Help! My Child's Anxious

LBC
LBC
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Parenting is hard. And when anxiety enters the picture, it can feel impossible. If your child is struggling and you're not sure what to do next, this is the podcast for you. Join broadcaster Vanessa Feltz and her daughter, child therapist Saskia Joss, as they unpack the emotional rollercoaster of raising kids - especially when anxiety or emotional overwhelm start to take over. With a powerful mix of professional insight, real-life stories, and no-judgment honesty, each episode offers clear, compassionate advice to help you feel more equipped and less alone. From school avoidance and separation anxiety, tricky teens to bedtime battles, they tackle the hardest parenting moments with warmth, humour, and expert guidance - because while parenting doesn’t come with a manual, this podcast might be the next best thing. Want to get in touch? Email us: helpmychildsanxious@global.com For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com

  1. Aug 12

    Navigating Childhood Anxiety, Neurodiversity, and the Hidden Pressures on Families with Zara Kadir

    In this episode of Help! My Child’s Anxious, hosts Vanessa Feltz and Saskia Joss are joined by child, family, and adult psychotherapist Zara Kadir (from The Therapy Shed) to explore how anxiety and neurodiversity intersect in children. Zara shares insights from both her professional practice and her personal journey parenting a son with ADHD. The conversation dives into the common ways anxiety manifests—from school avoidance and separation anxiety to phobias and rejection sensitivity dysphoria (RSD)—and offers practical strategies for parents. Topics covered include: Understanding Accommodation vs. Support: Why removing every anxiety trigger can accidentally make fears bigger, and how parents can "outsource confidence" and stay grounded instead. Scaffolding for Neurodivergent Kids: Practical tips for building routines, using executive-function tools (like dementia alarm clocks), and setting up intentional morning systems. Managing Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD): How to reduce shame, believe your child’s lived experience, and sit with their big emotions without rushing to fix them. The Impact on Siblings: Addressing the "tyranny of the weak" dynamics, balancing attention, and ensuring siblings of neurodivergent children aren't forgotten or forced into premature responsibility. Practical Co-Parenting: Simple team strategies for partners, including burn-out code words and avoiding post-bedtime debrief fatigue.

  2. Aug 6

    Shakira Akabusi On OCD, Anxiety And Motherhood

    A seven-minute walk was taking Shakira Akabusi three and a half hours. From the outside, nobody had a clue. In this episode of Help! My Child is Anxious, Vanessa Feltz and child therapist Saskia Joss sit down with women's health expert and StrongLikeMum founder Shakira Akabusi to talk about body anxiety, OCD, and what happened when pregnancy pulled the floor out from under her. Shakira grew up in a sporting family with an Olympian father, and still ended up with obsessive-compulsive disorder so severe it cancelled a family holiday at the airport check-in desk. She talks openly about the compulsions, the isolation of new motherhood, and how she recovered through hypnotherapy, talk therapy and movement, without medication. Then the conversation turns practical. Saskia explains why compulsions are really an attempt to control something uncontrollable, and why pregnancy so often brings buried fears to the surface. Shakira shares what actually works for families: the after-dinner walk, the indoor obstacle course, the kitchen dance, and why the word "workout" puts most parents off before they start. If you are the parent holding everything together and quietly running on empty, this one is for you. Anxiety does not only live in the head. It lives in the body too, and that is often the easier door to open. Watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/dJKxakAG5F0

  3. Jul 30

    Autism, Anxiety and PDA with Lisa Lloyd

    Your child holds it together all day at school, then falls apart the moment they get home. If that is your house, this episode is for you. Vanessa Feltz and child therapist Saskia Joss are joined by Lisa Lloyd, autism advocate and author of Unmasking Mum, for one of the most honest conversations we have had on this podcast. Lisa is mum to two autistic children, and she was only diagnosed autistic herself at 41. Her son took four years to get a diagnosis because he masked so well at school that nobody could see what was happening at home. Her daughter has a PDA profile, which means being asked to do almost anything can trigger an anxiety response. Lisa talks about the mornings that swallow two hours over a pair of shoes, the meltdowns in public that stop looking acceptable once your child is over six foot, and the friendships that quietly disappeared because she kept having to say no. Saskia explains why anxiety is the most common condition to travel alongside autism, what a meltdown actually is, and how masking works. She describes it as walking around with a pin stuck in your side and telling nobody. If you are somewhere in the assessment queue, or you have a diagnosis and no support, or you are simply exhausted and starting to wonder whether it is you, this one will make you feel less alone. In this episode: • Why the child who masks is often the one suffering most • What PDA (pathological demand avoidance) really is, and why it is anxiety-driven • Which demands you have to hold, and which you can safely let go • Why a diagnosis does not automatically bring any support • Children who fall between mainstream school and specialist provision • Why anxiety and autism so often turn up together • What actually helps: structure, ear defenders, getting ahead of change • Meltdowns in public when your child is bigger than you • The loneliness, the lost friendships, and the fear of who will be there when you are gone • Building independence in very small steps • What autism parenting does to a marriage, and how Lisa and her husband protect theirs • What Lisa wishes neurotypical parents knew, including one simple thing that changes everything We want to hear from you. Which part of this landed hardest? Tell us in the comments. If your child masks at school and unravels at home, say so. There will be a parent reading who thought they were the only one. Subscribe to Help! My Child is Anxious for new episodes every week. Warm, practical, honest conversations for parents raising anxious children in a world that rarely slows down. Buy Lisa's latest book: https://www.penguin.co.uk/authors/312673/lisa-lloyd

  4. Jul 23

    Navigating Parental Fears & Milestones with Laura Amies

    Welcome to Help My Child's Anxious, hosted by broadcaster Vanessa Feltz and her daughter, child therapist Saskia Joss. In this episode, Vanessa and Saskia welcome special guest Laura Amies (known as Nanny Amies), a former nanny turned parenting expert and mother. Laura opens up about her personal journey after her daughter Elizabeth was diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). She candidly shares how dealing with a rare genetic condition impacted her mental health—bringing on her first clinical panic attack—and how she finds positivity and strength through daily routines. Later in the show, the team tackles listener questions from Instagram: Potty Training: How to manage parental anxiety, introduce low-pressure routines, and handle stubborn toddler resistance. Nursery Drop-Offs: Tips for managing drop-off distress and separation anxiety. Bedtime Struggles: How to help a child who hates being left alone at night using the "checking method". Fears & Phobias: Simple ways to desensitize children to loud noises like hand dryers and animals like dogs. They wrap up with their favorite segment, "Never Felt So Good," sharing budget-friendly ways to bring instant joy and connection into family life

  5. Jul 15

    Overparenting, "Anxious Parents Make Anxious Kids"

    It's our one-year anniversary! Vanessa Feltz and her daugther child therapist Saskia Joss look back on twelve months of Help! My Child's Anxious — from topping podcast charts in 47 countries (yes, including the Solomon Islands) to what a year of talking about anxiety has taught them both. This week they tackle a headline-grabbing claim from Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson: are anxious, "helicopter" parents raising a generation of children who can't cope? Saskia unpacks what "overparenting" actually means, why doing too much for your child can backfire, and where the line is between helping and hindering. Plus, don't miss this week's Never Felt So Good — a ridiculously simple (and soaking wet) summer activity using nothing but a clothes airer, magnetic tiles and a water gun, guaranteed to buy you an hour of peace. And a first look ahead: this summer, Help! My Child's Anxious is bringing you back-to-back guest episodes with some of their favourite parenting experts and mums. Don't miss it. Get in touch: Instagram @helpmychildanxiouspod or helpmychildanxious@gmail.com

  6. Jul 9

    1 Million Referrals: What is Triggering the UK Childhood Anxiety Pandemic?

    If you are currently trying to figure out how to help an anxious child while facing an absolute crisis in youth healthcare access, you are not alone. In this episode of Help! My Child's Anxious, veteran broadcaster Vanessa Feltz and child therapist Saskia Joss confront the reality of the 2-year CAMHS waiting list and explain how parents can step in to build a safe psychological sanctuary at home right now. We dissect the staggering new statistics showing over 1 million UK children referred for mental health care and answer critical reader questions about why modern children are masking anxiety, how high-altitude sociological stressors change our kids' brains, and how to tell the difference between malicious lies and anxiety-fueled childhood coping mechanisms. Watch this episode on the Youtube Channel Now: https://www.youtube.com/@VanessaandSaskia

  7. Jul 2

    The Anxiety Bag Trend: What Actually Helps Anxious Kids (And What Doesn't)

    Everyone's talking about "anxiety bags" on TikTok — but is packing your child a bag full of comfort objects actually helpful, or does it risk making anxiety worse? In this episode, child therapist Saskia Joss and her mum Vanessa Phelps unpack the trend, explore the psychology of transition objects and sensory tools, and share why reframing it as a "confidence kit" might work better. We also tackle a listener question about a 9-year-old suddenly terrified of lions despite living nowhere near any — and what it reveals about how children's fears actually work. Plus, what real resilience looks like (hint: it's not about not feeling scared), and this week's "Never Felt So Good" — a silly, free game to bring some laughter back into an anxious household this summer. In this episode: What's actually in a TikTok "anxiety bag" (and the science behind it)Why labelling it an "anxiety bag" might backfire — and a better alternativeHow to handle sudden, seemingly random fears in childrenWhat resilience really means (and why it's hard for adults too)A free, silly game to try with your kids this week Got a question about your child's anxiety? Send it to us on Instagram @HelpMyChildsAnxiousPod or email helpmychildanxious@gmail.com — we'd love to help. Join the Whatsapp Channel so you never miss a thing: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbA6W9EEAKWNqBHTKn0G If this episode helped, please subscribe, share with a friend, and leave us a review — it really helps other worried parents find the show.

  8. Jun 25

    The Role of Grandparents

    Child therapist Saskia Joss explains to her mother Vanessa Feltz why Grandparents play such a crucial role in the lives of children. They also go into how you can Grandparent from afar. Saskia answers a question about boredom and Vanessa gets interviewed for a job at the Palace. Watch and Subscribe to the Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@VanessaandSaskia Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helpmychildsanxiouspod/ Email the Show: Helpmychildsanxious@gmail.com

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About

Parenting is hard. And when anxiety enters the picture, it can feel impossible. If your child is struggling and you're not sure what to do next, this is the podcast for you. Join broadcaster Vanessa Feltz and her daughter, child therapist Saskia Joss, as they unpack the emotional rollercoaster of raising kids - especially when anxiety or emotional overwhelm start to take over. With a powerful mix of professional insight, real-life stories, and no-judgment honesty, each episode offers clear, compassionate advice to help you feel more equipped and less alone. From school avoidance and separation anxiety, tricky teens to bedtime battles, they tackle the hardest parenting moments with warmth, humour, and expert guidance - because while parenting doesn’t come with a manual, this podcast might be the next best thing. Want to get in touch? Email us: helpmychildsanxious@global.com For advertising opportunities on this podcast email: dax@global.com

Information

  • Channel
    LBC
  • Creator
    11-29 Media
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    58
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2026 11-29 Media
  • Show Website
    Help! My Child's Anxious

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