Bethany Teachman- Rethinking Anxiety and Growth

This week on Parenting for the Present, we’re joined by Dr. Bethany Teachman, Professor and Director of Clinical Training in the Department of Psychology at the University of Virginia. She also leads public research initiatives focused on reducing anxious thinking and exploring how our unconscious beliefs shape our mental and physical health. With anxiety levels continuing to rise, Dr. Teachman helps us rethink the way we view anxiety—not as something to fear or eliminate, but as an emotion that can actually serve a purpose. Learning to tell when anxiety is helpful versus when it’s not is key, and labeling it as terrible or unbearable only makes it harder to manage. We also talk about how social media plays a powerful role in shaping our thoughts and emotional responses, and why it's so important to stay mindful and balanced in our engagement with it. And perhaps most encouraging—Dr. Teachman reminds us that we don’t have to have all the answers. Our kids benefit far more from seeing us model growth and flexibility than from seeing perfection.   Thriving Youth in a Digital Environment's social media handles are:  Instagram: @tyde.uva Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tydeuva Linked In:  https://www.linkedin.com/company/104683549

Om Podcasten

Do you have this whole parenting thing figured out? Are you the perfect parent? Neither are they. Drs. Early Denison, Matthew Housson and Andy Stoker are three dads but, together, have nearly sixty years of experience cultivating the minds, bodies, and spirits of children, parents, and families through their work as a pediatrician, a clinical psychologist, and a minister. Their goal is to help you raise kids who can thrive in this complex, messy, beautiful world. Rates of anxiety and depression, especially in our kids, are up. Early, Matthew, and Andy believe that challenging this trend starts at home with parents, caregivers, and families. They will share their conversations and connect with other experts in their fields to help you engage your kids, enhance your parenting strategies, and have fun with your family. They don’t have all the answers, but they know that we are stronger if we all work together to become more proactive and engaged parents and families.