One of the many joys of parenting can be to introduce your child to new and wonderful activities. But when your child is reluctant or new experiences are scary and overwhelming this process can become difficult and upsetting. Anxiety can show up in many different ways. Sometimes kids display big and loud behaviors, engage in repetitive behaviors, or refuse to follow directions or participate. As parents sometimes these situations feel confusing and we may struggle to know how to respond. At Green Leaf our clinicians work to build awareness and communication and help you respond and coach your child through these difficult moments. We know that anxiety doesn't get better by avoiding it. We teach our kids how to be brave and tolerate fear and anxiety so they can do the things that they find enjoyable. Often we use CBT, specifically exposure and response prevention (ERP) strategies to build bravery, taking a step-by-step to overcoming fears!