Hi there! My name is Paula Foran. I'm a teacher and a counsellor and I work out of Drive Counselling Group in Vancouver. Having worked in schools for 27 years and as a counsellor for many of them, I know children and families. I also have two kiddos that have taught me invaluable life lessons and continue to teach me every day. My goal is to share my knowledge and skills with my community and continue to be a lifelong learner.

About the Presentation:

Untangling Anxiety For Parents

Does it seem like parenting is much harder today than when you were a kid? Growing up (in the ‘80’s…) my parents didn’t really seem worried about life’s ups and downs, and when things were difficult it was a “keep calm and carry on” (pretend we are OK) vibe. The world and parenting has come a long way since the 80’s (and not just better hairstyles.) When you have been parented in a certain way and then the world changes (drastically) you really do need to work at it a bit and rethink how children of today need to be parented in what has been labelled the age of anxiety. Personally, I would like to relabel it as the age of finding joy. I have learned a few things as a teacher, counsellor and parent of a 20-year-old and a 15-year-old. I believe that it is crucial to be intentional about finding positive moments, laughter and joy and sharing these with our children. I have also learned that “keep calm and carry on” is a pretty good message when infused with empathy, understanding of emotions and your important role in being a strong, reliable, and connected parent that copes with stress in healthy ways.

This workshop will give an overview of:

-What stress and anxiety are and how they impact the body, brain and behaviour

-How anxiety can impact the family

-The problem with accommodation (avoidance)

-What is typical worry and what is problematic anxiety

-When to ask for help

-Strategies to support your child in anxious moments

-Routines and build joy and connection

-Strategies to cope with parent anxiety and worry (self-care and compassion)

No matter what your child bumps up against in their journey toward adulthood coping with stress and anxiety builds resilience and overall positive mental health and well-being. This enhances their sense of self, builds positive relationships with others so that they may thrive in their personal and professional lives.