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Here’s a reframe that can change the way we respon

Here’s a reframe that can change the way we respond to anxiety in kids:Anxiety is not a malfunction. It is the nervous system trying to protect your child.The nervous system’s job is to notice potential threats and prepare the body to respond. But sometimes that alarm becomes overly sensitive. It goes off too quickly, too intensely, or in situations that are uncomfortable but not actually dangerous.That is anxiety: a protective system working harder than the situation requires.So, what does that mean for how we help anxious kids?The goal is not to make sure your child never feels anxious. In fact, repeatedly trying to eliminate anxiety can unintentionally teach them that the feeling is dangerous...and that they cannot handle it.Instead, we want children to learn that they can feel anxious and still move forward. They can tolerate discomfort. They can do hard things before they feel completely ready. And they do not have to let anxiety make every decision for them.That is a very different job than trying to “fix” the feeling.And with the right support, parents are remarkably well positioned to help their children do it.#childanxiety #anxietyinkids #childpsychologist #thrivechildpsychology #parentingadvice #nervoussystemregulation #anxietyawareness #parentingtips

This week we are focusing on anxiety in children a

This week we are focusing on anxiety in children and teens and introducing you to the passionate Thrive clinicians who specialize in this area. First up, meet Dr. McKinzie.Hi, I am Dr. McKinzie, and I am so glad you found your way here.I came to this work because of a stretch of life I found genuinely hard, that season of adolescence and young adulthood when you are starting to figure out who you are outside of your family. I know what it feels like to navigate that without enough support. And I know what a difference the right support can make. That is what keeps me showing up every day.I work with teens, young adults, and the parents trying to stay close to their kids while also letting them grow. I treat presenting concerns including anxiety, depression, and behavior challenges using evidence-based approaches like CBT, but the foundation of my practice is always strengths. What is already working. What this person is already capable of. We build from there, and we practice those skills outside of sessions too through worksheets, apps, and tools that actually fit into real life. The goal is never just insight. It is change that sticks.For the parents reading this: you are not alone in the late night Google spirals. Is this developmentally normal? Should I be worried? Am I missing something? Everyone asks those questions. Including me. The fact that you are asking them means you are paying attention. That matters.And if you are not sure where to start or what you even need, that is okay too. You do not have to have it figured out before we begin. We will work it out together.Outside of the office I am chasing a toddler most days, which keeps me very humble. I love cooking and baking and I am genuinely a little obsessed with thrifting and giving old furniture a new life.I would love to connect if you think I might be a good fit for your family.

Something I hear from parents after a child is ide

Something I hear from parents after a child is identified as anxious: I had no idea. I thought they were just being difficult. Or sensitive. Or dramatic.And that makes complete sense, because anxiety in kids and teens rarely announces itself as anxiety. It shows up as stomachaches and school refusal and meltdowns and perfectionism and scrolling for hours instead of starting the thing. It shows up as irritability and avoidance and a quiet flatness that is hard to name.Knowing what to look for changes everything. Because when we understand what is actually driving the behavior, we can respond to the root rather than the surface.Swipe for what anxiety actually looks like across every age from young children through teens. Save this and share it with a parent who needs it.#childanxiety #teenanxiety #childpsychologist #thrivechildpsychology #parentingadvice #anxietyinkids #childdevelopment #parentingtips

Wrapping up our week of teen clinician spotlights

Wrapping up our week of teen clinician spotlights with someone I am so proud to have on the Thrive team. Meet Dr. Justine.Hi, I am Dr. Justine, and working with teenagers is genuinely my favorite thing.That started during college when I volunteered in a community mentorship program and watched what happened when a young person had one consistent, caring adult in their corner. The difference it made was real and lasting. I have been chasing that feeling in my work ever since.The teenage years are complicated in ways that are easy to underestimate from the outside. Identity, friendships, family dynamics, school pressure, the beginning of figuring out who you are and what you want: teenagers are carrying a lot. My job is to be a trusted presence during that season. Someone who listens without judgment, teaches practical skills, and sticks around for the whole journey.In my office we do not use a one-size-fits-all approach because every teenager is different. We build the relationship first. We create a space where your teen feels safe to be exactly who they are. Then we work on the real stuff: emotional regulation, communication, confidence, and the tools they will carry long after therapy ends.For parents: I want you to know that you are not alone in how hard this is. Adolescence creates tension. The push for independence is real and it is developmentally right on track, even when it does not feel that way at home. One of the things I value most is serving as a bridge between parents and teens, helping each side understand the other a little better and strengthening the relationship from both directions.My sessions are warm and real. We work hard and we laugh a lot. Every emotion is welcome. Progress gets celebrated. And I will be right there alongside your family the whole way.Outside of the office I am a mom who loves to travel, ideally to somewhere with an ocean, a beach, and absolutely no agenda. Those moments are how I recharge so I can show up fully for the families I work with.I would love to connect if you think I might be a good fit for your teen.

This is one of the most common things I hear from

This is one of the most common things I hear from parents, and I want to address it directly because it keeps a lot of families from taking a step that could genuinely help.Reluctance before the first session does not predict how therapy will go. It predicts how therapy starts. Those are very different things.Teenagers are wired to resist things that feel like they are being managed or fixed. Walking into a therapist's office for the first time can feel exactly like that, especially if they did not ask to be there. That resistance is not a sign that your teen is unwilling to grow. It is a sign that they have not yet had the experience of feeling genuinely safe in that room.What the research on adolescent therapy consistently shows is that the therapeutic relationship is the single strongest predictor of outcomes for teens. Not the modality. Not the number of sessions. The relationship. And relationships take a little time to build, even for the most reluctant teenager.What tends to happen in practice: a teen comes in guarded, maybe even a little hostile. They are not sure what this is going to be. And then they realize nobody is here to lecture them, fix them, or report back everything they say. They start to talk. Sometimes it takes one session. Sometimes it takes three. But the resistance almost always softens once they feel genuinely met where they are.So if your teen is pushing back on the idea of therapy, that is okay. Bring them anyway. Give it a few sessions. Let the relationship do its work.If you are not sure where to start, we are here.#teenmentalhealth #parentingteens #childpsychologist #thrivechildpsychology #parentingmyths #adolescence #teendepression #teenanxiety

We are so excited to introduce another member of o

We are so excited to introduce another member of our Thrive team this week. Meet Dr. Kimberly.Hi, I am Dr. Kimberly, and I am so glad you are here.My path to this work started early. Like, age-five-with-a-two-level-doctor-cart-on-wheels early. I spent hours taking care of stuffed animals and family members, wrapping everyone in bandages, making sure nobody was left unattended. That instinct to listen, to take care, to make sure people know they are not alone has followed me through every setting I have worked in since: children's hospitals, psychiatric ERs, specialty clinics, challenging schools, and more.What I have learned in all of those places is this: struggles grow in isolation. People begin to thrive when they bring things into the open. And it is one of the greatest honors of my life to be in the room when that starts to happen.I work with children, teens, young adults, and families, and I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all approach to anything. We look at the whole picture: your child, their world, what is working, what is not. Then we build something that actually fits. Progress is the goal. Perfection is not something I ask of anyone in my office, including myself.For the parents reading this: you are not alone in the doubt, the exhaustion, and the worry. Parenting is hard. Seeking support is not a sign that you have failed. It is a sign that you love your child enough to do something about it. Trust that instinct.Outside of the office, I am a wife and mom of four, violinist since age 5, a lover of travel and DIY projects, and our kids’ sideline cheerleader. Bananagrams and movie nights are family favs in our house. I would love to connect if you think I might be a good fit for your family.

The first few weeks back are some of the most emot

The first few weeks back are some of the most emotionally loaded weeks of the adolescent year.From the outside, back to school looks like new supplies and fresh starts. From the inside, for a lot of teens, it feels like a social and academic pressure system switching back on all at once. Friend groups have shifted. The unstructured ease of summer is gone. The performance expectations are back.If your teen seems more on edge, more withdrawn, or harder to reach than usual right now, that is not necessarily a sign that something is seriously wrong. It may just be a nervous system doing exactly what nervous systems do when the demands go back up.Swipe for what it actually looks like, what helps, and when it is worth paying closer attention. Save this one and share it with a parent who needs it.#backtoschool #teenmentalhealth #childpsychologist #thrivechildpsychology #parentingteens #backtoschoolanxiety #adolescence #teenstress

This week we are introducing you to the Thrive cli

This week we are introducing you to the Thrive clinicians who specialize in working with tweens and teens. First up, meet Corey.Hi, I am Corey, and I am so glad you found your way here.I came to this work through my own experience with counseling during a really formative time in my life. It changed things for me in ways I did not expect, and I have spent my career trying to offer that same thing to the young people and families I work with. Getting the right support early, before patterns get more deeply ingrained, is something I genuinely believe in.I work primarily with kids, teens, and young men, and I will be honest with you: I love this age group. Teens especially. I know they have a reputation for being hard to reach, and sure, sometimes that is true. But I have found that when you meet them where they actually are, whether that is talking through a game, throwing a football, or just not making everything feel like therapy, connection happens. And once it does, the real work can begin.My approach comes down to this: I want kids to feel supported AND challenged. Not coddled, not pushed too hard, but both at the same time. Real growth happens when a young person knows they are not facing something alone, and also knows they are capable of doing hard things. That balance is what I am always working toward.For parents, I want you to know that reaching out is not a sign that something has gone wrong. It is a sign that you care. And when you bring your child to work with me, you are not stepping back. You are adding someone to your team. We figure this out together.Outside of the office I am a husband and a dad of three, which keeps me very humble and very busy. I am a devoted Notre Dame fan, I will try almost any food once, and yes, I have absolutely used video games as a legitimate therapeutic tool. It works.I would love to connect if you think I might be a good fit for your family. Visit thrivechildpsych.com to learn more.

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Evaluation & Therapy Services
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Florida Office:
727-746-5812
1465 S Fort Harrison Ave, Suite 204, Clearwater, FL 33756

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309-304-3047
2103 E Washington St, Suite 3B, Bloomington, IL 61701