AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety

If your child refuses to shower, melts down over clothing, or avoids homework, you might assume they’re being defiant. But what if it’s actually OCD driving their behavior? In this episode of the AT Parenting Survival Podcast for Anxiety and OCD, I break down how OCD-driven avoidance and compulsions can look like oppositional behavior—and why this misunderstanding is so common.You’ll learn:🟤 How OCD can mimic defiance in kids.🟤 Key signs that reveal it’s OCD, not oppositional behavior.🟤 Why traditional discipline backfires with OCD.🟤 Practical strategies to respond effectively with compassion and boundaries.If you’ve ever felt frustrated or confused by your child’s behavior, this episode will help you recognize the hidden OCD compulsions behind it—so you can support your child with OCD in the right way.👉 If you’re looking for more support, check out my online courses for parents raising kids with 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

If your child has OCD, you’ve likely witnessed an OCD-driven meltdown—intense distress triggered by an intrusive thought, fear, or the inability to complete a compulsion. These meltdowns can be overwhelming for both you and your child. And while it’s natural to want to soothe their anxiety in the moment, some responses can unintentionally reinforce OCD.In this AT Parenting Survival Podcast episode, we’ll cover:-What’s happening in your child’s brain during a meltdown-What not to do (even if it feels helpful)-Effective strategies to de-escalate the meltdown and support your child’s resilience-Tips for preventing future meltdowns🆘 Want in-depth support on how to handle OCD meltdowns? Take my course on handling difficult behavior caused by anxiety and OCD. Just go to www.natashadaniels.com/difficultbehaviorcourse.Resources discussed in episode:PANDAS NetworkSPACE Study Guide courseYouTube Video: How Reassurance Can be a Compulsion***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

Anxiety and OCD can abruptly put the brakes on our children’s education.This is one of the most disruptive and concerning aspects of our children’s OCD or anxiety. It is a slippery slope that can gain momentum and get out of control rather quickly.In this week’s AT Parenting Survival Podcast, I explore how to identify the core fear around school refusal, how to decipher if it is a school issue versus an anxiety or OCD issue, and how to navigate the issue without making school avoidance worse.To support your child or teen more in-depth have them take my free class: 🌸 Understanding OCD: For Kids & Teens***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

How do we help our children with OCD have a better quality of life? Our child’s OCD is more than just Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. It is more than just their intrusive thoughts and their compulsions.How do we help them with self-esteem? The feeling of guilt and shame? The struggles of navigating school and family relationships? In Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz’s new book, Living Well with OCD, he tackles the bigger question - how can people live a fulfilling life with OCD?Jonathan Abramowitz is a psychologist with a private practice in North Carolina. He is also the Professor and Associated Chair of Psychology at the University of North Carolina (UNC). In this week’s episode of the AT Parenting Survival Podcast I invited Dr. Abramowitz to share his insights on how we can help our kids live a fulfilling life, despite OCD.Check out Dr. Jonathan Abramowitz’s book, Living Well with OCD here.🆘 Want in-depth support? Join the AT Parenting Community where you’ll have instant access to myself and hundreds of other parents just like you. Join the waitlist here.***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

There is nothing more disruptive and upsetting than OCD latching on to a loved one. Contamination isn’t just about germs - it can be about people, people our kids love. Families get thrown into chaos when OCD decides a parent or sibling is the source of contamination.Out of all themes, this one has the power to upend the entire family. In this week’s AT Parenting Survival Podcast I explore how OCD determines family members are contaminated and what parents can do to counteract the destructive impact it has in the home.🆘 Want in-depth support? Join the AT Parenting Community where you’ll have instant access to myself and hundreds of other parents just like you. Join the waitlist here.***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

Struggling with Anxiety and OCD can make kids feel hopeless. Hopelessness can lead to depression and a lack of motivation to work on their issues.In this week’s AT Parenting Survival Podcast I explore what causes hopelessness in our kids with OCD and anxiety and what we can do to help them navigate those emotions.📍 Come visit me in Arizona this weekend! Get your tickets to the OCD Gamechangers event at www.natashadaniels.com/ocdgamechangers 🌸 Fostering independence can improve a child’s self-efficacy and improve hope. You can take my FREE webinar on how to foster independent skills to crush anxiety and OCD by registering at www.natashadaniels.com/independent ***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

As you become more educated about anxiety and OCD, you most likely will start seeing it all around you. It can be hard to stomach seeing a child struggling with anxiety or OCD, especially if their parents aren’t aware of what they are truly dealing with.So what do you do in those situations? I actually get asked that question more often than you might think! In this week’s AT Parenting Survival Podcast I’ll explore the delicate balance of seeing anxiety or OCD in a child and how, and if, to educate the parent on what might be going on.🌸 Want to supercharge your child, teen or young adult’s OCD skills? Get my OCD card deck, where each day they pull a card and build a skill! Go to www.natashadaniels.com/shop to check them out!***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

I quickly fell in love with Mel Robbins’ book The Let Them Theory. It is such a simple, and yet powerful approach to living your life. Throughout the book I thought about how the Let Them Theory could be adapted to parents, and in particular, those of us raising kids with anxiety or OCD.I started to implement this approach with my kids in a child friendly way. It made a huge impact on how I showed up for their anxiety and OCD struggles. It also helped me let go of what I cannot control. In this week’s AT Parenting Survival Podcast I talk about how to implement elements of the Let Them Theory with our kids with anxiety and OCD.🌸 Want to supercharge your child, teen or young adult’s OCD skills? Get my OCD card deck, where each day they pull a card and build a skill! Go to www.natashadaniels.com/shop to check them out!***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

OCD can convince our kids that they have control over the uncontrollable. That is at the heart of magical thinking OCD compulsions. Magical thinking is when OCD convinces a person that if they do or don’t do something - they can prevent something from happening. That something could be literally anything related to their theme. They might be preventing themselves from throwing up. They might be saving your life. They might be preventing a health issue. It is different for each person, but the compulsion is the same - do this (or don’t do this) or ELSE.In this week’s AT Parenting Survival Podcast I’m exploring how magical thinking shows up in OCD and how you can help your kids overcome it.YouTube videos discussed in episode:When OCD Tells You to Do Something or Something Bad Will HappenOffense and Defense for OCD🌸 Want to supercharge your child, teen or young adult’s OCD skills? Get my OCD card deck, where each day they pull a card and build a skill! Go to www.natashadaniels.com/shop to check them out!***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