Separation anxiety and/or School Refusal

Here are some questions that might help you understand if your child suffers from separation anxiety and/or school refusal.

• Does your child cling to you whenever you try to leave?
• Does your child react strongly when being dropped off at school?
• Does your child have scary thoughts about being left alone?
• Does your child fear being harmed or having a loved one harmed?
• Does your child fear abandonment?

Examples of therapy goals  to help your child to overcome separation anxiety or school refusal behaviors:

• Identify your child’s safety concerns and anxious fears.
• Develop coping tools to manage stressful situations. 
• Direct your child to improved school attendance and performance, bedtime improvements, becoming comfortable with leaving your side and alone time. 
• Help your child function better at school, home, and participating with friends and in social activities.
• Relieve the interference of persistent separation anxiety from which can make life difficult at home and in life.
• Family education.
• Help give step-by-step direction and guidance to parents and teachers. 
• Teaching positive parenting practices and improved perspective for a more peaceful homelife.
• Decreasing parental frustration and resentment that can hurt your relationship with your child.