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In today's episode, How To Help Kids Through Back-To-School Anxiety At Any Age, Back-to-school anxiety is not a sign that something is wrong with your kid; it is their nervous system scanning for safety when everything feels new. I break down what school anxiety looks like at different ages and share simple tools that help kids feel connected instead of pushed to “get over it.”

• reframing first-day flutter as normal nervous system biology
• why logic fails and co-regulation works through connection
• anxiety as a companion rather than something to eliminate
• elementary kids asking will someone take care of me and using a steady goodbye ritual
• why sneaking away can increase anxiety over time
• middle schoolers asking do I belong and how anxiety can look like attitude
• executive function under construction and why kids come home smoked
• sideways conversations that open the door without interrogation
• teens asking does this matter and can I survive it amid achievement pressure and online life
• modeling honest, unpolished stories instead of platitudes
• the core truth that anxiety is not the enemy, disconnection is

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Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

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Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com