Neurodivergence Skills Workbook for Teens: DBT Tools To Help You Deal with Sensory Sensitivity, Manage Emotional Overwhelm and Thrive. Rhiannon Theurer is a neurodivergent therapist in private practice who works with neurodivergent teens and adults. She can be found at [email protected] Rhiannon Theurer talks in her book and in this interview about how the skills taught in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be so helpful for neurodivergence teens who may for a variety of reasons experience the world in a more intense and nonvalidating manner.

Coltan Scrivner, PhD has just published Morbidly Curious: A Scientist Explains Why We Can't Look. He defines morbid curiosity "...a curiosity about things that are threatening or potentially dangerous". In the interview and in his book he explains why it is important to be curious about things that are dangerous. He provides an entirely new perspective about why children enjoy scary stories, the appeal of horror movies, haunted houses and true crime stories. All of these activities help you become familiar and explore the sensation of being afraid in a fictional context which in turn has been shown to help you with real life fears and dangers. For more information about Coltan Scrivner, here is his website https://www.coltanscrivner.com

Rachel Busman, PsyD, ABPP is a clinical psychologist and senior director of the Child and Adolescent Anxiety and Related Disorder Program at Cognitive Behavioral Consultants in White Plains, NY. She was previously the past president of the Selective Mutism Foundation and the director of the Selective Mutism Service at the Child Mind Institute. She also runs a camp for children with Selective Mutism Voices Rising which is held during the summer and during the school year. Dr Busman has written Being Brave with Selective Mutism: A Step-by-Step Guide for Children and Their Caregivers. This is a very helpful guide for parents and children dealing with selective mutism. In this interview, Dr Busman provides an overview of selective mutism and highlights some the key interventions for this condition. She speaks with an energy and clarity that I think you will inspiring and motivating. For more information about Dr Busman https://www.cbc-psychology.com/cbc-staff/rachel-busman-psyd-abpp and for the Voices Rising Program https://www.cbc-psychology.com/events/voices-rising-winter-2026 Dr Busman recommends the Selective Mutism YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6GwY4kccpkcmgl-uNIA5tg and of course The Selective Mutism Foundation is an excellent source of information https://www.selectivemutism.org/

Robyn Koslowitz, PhD is the director of The Center for Psychological Growth of New Jersey and the educational director of the Targeted Parenting Institute. In this podcast episode we talk about her recently published book Post Traumatic Parenting: Break The Cycle And Become The Parent You Always Wanted To Be. This is a valuable book for parents and clinicians. Traumatic experience in childhood and adulthood can effect our parenting. This is not an unusual observation. However, Dr Koslowitz dissects the issue of how trauma effects parenting in a way that makes more understandable and also leads to clear plan of what to do. As a child psychologist, I found this book to be the most useful book I have read this year. I think you will also enjoy her podcast on Post Traumatic Parenting https://www.drrobynkoslowitz.com/podcast-2/ And you can also find more information about Dr Koslowitz at https://www.drrobynkoslowitz.com/about/

Sophia Vale Galano, LCSW has just published Calming Teenage Anxiety: A Parent's Guide to Helping Your Teenager Cope with Worry Her book is a practical and accessible guide for parent to talk about all forms of anxiety with their teenager. It provides a blue print to guide conversations regardless of the way in which the anxiety might be showing up. She maintains a private practice in California and has extensive experience working with adolescents in inpatient, outpatient, medical and educational settings. She also has completed Sex Therapy certification from California Institute of Integral Studies, an Animal Assisted therapy certification from The Animal Behavior Institute and a Forensic Social Work Certification from The National Organization of Forensic Social Work.