Helping Anxious Kids Do Hard Things with Cynthia Coufal - 406

Helping Anxious Kids Do Hard Things with Cynthia Coufal - 406

Author: Pam Howard May 19, 2026 Duration: 32:26

"I don't want to go."
"Can I just stay home?"
"I don't even care about that anyway."

When your anxious child says these things, it can feel kinder (and easier) to let them skip the party, stay home from school, or avoid taking the bus.

But short-term relief often creates bigger anxiety in the long run.

For Mental Health Awareness Month, I'm sharing an episode from Cynthia Coufal's podcast, The Teen Anxiety Maze. Cynthia is a school counselor and teen anxiety coach who has spent more than 25 years helping kids understand and manage anxiety while building confidence and independence.

In this episode, Cynthia breaks down the connection between avoidance and anxiety, why some kids convince themselves they don't care about things they deeply want, and the powerful shift from "I have to" to "I choose to."

At the end of the episode, I share a few of my own thoughts about what stood out to me and how it connects to the work I do with moms.

This episode is packed with practical examples and an important perspective on discomfort, resilience, and what helps anxious kids (and moms) grow.

https://lessdramamoremama.com/406


Pam Howard brings a refreshingly practical voice to the often chaotic world of parenting with Less Drama More Mama. Drawing from her unique background as a Master Certified Life Coach, a licensed clinical social worker, and a former school counselor, she moves beyond theory to offer real, usable strategies for everyday family life. This isn't about achieving perfection; it's about replacing overwhelm with a sense of grounded confidence. Each episode feels like a conversation with a knowledgeable friend who truly gets it. Pam weaves together personal anecdotes from her own journey as a mom with anonymized case studies from her coaching practice, creating a relatable and insightful listen. You'll find specific life coaching tools and perspectives designed to transform those moments of feeling frazzled or disconnected into opportunities for calm and stronger bonds with your kids. The Less Drama More Mama podcast is a resource for any parent looking to cultivate more peace and less reactivity at home, covering topics that span child development, educational challenges, and personal growth. It’s a space where the focus shifts from simply managing behavior to understanding the underlying dynamics, empowering you to handle what comes your way with more grace and less guilt.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Less Drama More Mama
Podcast Episodes
When Kids Keep Asking to Go to the School Nurse - 421 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:00
The school nurse's number flashes on your phone again. Your child has a stomachache, a headache, or another symptom that feels serious enough to make them want to leave school. They've been medically checked, and everyth…
Homework Help (replay) - 420 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:12
When your child is struggling with homework, it's hard to know how much you should get involved. If you step in, are you helping or taking over? If you back off, are you teaching responsibility or letting your child fall…
Take Back Your Parental Authority - 419 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:20
My daughter thanked me at dinner the other night for "not letting" her drop out of college. She's an adult, so I couldn't have stopped her if I'd tried.🤷🏻‍♀️ What I did instead is why she thanked me. Like me, you may be…
Adjusting to a New School Year (replay) - 418 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:16
Your child finds out they aren't in class with any of their friends. They say their teacher is too strict. They come home crying and tell you they have no one to sit with at lunch. Your mind immediately jumps to: "This s…
Helping Your Child Adjust to Being Home After Sleepaway Camp - 417 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:24
You've been looking forward to having your child home from sleepaway camp. Then they walk through the door exhausted, disappear into their room, complain that there's nothing to do, or get annoyed the first time you remi…
Lessons from Grief Camp (replay) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 9:48
I'm currently in Georgia for my eighth summer as a grief specialist at Experience Camps, a nonprofit that provides free, one-week camps for kids who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver.…
When Your Child Is Moody: What Helps and What Doesn't - 415 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:23
Your child is in a bad mood. You offer suggestions, make a joke, or point out what's going well. Nothing seems to help, and before long, you're in a bad mood, too. It's easy to feel responsible for turning their mood aro…
How to Release Anger Without Taking It Out on Your Kids - 414 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:47
Everyone gets angry. But not everyone recognizes it, lets themselves feel it, or knows what to do with it when it shows up. Sometimes anger is obvious. Other times, it looks more like irritation, resentment, anxiety, ten…
When Your Child Reminds You of Yourself - 413 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:28
Have you ever looked at your child and thought, "Wow. You're so much like me"? At first, that recognition can feel sweet. You understand them in a way other people might not. But it can also create some blind spots. You…