Help! My Anxious Middle Schooler - Simplified strategies for parents to help break the anxiety cycle

Sep 29, 2026

A practical parent-focused guide for understanding and reducing anxiety in middle schoolers. The book explains why anxious emotions intensify during the transition to middle school, how to recognize triggers and irrational or distorted thinking, and how to identify feelings during anxiety episodes. It introduces Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) and organizes chapters to help families implement at-home strategies for managing anxiety, improving healthier coping and thinking patterns, and knowing when to seek professional support.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages56

Reading Time2 h 21 min

AccessFree to download

Contents

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Anxiety and the Middle Schooler

Chapter 3: The Major Types of Anxiety

Chapter 4: How do you Communicate?

Chapter 5: What is Irrational Thinking?

Chapter 6: Teach Your Middle Schooler to Worry Les

Chapter 7: Welcome to REBT

Chapter 8: Implementing the Plan-Your Middle Schooler’s Turn

My Anxious Middle Schooler:Simplified strategies for parents to help breakthe anxiety cycle Maria Shkreli,LMHC Digitized by the Internet Archivein 2022 with funding fromKahle/Austin Foundation Help! My Anxious Middle Schooler: Simplified strategies for parents to help break theanxiety cycle Maria Shkreli,LMHC This book contains summarized information relating to mental health.It is notintended to replace medical advice and should not be used to supplement mentalhealth care.All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the informationprovided.Both publisher and author disclaim any liability for any methods appliedor suggested in this guide. The short cases,all names,characters,and incidents portrayed in this book arefictitious and no identification with actual persons is intended or should beimplied. Copyright C2018 Twentynine Publishing,LLC.All rights reserved.No part of thispublication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system,or transmitted in anyform by any means,whether photocopying,electronic,recording or otherwise,without the prior written permission of the copyright owners.For information,please address Twentynine Publishing LLC,75 Cooley Street,Pleasantville,NY10570. First Series:August 2018 Photograph by:Donna Mueller Photography Printed in the United States of America. ISBN-13:978-0-692-16172-2 I would like to say thank you to all the people in my life who bave inspiredme and stood by me,and to all the kids who work hard to find their strength! Contents Chapter 1: Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5 Chapter 2: Anxiety and the Middle Schooler ………………………………………………………………………………7 Chapter 3: The Major Types of Anxiety …………………………………………………………………………………………12 Chapter 4: How do you Communicate? ……………………………………………………………………………………………15 Chapter 5: What is Irrational Thinking?…………………………………………………………………………………………………24 Chapter 6: Teach Your Middle Schooler to Worry Les ………………………………………………………………29 Chapter 7: Welcome to REBT……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………32 Chapter 8: Implementing the Plan-Your Middle Schooler’s Turn……………………………………………37 # Chapter 1 Introduction There are countless books for parents about anxiety —some are complex,some are simple.My goal is to add a simple yet robust option for parents tolearn the easy strategies I use in my support groups and individual counselingsessions with middle schoolers,many of which can be used for both teens andadults.The techniques in this book will assist in learning how to identifyanxiety and unhealthy thinking patterns in your middle schooler,and how toimplement methods to reduce and manage anxiety. Transitioning from elementary to middle school can trigger stressful emotionsin anxious kids.They are now solely responsible for homework,will meet newpeople,and will share the halls with older students.Additionally,they have tocontend with puberty,hormones,drama,being dropped from their elementaryschool friend groups,fitting in,bullying,and peer pressure.All of this can beincredibly daunting,especially for an anxious kid. So,what does this mean for parents?First and foremost,you must learn howyour middle schooler is feeling.Your role as a parent is critical to your child'sprogress —it shows them you want to work with them,and the progresspotentially made is more successful when parents get involved. This book isn't written in clinical terms;I don't want to overwhelm you.Thestrategies and methods you'll discover in the next few pages are a way to startactively helping your middle schooler accept,address,and manage anxiety,helping them work toward a happier and healthier way of coping and thinking. Use this book as a supplement if you already have a middle schooler intherapy.If anxiety is severe,professional assistance is your bestapproach. Help!My Anxious Middle Schooler You and your middle schooler will learn: · To identify triggers of their anxiety episodes

FAQs

What does the book say anxiety looks like during the middle school transition?

It describes how stressful emotions arise from new responsibility, changing friendships, puberty and hormones, drama, bullying, and peer pressure. It also notes that anxiety can range from hard to detect to more obvious and concerning when it disrupts functioning.

How does the book help parents understand their child’s anxiety?

It emphasizes that parents must learn how their middle schooler is feeling and become involved in progress. The book teaches how to identify triggers, recognize irrational or distorted thoughts, and understand what the child feels during an anxiety attack.

What therapy approach does the book use to address anxiety?

The guide uses Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), focusing on changing negative thinking. It frames anxiety reduction as replacing irrational thoughts and beliefs with healthier alternatives.

Sep 29, 2026

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