AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety

When your child is struggling with anxiety or OCD, fear can quietly take over your parenting. Fear of making things worse. Fear of missing something. Fear of what the future might hold. In this episode, I explore the hidden cost of parenting from that place.I talk about how fear often shows up in ways we don’t always recognize, such as agitation, constant anxiety, over-cheerleading, or swinging into punitive responses when we are exhausted and overwhelmed. While these reactions are completely understandable, they can unintentionally undermine trust and keep both parent and child stuck.I also share how things shifted when I stopped parenting from fear and began meeting my child exactly where they were. That change did not mean doing less. It meant responding differently. By building trust and creating emotional safety, my child was able to feel more empowered and begin taking ownership of their own struggles.This episode is for parents who are trying their best but feel stuck in survival mode. We talk about how to recognize fear-driven parenting patterns and how moving toward a more anchored approach can change the tone of your relationship and support your child’s growth.Learn how to be a solid anchor for your child in my free series. Register here. -Watch the Instagram reel on anchored vs unanchored parenting.-Take the SPACE Study Guide Course here.-Read: When a Loved One Won’t Seek Mental Health TreatmentBreaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the hardest parts of raising a child with OCD is figuring out who you’re actually talking to. Is it your child… or is it their OCD pulling you into another loop?In this episode, we talk about the different ways OCD ropes parents in—whether it’s endless reassurance seeking, constant confessing, permission checking, “just right” demands, or those sneaky checking questions like, “Do I look sick?” or “Is this bad?”I’ll walk you through how to spot when OCD is taking over the conversation: the circular back-and-forth that goes nowhere, the distress when you don’t answer the “right” way, or the need for more and more clarity tied to their specific OCD themes.Then we shift into what you can do. We’ll cover how to talk to your child about these patterns ahead of time, how to team up on a plan for responding, and how to use exposures and tools (like reassurance cards) to stop feeding the OCD loop.And finally, an important reminder: not talking to OCD does not mean ignoring your child. You can still validate, support, connect, and check in, just without fueling compulsions. Pulling yourself out of OCD’s conversations is often one of the first big steps toward real progress.Links Mentioned in this episode:PDF handout for this episode: www.natashadaniels.com/handoutsJoin my free series: How to Be an Effective Anchor for Your Child’s Anxiety or OCD — www.atparentingsurvivalseries.comYoutube video: Reassurance can Be a CompulsionYoutube video: Confessions Can be a Compulsion Podcast: How to Use Reassurance Cards ***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore why trust is the foundation for helping a child with OCD. When trust is missing, kids shut down, hide their struggles, and resist therapeutic strategies. I share simple, practical ways to build (and rebuild) trust — from validating their experience, to going at their pace, to connecting with who they are beyond OCD. Even small shifts can strengthen your relationship and make real progress possible.⚓️ If you want in-depth support in how to be an effective anchor for your child’s anxiety and OCD register for free at www.atparentingsurvivalseries.com***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The holidays can be magical — but for kids with OCD and anxiety, they can also be overwhelming. In this episode, Natasha helps parents prepare for the unique challenges that come with travel, family gatherings, disrupted routines, and sensory overload. You’ll learn how to anticipate triggers before they happen, create a holiday coping map with your child, set boundaries with relatives, and protect your child’s regulation during busy days.Whether you’re traveling across the country or just hosting at home, this episode gives you simple tools to make the holidays more manageable—and even enjoyable—for your child.You’ll walk away feeling prepared, supported, and confident going into the holiday season.Get the PDF template on how to write a text or email to your family about your child’s anxiety and OCD struggles at www.natashadaniels.com/handout⚓️ If you want in-depth support in how to be an effective anchor for your child’s anxiety and OCD register for free at www.atparentingsurvivalseries.com***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When your child’s OCD gets loud, it’s so easy to get swept into the panic, the questions, the intensity.But the calmer and more grounded you stay, the faster they can settle.In today’s episode I’m breaking down how to stay present when everything in you wants to react — and why this one skill changes the tone of your entire home.If you want deeper support in staying steady during your child’s anxiety or OCD storms, my new series will walk you through it step-by-step.Register for free at www.atparentingsurvivalseries.com***This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go tohttps://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parentingThis podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.Parents, do you need more support? 🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:https://atparentingsurvivalschool.comJoin the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):https://atparentingcommunity.comTake one of my FREE webinars:www.Natashadaniels.com/webinarsCheck out my books: www.Natashadaniels.com/books🌸 Other social places I hang out:http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvivalhttp://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.