303. Q&A: My 8-year-old is suddenly refusing to go to school, how should I handle this?

Beyond the Sessions is answering YOUR parenting questions! In this episode, Dr. Rebecca Hershberg, Dr. Emily Upshur, and I talk about...   Not all school refusal looks the same. Learn how to recognize the different types and when it’s time to seek extra support. Understanding the science of anxiety and how these feelings can actually create physical symptoms like tummy aches or headaches. Strategies for getting to the root cause of what may be causing your child’s school refusal so you can address the actual source of the problem. What is "contagion anxiety” and how can this spread through classrooms and schools? When and how to have reflective conversations with your child that will help you form a clearer understanding of what is bothering them - with sample questions you can use to get you started. How to build your child’s distress tolerance and resiliency at a manageable rate, so they are able to cross this hurdle without fully shutting down. A quick primer on SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) and how this is a helpful approach for navigating your child’s anxiety.     REFERENCES AND RELATED RESOURCES:   📚 Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD: A Scientifically Proven Program for Parents by Eli R. Lebowitz, PhD   👉🏻 Click here to lean more about support options at Upshur Bren Psychology Group and to schedule a free 30-minute consultation call to learn more about the available resources for your unique needs.     ADDITIONAL PODCAST EPISODES YOU MAY LIKE:   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about school refusal and anxiety with Dr. Erica Miller   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about challenging perfectionism and academic pressures   🎧 Listen to my podcast episode about Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE)Dr. Eli Lebowitz     WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU:   Go to https://drsarahbren.com/question to send us a question or a topic you want to hear us answer on Securely Attached - Beyond the Sessions!