Anxiety can manifest itself in children in many ways. For example, children may complain of stomachaches or headaches in anticipation of or after a stressful event. In other cases, children may stop speaking or become angry. No matter the manifestation, therapy works to provide children with the words to describe and positive tools to cope with their anxious feelings.

Kenya* started working with Dr. Gray at age 10 to address her anxiety. Here is her experience in her own words:

Before Dr. Gray I was sad, my palms were sweaty and my heart would beat so fast it felt like it was coming out of my chest. My breathing was out of control and I could not catch my breath. Dr. Gray taught me about anxiety and different ways to calm myself down by using a worry jar, a peaceful rock, and a paper doll. My favorite tool is the worry jar because when you shake it you see different beads and colors that help relax you. I’m happy now because Dr. Gray helped me understand what anxiety is and gave me knowledge about dealing with anxiety. Now I have different tools to calm myself down when I get nervous or sad.

*Name changed to protect patient privacy.