Why Adjusting Expectations Matters When Parenting a Child with Anxiety or OCD
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels discusses why parents of children with anxiety or OCD need to regularly reassess their expectations. She outlines signs that unrealistic expectations are causing parental burnout and harming the child’s self‑esteem, such as constant disappointment, comparison to other kids, and the child’s own feelings of being a burden. Daniels offers a practical checklist for spotting these red flags, explains how to trace the origins of inflated expectations—like developmental milestones and fear of judgment—and provides strategies for recalibrating them to prioritize daily pockets of happiness for both parent and child.
The Power of the Pause in Your Child’s Anxiety and OCD
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels explores the "power of the pause" when parenting children, teens, or young adults with anxiety, OCD, or related disorders. She explains how parental urgency—driven by the child's crisis feelings—can unintentionally reinforce anxiety cycles,...
An Important Difference Between Anxiety vs OCD Reassurance
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels explains the crucial distinction between anxiety‑based reassurance and OCD‑based reassurance, showing how each serves different functions and can reinforce distinct patterns in children. She outlines why anxiety reassurance often creates dependency and undermines...
ARFID: Is It OCD, Anxiety, or an Eating Disorder?
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels unpacks Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), clarifying its DSM‑5 criteria, the five sub‑types (avoidant, aversive, restrictive, mixed, and ARFID‑plus), and how they intersect with anxiety, OCD, and sensory processing issues. She shares...
OCD Compulsions Parents Don’t See
In this episode, child therapist Natasha Daniels explains that many OCD compulsions in children are hidden or subtle, such as mental rituals, reassurance‑seeking, and neutralizing thoughts, which parents often overlook. She outlines the two‑part OCD loop—intrusive thoughts or feelings followed...