Adolescence is a difficult period of change, but for many teens, that stress crosses the line into debilitating anxiety. Licensed Clinical Social Worker and author Sophia Vale Galano is helping families navigate this challenging terrain. In her new book, Calming Teenage Anxiety: A Parent's Guide to Helping Your Teenager Cope with Worry, Galano draws on her extensive clinical background, which spans residential, inpatient, outpatient, and educational settings, to empower parents with practical, empathetic tools.
How does a parent discern if their teen’s worries are typical hormones or something more serious? How do you approach the conversation in a judgment-free space? These are just a couple of the questions she addresses in her book.
Another common challenge: What if your teen is resistant to therapy? Galano encourages parents to pivot to "parallel work." This means caregivers should focus on modeling calm, setting healthy family boundaries, and implementing positive changes within the home environment, ultimately creating an emotional safety net that makes the resistant teen more receptive to help over time, emphasizing that the parent’s presence is more important than achieving perfection.
Todd got the chance to speak with her and dig a little deeper. Watch our interview to learn more. You can get even more info at www.sophiagalano.com.
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