AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety
Natasha Daniels: Child Therapist, Child Anxiety and Child OCD Expert
▶ Webplayer
Natasha Daniels: Child Therapist, Child Anxiety and Child OCD Expert
▶ WebplayerIf you’re raising a child or teen with OCD or anxiety, you’re in the right place.Parenting a child with OCD can feel confusing, exhausting, and isolating, but you don’t have to figure it out alone. Each week, therapist Natasha Daniels shares practical, evidence-based strategies to help you understand how OCD and anxiety really work, respond in ways that support recovery, and feel more confident as a parent.Whether your child struggles with contamination OCD, intrusive thoughts, reassurance seeking, perfectionism, moral OCD, social anxiety, panic, school refusal, or other anxiety-related challenges, you’ll learn realistic tools you can use...
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Sep 29, 2026 · 33:47
Maybe they can go to school, visit friends, or function fairly well outside the house, but the second they get home, OCD seems to take over. That can leave parents wondering why…
Sep 22, 2026 · 51:04
If your child seems to have big reactions to sounds, textures, clothing, food, transitions, or everyday experiences, sensory processing may be playing a bigger role than you…
Sep 15, 2026 · 51:30
When you’re raising a child with anxiety or OCD, so much of your energy can go toward helping them cope that it’s easy to forget that you need coping skills too. In this episode,…
Sep 8, 2026 · 44:07
If I could sit down with every person who has OCD and teach them just three skills, these are the ones I would choose. In this episode, I’m sharing the three skills I come back…
Sep 1, 2026 · 43:07
When your child has OCD, treatment doesn’t happen in a vacuum. OCD comes home with them. It impacts routines, relationships, school, behavior, and often the way the entire family…
Aug 24, 2026 · 46:19
One of the hardest parts of parenting a child with OCD is not knowing what’s actually going on. Your child insists they’re “fine,” avoids your questions, or simply can’t explain…
Aug 17, 2026 · 37:32
Most people think contamination OCD is about germs, chemicals, or bodily fluids. But what happens when your child feels like a thought , memory, word, person, or experience has…
Aug 11, 2026 · 44:08
In this episode, I talk with Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Chyllia Dixon about the emotional impact of growing up with a chronic illness and the unique mental…
Aug 4, 2026 · 41:57
It can be hard to tell whether OCD treatment is helping, especially when compulsions haven’t noticeably decreased, distress seems higher, or new themes suddenly appear. But…
Jul 28, 2026 · 47:05
If your child has OCD, you’ve probably spent countless hours trying to make their intrusive thoughts go away. It’s an understandable instinct, but it’s also one of the biggest…
Jul 21, 2026 · 44:21
As parents, we naturally want to comfort, protect, and help our children. But when OCD enters the picture, some of our most loving instincts can unintentionally keep the OCD…
Jul 14, 2026 · 36:05
Growing up with OCD isn’t easy, especially when it tries to convince you to give up the things you love. In this episode, I sit down with Izzy, a child in The AT Parenting…
Jul 7, 2026 · 51:32
Every parent begins their journey with hopes and expectations. We imagine what family life will look like, what milestones our children will reach, and the experiences we’ll…
Jun 30, 2026 · 45:08
Even the most dedicated parents can unintentionally miss what OCD is really doing. If you’ve ever wondered why your child’s OCD keeps changing, why the same strategies don’t seem…
Jun 23, 2026 · 48:25
Starting treatment for OCD can be one of the most hopeful steps a family takes, but it can also be one of the most confusing. Many parents expect that once their child begins…
Jun 16, 2026 · 55:02
Many OCD themes are frequently misunderstood, misdiagnosed, or completely overlooked because they don’t match the stereotypes most people associate with OCD. In this episode, I…
Jun 9, 2026 · 46:37
When the fear of throwing up begins to take over a child’s daily life, it can quietly shrink their world. School, eating, travel, social events, exercise, sleepovers,…
Jun 2, 2026 · 51:40
Defiance can be one of the most misunderstood signs of OCD in children and teens. When kids refuse to touch certain things, avoid everyday tasks, struggle with homework, take…
May 26, 2026 · 47:50
Contamination OCD is often much more complex than many parents realize. It is not always about germs, handwashing, or obvious fears of illness. For many kids, contamination OCD…
May 19, 2026 · 48:37
Watching our kids struggle with OCD can feel overwhelming, exhausting, and emotionally draining. When we understand OCD and begin recognizing compulsions more clearly, many of us…
May 12, 2026 · 38:32
“Just right” OCD can be one of the most confusing forms of OCD for parents, because it doesn’t look like fear. In this episode, we’re unpacking what it means when OCD is driven…
May 5, 2026 · 40:15
It feels so natural to explain, reassure, and try to calm your child down when OCD is loud. After all, that’s how we solve problems in real life. But OCD doesn’t play by those…
Apr 28, 2026 · 47:43
Most parents think the hardest part of raising a child with anxiety or OCD is figuring out what to do. But the truth is, learning the skills is just the beginning. In this…
Apr 21, 2026 · 46:59
When you’re parenting a child with anxiety or OCD, it’s easy to get caught in a constant push to fix, improve, and move things forward. But when our expectations don’t match…
Apr 14, 2026 · 54:22
Good communication can feel like the missing piece when you’re raising a child with anxiety or OCD. You’re talking, explaining, reassuring, and trying to help, but somehow the…
Apr 7, 2026 · 45:12
When our child is anxious or stuck in OCD, everything can feel urgent. The questions, the reassurance seeking, the distress, the pressure to fix it right away. As parents, our…
Mar 31, 2026 · 40:54
Parents often hear the same questions from their child again and again, and it can be hard to know if answering is helping or making things worse. In this episode, I break down…
Mar 24, 2026 · 59:28
ARFID can look like OCD, anxiety, extreme picky eating, or even a traditional eating disorder, which is why so many parents feel confused about what they are actually dealing…
Mar 17, 2026 · 38:51
Most parents think they know what their child’s OCD looks like. They see the washing. The checking. The obvious behaviors. But what they’re usually seeing is just the tip of the…
Mar 10, 2026 · 42:16
Harm OCD is one of the most frightening and misunderstood themes of OCD, especially when it shows up in children. Intrusive thoughts about hurting oneself or someone else can…
Mar 3, 2026 · 31:40
OCD rarely stays contained inside your child’s mind. It often pulls parents directly into the cycle through reassurance questions, confessing, repeated checking, cleaning…
Feb 24, 2026 · 48:57
How do you know if your child is just worried, anxious, or dealing with OCD? Kids worry. That’s normal. But sometimes fear sticks around longer than it should and starts to take…
Feb 17, 2026 · 40:36
In this episode, we talk about one of the most confusing and discouraging moments for parents raising a child with OCD, when things seem to get worse right as you start doing the…
Feb 10, 2026 · 44:31
In this episode, I break down why logical explanations, reassurance, and “talking it through” so often backfire when your child has OCD. While rationalizing may feel supportive…
Feb 3, 2026 · 35:49
In this heartfelt and insightful episode, I sit down with Mia Mason, the creative force behind Worry’s Whispers , a beautifully illustrated collection of poems that gives voice…
Jan 27, 2026 · 43:31
When parents start looking for help for a child with OCD, the process can feel confusing, overwhelming, and high-stakes. Between therapy options, medication questions, and…
Jan 20, 2026 · 42:57
Parenting a child with OCD can feel incredibly isolating. Your child is on their own journey with anxiety or OCD, but that doesn’t mean you’re supposed to navigate it alone. In…
Jan 13, 2026 · 52:05
When you’re raising a child with anxiety or OCD, progress can feel confusing, inconsistent, or even invisible at times. In this episode, we explore how your mindset around…
Jan 6, 2026 · 48:51
When your child is struggling with anxiety or OCD, fear can quietly take over your parenting. Fear of making things worse. Fear of missing something. Fear of what the future…
Dec 30, 2025 · 57:32
One of the hardest parts of raising a child with OCD is figuring out who you’re actually talking to. Is it your child… or is it their OCD pulling you into another loop? In this…
Dec 23, 2025 · 36:17
In this episode, we explore why trust is the foundation for helping a child with OCD. When trust is missing, kids shut down, hide their struggles, and resist therapeutic…
Dec 16, 2025 · 35:23
The holidays can be magical — but for kids with OCD and anxiety, they can also be overwhelming. In this episode, Natasha helps parents prepare for the unique challenges that come…
Dec 9, 2025 · 42:40
When your child’s OCD gets loud, it’s so easy to get swept into the panic, the questions, the intensity. But the calmer and more grounded you stay, the faster they can settle. In…
Dec 2, 2025 · 46:01
What happens when the professionals you trust to help your child’s OCD, actually make things worse? Too many parents of kids with OCD are told to “reassure them,” “avoid the…
Nov 25, 2025 · 50:38
When OCD symptoms fade, it’s natural to feel relief — maybe even believe it’s finally gone. But sometimes, that relief can make us miss the signs of OCD returning in new and…
Nov 18, 2025 · 42:23
As parents, we want to rescue our kids from anxiety and OCD—but the truth is, some things are not within our control. And when we spend our energy trying to fix what isn’t ours…
Nov 11, 2025 · 38:32
Are you trying everything to help your child’s OCD… yet nothing seems to stick? You’re not alone—and it’s not because you’re doing anything wrong. In this episode, I’m breaking…
Nov 4, 2025 · 41:38
When your child struggles with OCD, it’s natural to want to ease their distress, but those well-meaning “helping” moments can actually feed OCD’s control. In this episode,…
Oct 28, 2025 · 36:01
When your child can’t explain their OCD, it can feel impossible to know how to help. Many kids feel embarrassed, don’t have the words, or experience OCD as a feeling instead of a…
Oct 21, 2025 · 33:46
When your child is stuck in an endless cycle of reassurance, it can feel impossible to break free. Reassurance may bring temporary relief, but for kids with OCD it actually fuels…
Oct 14, 2025 · 35:05
Parents often rely on their usual parenting strategies to help their child with OCD — but those same strategies can actually backfire. In this episode, I break down the most…
Oct 7, 2025 · 46:53
OCD loves to change costumes. One week it’s germs, the next it’s harm or moral worries—and parents are left wondering, “Are we back at square one?” In this episode I explain why…
Sep 30, 2025 · 47:15
In this podcast episode, I sit down with Dr. Tamar Chansky to talk about the newly revised edition of her classic book, Freeing Your Child from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Dr.…
Sep 22, 2025 · 40:22
OCD can show up much earlier than most people realize — and often in ways parents don’t immediately recognize. For younger kids, compulsions might appear before they can even…
Sep 16, 2025 · 36:41
Contamination OCD can be easy to spot, but often, it runs much deeper than what you are observing. In this episode, I break down the common mistakes parents make when trying to…
Sep 9, 2025 · 51:07
Moral OCD can be tricky for parents to recognize because it often looks like strong values, deep guilt, or honest confessions. In this episode, I break down the most common…
Sep 2, 2025 · 43:43
Parenting a child with OCD, anxiety, and ARFID changes you in ways you can’t fully understand until you’re living it. Over the years, I’ve learned some powerful lessons — often…
Aug 26, 2025 · 43:18
When our child is in distress, it’s natural to want to jump in and fix things. But with OCD, that urge to solve, control, or protect can actually get in the way of long-term…
Aug 19, 2025 · 47:08
You’re reading the books, watching the videos, and learning everything you can to help your child with OCD. But your child? They’re shutting down, avoiding exposures, or flat-out…
Aug 12, 2025 · 42:43
When you’re raising a child with anxiety or OCD, it’s easy to feel like you’re absorbing all of their fear, stress, and urgency. Their nervous system is on high alert—and…
Aug 5, 2025 · 41:57
When you’re parenting a child with OCD, burnout can sneak in quietly—and then hit hard. You’re doing all the things: managing compulsions, pulling back OCD accommodations,…
Jul 29, 2025 · 47:14
Do you ask your child with OCD a question—about their thoughts, feelings, or fears—only to get “I don’t know” in return? It can be frustrating, confusing, and leave you feeling…
Jul 22, 2025 · 57:13
When you’re parenting a child with OCD or anxiety, life can start to feel like one long crisis response. You may find yourself constantly managing meltdowns, fears,…
Jul 15, 2025 · 50:32
Traveling with kids who have mental health or special needs can feel overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. In this episode, I talk with Hana Seyoum, founder of World of…
Jul 8, 2025 · 49:56
In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Cristi Bundukamara—known as Dr. B—the founder of Mentally STRONG and creator of the Raising Mentally STRONG Kids program. We explore what it…
Jul 1, 2025 · 40:44
Bedtime shouldn’t feel like a battleground—but for many families raising a child with OCD, nighttime is when the OCD compulsions ramp up and take over. In this episode, child…
Jun 24, 2025 · 35:35
Child OCD Therapy is important—but it’s not the whole answer. In this episode, child therapist and OCD parent Natasha Daniels explains why therapy alone isn’t enough to help a…
Jun 17, 2025 · 34:17
Is your child saying things like: I don’t feel real? Is this a dream? Am I dead? Is this really happening? They may be experiencing depersonalization, a common but often…
Jun 10, 2025 · 1:03:02
Confidence can take a major hit when a child is struggling with OCD or anxiety. In this episode, I sit down with teen coach Sharon West to explore how we can nurture…
Jun 3, 2025 · 52:52
Tiffany Jenkins has been the authentic face of mental health struggles on the internet for years. She offers a candid, raw and often humorous view on her struggles of sobriety…
May 27, 2025 · 32:11
Is it autism or OCD? Sometimes the behaviors can look so similar, it’s hard to tell. In this episode of the AT Parenting Survival Podcast, I break down the key differences…
May 20, 2025 · 46:44
When you’re trying to support a child with OCD, communication is everything. But sometimes, even with the best intentions, we accidentally shut it down. In this episode of the AT…
May 13, 2025 · 35:35
Raising a child with anxiety or OCD can feel incredibly isolating. Parents often find themselves without the support, education, or guidance they desperately need. In this…
May 6, 2025 · 33:45
OCD thrives on urgency. The faster your child reacts to an intrusive thought, the more powerful OCD becomes. But what if your child learned to pause—even for a few seconds—before…
Apr 29, 2025 · 31:20
In this episode of the AT Parenting Survival Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Sara Conley, a licensed clinical psychologist and clinical manager at NOCD , to discuss a groundbreaking…
Apr 22, 2025 · 37:22
If your child refuses to shower, melts down over clothing, or avoids homework, you might assume they’re being defiant. But what if it’s actually OCD driving their behavior? In…
Apr 15, 2025 · 35:53
If your child has OCD, you’ve likely witnessed an OCD-driven meltdown—intense distress triggered by an intrusive thought, fear, or the inability to complete a compulsion. These…
Apr 8, 2025 · 53:05
Anxiety and OCD can abruptly put the brakes on our children’s education.This is one of the most disruptive and concerning aspects of our children’s OCD or anxiety. It is a…
Apr 1, 2025 · 47:48
How do we help our children with OCD have a better quality of life? Our child’s OCD is more than just Exposure Response Prevention (ERP) therapy. It is more than just their…
Mar 25, 2025 · 38:11
There is nothing more disruptive and upsetting than OCD latching on to a loved one. Contamination isn’t just about germs - it can be about people, people our kids love. Families…
Mar 18, 2025 · 40:45
Struggling with Anxiety and OCD can make kids feel hopeless. Hopelessness can lead to depression and a lack of motivation to work on their issues. In this week’s AT Parenting…
Mar 11, 2025 · 34:51
As you become more educated about anxiety and OCD, you most likely will start seeing it all around you. It can be hard to stomach seeing a child struggling with anxiety or OCD,…
Mar 4, 2025 · 43:51
I quickly fell in love with Mel Robbins’ book The Let Them Theory. It is such a simple, and yet powerful approach to living your life. Throughout the book I thought about how the…
Feb 25, 2025 · 34:12
OCD can convince our kids that they have control over the uncontrollable. That is at the heart of magical thinking OCD compulsions. Magical thinking is when OCD convinces a…
Feb 18, 2025 · 40:07
Not every OCD theme is about a fear, sometimes it is about a feeling . That is the case with Tourettic OCD. Tourettic OCD is not triggered by an intrusive thought, but rather a…
Feb 11, 2025 · 45:34
Effective communication is one of the most essential aspects of parenting a child with OCD or anxiety. When communication breaks down, our ability to support them directly…
Feb 4, 2025 · 43:40
We don’t just leave our childhood in the past. It comes with us, altering our lens of how we view life. This includes how we view and interact with our child’s anxiety or OCD.…
Jan 28, 2025 · 50:15
When parents disagree on how to approach their child’s anxiety or OCD, they do more than irritate each other, it impacts their child’s progress with anxiety or OCD. In this…
Jan 21, 2025 · 47:23
Trying to help a child with OCD or anxiety is not an easy task. One reason for that is because we are not steering the ship. This is not our battle. This is not our struggle.…
Jan 14, 2025 · 39:25
We all want our kids with anxiety or OCD to believe in themselves. We want them to try hard things. We want them to push through their fears. But we only have so much control on…
Jan 7, 2025 · 39:43
How we reframe anxious thoughts vs OCD thoughts are vastly different. Understanding the nuances of how we talk to these two disorders differently is crucial for any parent trying…
Dec 31, 2024 · 44:36
Does it really matter if you understand the core fear related to your child’s anxiety or OCD. The short answer - yes. Of course we will treat anxiety with anxiety tools…
Dec 24, 2024 · 39:08
Just because it is the holiday season doesn’t mean our child’s anxiety and OCD take a break. The holidays can stir up a variety of issues for our kids depending on their…
Dec 17, 2024 · 33:01
As parents we can be hard on ourselves. The parenting journey raising kids with anxiety and OCD can come with many ups and downs. Many of us blame ourselves when our child’s…
Dec 10, 2024 · 34:40
Often it is hard to get our kids into OCD therapy, and when we do, it can be an uphill battle to get them to practice those skills in between sessions. That is why I’m so excited…
Dec 3, 2024 · 48:12
We all want our kids to have strong sibling relationships, but often anxiety and OCD can get in the way. Siblings might feel targeted by the child with anxiety or OCD. They might…
Nov 26, 2024 · 54:21
Are you able to experience happiness while your child is struggling with anxiety or OCD? Do you feel guilty or tell yourself stories about your ability to be “happy” while your…
Nov 19, 2024 · 59:36
It can be hard enough to help a child with OCD, but what if they are autistic as well? It can be confusing to figure out where autistic traits end and OCD compulsions begin. It…
Nov 12, 2024 · 53:41
We may not have full control over our child’s recovery around anxiety or OCD, but we can control how we show up to their struggles. This can be tricky when our mind is bogged…
Nov 5, 2024 · 1:05:38
The number one struggle I hear from parents is, “My child won’t accept help for their anxiety or OCD.” What are we supposed to do when anxiety or OCD has hijacked the house and…
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