All articles

The Anxiety Institue Explains How To Help Your Acutely Anxious Child

February 3, 2022 1 min read
The Anxiety Institue Explains How To Help Your Acutely Anxious Child

School avoidance families will be nodding in agreement and appreciation when reading this series of information from Anxiety Institute Co-Founder Linda Geiger. In addition to being the CEO of a leading school avoidance treatment program, Linda is also a mother who lived through the trauma of her son’s school avoidance. Linda addresses the fundamental questions […]

In addition to being the CEO of a leading school avoidance treatment program, Linda is also a mother who lived through the trauma of her son’s school avoidance.

Linda addresses the fundamental questions and answers we all seek but can never find.

HOW THE HECK DO WE COMMUNICATE WITH, HANDLE AND HELP OUR SEVERELY ANXIOUS KIDS IN OUR HOME WITHOUT FALLING APART OURSELVES???

In this article, she covers:

  • Parenting your anxious child is often a traumatic experience for both parent and child.
  • The lesson we need to absorb rapidly is that standard parenting techniques won’t help your acutely anxious child.
  • Transitioning from Accommodation to Support
  • IDEAS is a simple five-step process I refined through trial and error to engage with my son and guide him when his acute anxiety symptoms manifested themselves.
  • Additional communication guidelines you should bear in mind when talking to your acutely anxious child.

![](/__l5e/assets-v1/b925bbd9-172e-46a0-8f28-d4c523d9ddf8/5486097cd0358ee8.png)This image was provided courtesy of Linda Geiger, Anxiety Institue,

IDEAS, framework, a simple five-step process developed by Linda to engage with her son and guide him when his acute anxiety symptoms manifested themselves.

Parenting your anxious child is often a traumatic experience for both parent and child.

It is a frustrating, maddening, and heartbreaking endeavor that often generates parental discord and family dysfunction. Moreover, it can set parents against each other as their contrasting styles come into stark conflict. Usually, one parent exhibits a more disciplinary approach, while the other is more understanding and permissive. However, with an acutely anxious child, neither strategy works.

Continue Reading Here

Need support?

Find the guidance that fits your role

Keep reading

School-Based Intervention Teams, School Avoidance, School Refusal, and Truancy
Truancy & Law
January 7, 2026

By Jayne Demsky

School-Based Intervention Teams, School Avoidance, School Refusal, and Truancy

When a child begins missing school consistently, families often hear a mix of terms—school avoidance, school refusal, and truancy. These words are sometimes used interchangeably, yet they describe very different realities. Understanding these distinctions is essential, not only for parents, but for schools tasked with responding appropriately.

Read article
More Than a Tardy Slip: Georgia’s SB 123 Marks a Turning Point in School Attendance and Why School Avoidance Training Is the Missing Link
Truancy & Law
October 23, 2025

By Jayne Demsky

More Than a Tardy Slip: Georgia’s SB 123 Marks a Turning Point in School Attendance and Why School Avoidance Training Is the Missing Link

Georgia's new attendance law, SB 123, is here, and it's a major shift. No longer can schools expel students solely for absenteeism. Instead, the law, effective July 1, 2025, mandates a deeper look at the root causes of why students are missing school. This article explores why SB 123 is a critical opportunity, not a compliance burden. It's a chance to move from punishment to empathy. But to succeed, schools must address one critical, often-overlooked piece of the puzzle: "school avoidance." Disc

Read article
Navigating Texas Attendance Laws for Students with Disabilities and Health Needs
Truancy & Law
June 4, 2025

By Daniel Levi

Navigating Texas Attendance Laws for Students with Disabilities and Health Needs

For Texas families of children with disabilities or chronic health needs, frequent school absences are often unavoidable. However, Texas law has strict rules about attendance, including the 90% attendance rule and truancy laws that may impact class credit and graduation. This guide explains those rules in depth and offers practical strategies for staying in compliance, protecting your child’s rights, and building strong partnerships with your child’s school.

Read article