By Elizabeth Barhydt
Parents from all over the community gathered at Christ Church Greenwich for a free parenting talk on “Living in an Age of Anxiety and Finding Hope”. The panel of experts, comprised of Josh Barton, Joe O’ Callaghan, Clarena L. McBeth, and Ashley Lopez, were ready to share their insights and experiences on how to tackle the challenges of anxiety that their children and teenagers were facing, especially during the pandemic.
As the coffee and breakfast were served, Josh Barton, the Director of Youth Ministry at Christ Church Greenwich, kicked off the conversation with a warm welcome and opening remarks. Josh acknowledged that anxiety was already a crisis pre-Covid, but the pandemic had increased it exponentially, especially for students. He stated that the goal of this talk was to provide parents with the tools and knowledge to identify signs of anxiety in their children, and to help them navigate through it.
Joe O’ Callaghan, LCSW, shared his expertise on trauma-informed interventions and the development of a trauma-informed mental health system of care. Joe stressed that parents should be aware that the pandemic response had created a traumatic experience for their children, and that it was important to recognize the symptoms of trauma, such as withdrawal and avoidance, irritability, and lashing out.
Clarena L. McBeth, LMHC, LPC, discussed her experience in treating adolescents, couples, and adults who suffer from depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, eating disorders, trauma, and relationship difficulties. Clarena stressed that parents should not hesitate to seek professional help if their children were showing signs of anxiety, as it could greatly impact their quality of life.
Ashley Lopez, Crisis Service Counselor at Kids in Crisis, shared her experience of working with children and adolescents from all ages for 10 years. Ashley acknowledged that the pandemic had caused a lot of uncertainty and anxiety for children, and that it was important to provide them with a safe space to express their feelings.
The panel opened up to questions from the audience, and a lively discussion ensued. Parents shared their own experiences of how their children were struggling with anxiety during the pandemic, and the panel provided them with practical advice on how to support their children.
As the talk came to a close, the parents left with a renewed sense of hope and a better understanding of how to tackle anxiety in their children. They left with the knowledge that they were not alone in their struggles, and that there were experts in their community who were willing to help.
