“The Opposite of Worry” is an informative resource for parents and other family members. Not all of the methods will resonate with parents but the many options provide suitable choices that can be tailored to each family’s circumstances. He adds to his list of suggested methods with reference to narrative therapy, scheduling “worry time,” and behavior rehearsal, to name a few.

The book wraps up with a chapter about the most common childhood anxieties, namely worry, fears, social anxiety and trauma, each one addressed through the author’s parenting approach.

Clearly, Cohen kept technical jargon out of the dialogue, a reasonable decision given his audience and desire to hold their attention! Therefore, his numerous depictions of playful parenting encompass exposure therapy, cognitive-behavioral treatment, mindfulness and behavioral activation. On the topic of a child confronting anxiety and fear, the author offers advice that is consistent with contemporary evidence-based practices without actually naming specific procedures or their research foundation. Another common anxiety-reduction technique, relaxation, is recommended in the context of physical play or “roughhousing.” Cohen borrows from a number of treatment modalities in presenting his integrated model. The key methods entail reassurance, validation, emotionally neutral language, modeling and positive regard, among others. The majority of chapters in the book detail various parent strategies for helping children cope with and overcome anxiety. For example, he writes about “The Security System” to analyze “how anxiety is triggered, experienced, expressed and completed.” Like much of the book, he relies on simple metaphors and code words to explain concepts and the underlying assumptions of his approach. The book is filled with illustrations and case vignettes that are intended to explain how parents can and should deal with situations that provoke anxiety and associated difficult behavior in their children.Ĭohen first introduces parents to the biological and social causes of childhood anxiety through a basic overview of temperament, physiology and fight-or-flight responding. His therapeutic approach, which he calls playful parenting, stresses facilitative, supportive and nurturing relationships between parent and child. Cohen, was written for parents of anxious children. Unless properly treated, anxiety disorders can create serious psychosocial challenges among children and youth at school, within the family and later adulthood.

Indeed, childhood anxiety is one of the most common clinical problems seen by mental health professionals. Many children experience chronic anxiety, persistent worry and specific fears. “The Opposite of Worry: The Playful Parenting Approach to Childhood Anxieties and Fears”īook helpful for parents of anxious children

Playful Parenting by Lawrence J. Cohen