Join us for the first session of a new to the library Parent/Caregiver Coaching series with Dr. Marcy Atkins, PsyD.

The first session will focus on anxiety.

In this session, parents and caregivers (nannies, grandparents, aunts/uncles, etc.) to children ages 0 - 12 will be able to:

• Recognize the signs of childhood anxiety.

Parents will learn to identify common signs of anxiety in children, such as changes in behavior, physical symptoms, and emotional responses, as well as potential triggers in their daily lives.

• Develop effective coping strategies to support anxious children.

Parents will explore techniques to help children manage anxiety, including breathing exercises, mindfulness, and creating calming routines, fostering resilience and emotional regulation.

• Create a supportive home enviornment for reducing anxiety.

Parents will learn how to establish a supportive, low-stress home enviornment by promoting open communication, modeling healthy coping mechanisms, and building their child's confidence in handling anxious feelings.

*Registration required.

There will be 4 more sessions (February, March, April, & May), each focusing on a different topic. Stop by the Youth Services department to fill out an anonymous survery to help determine the topics for the upcoming sessions!

**Dr. Marcy Atkins is a licensed clinical psychologist. She was a triple major at Salve Regina University and graduated with bachelor degrees in Psychology, Elementary Education, and Special Education. She studied abroad at Oxford University in England where she continued to focus on psychology, education of special needs children and children with disruptive behavior disorders. She graduated from the Arizona School of Professional Psychology in 2004 with a Psy.D.