Dr. Jill Saxon: Accommodating for Anxious Children

If you’ve ever been told your child “needs an evaluation,” you’re not alone. In this episode of the Parenting Help Podcast, Dr. Katie Palmer interviews Dr. Doug Fagen, a clinical psychologist with over 25 years of experience conducting psychoeducational evaluations for children with learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and anxiety. Together, they clarify the difference between a neuropsychological evaluation and a psychoeducational assessment, discuss how to interpret results, and explain what parents can do with recommendations. Dr. Fagen emphasizes strength-based, neurodiversity-affirming assessments that help families understand their child’s learning style—not just apply a label. Key takeaways for parents: • Learn when and why to request an evaluation • Understand the role of school psychologists vs. independent evaluators • Discover how to turn test data into a roadmap for growth • Reduce stigma and replace self-blame with empowerment Whether you’re navigating IEPs, 504 plans, or seeking private evaluations, this conversation offers practical and compassionate guidance for families.

This week on the Parenting Help Podcast, we’re honored to host Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, CEO of Parents Anonymous and an esteemed expert in family strengthening and parent advocacy. In this episode, Dr. Pion-Berlin shares: How to access evidence-based approaches to fostering stronger family connections The transformative role of Parents Anonymous in empowering caregivers Practical strategies for navigating complex parenting challenges Drawing on decades of research and experience, Dr. Pion-Berlin offers valuable perspectives for parents, educators, and professionals invested in family well-being.

Dr. Eli Lebowitz joins us to share how the parent focused treatment program results in the reduction of symptoms of anxiety in their children.

Join Jaclyn Pederson, CEO of Feeding Matters, as she shares expert advice on pediatric feeding disorders (PFD). Learn when to seek medical help, find community support for families, and discover self-care strategies to support your child’s health and well-being. Perfect for parents navigating the challenges of PFD.

Adolescent mental illness is extraordinarily hard on all members of the family, especially if others have not yet worked through their own challenges, trauma, or patterns of maladaptive behavior in the presence of big emotions. Tracey Yokas shares her family's story in the book Bloodlines. On our podcast we talk about what she had to do as a Mom, wife, and individual to understand and begin to heal her own trauma before she could really help her daughter.

Join us as we talk with Dr. Jill Saxon about how to recognize, understand, and shift our accommodating behavior with our anxious children. We learn more about the SPACE program to support parents in making changes in thoughtful and intentional ways, as well as some examples of how accommodating shows up in different settings.

In this episode we discuss development and outcomes of the new group program to improve children’s mental health. We cover how MAGPIES was developed  from evidence based techniques, and using the feedback of the participants and parents.This is a neuroaffirmative program for children to help them with emotional regulation, self—esteem, social skills, and anxiety.

John and Katie talk about a typical scenario where parents can get trapped in a power struggle with their teen - and several strategies for changing our behavior to better support what our kids need to learn!

Many of our guests have helped us to understand what anxiety is, how to take a compassionate perspective on challenging behavior in the presence of anxiety, and offered tools for emotional regulation (of ourselves as well as our children or clients). In this episode, we are going to add to our toolboxes - and talk about setting boundaries with children who are struggling to regulate. Dr. Emma Waddington is a clinical psychologist working with families and children in Singapore. She takes us on an exploration of the many ways we can set boundaries for ourselves, our children, and our families - and still enrich our relationships with our children. She offers brave insight into her own journey as a parent as well as the experienced clinician’s lens on some of the reasons that boundaries are healthy for everyone.

Dr. Sarah Cassidy and Dr. Lisa Coyne join us to discuss their new book, Tired of Teen Anxiety. It is a step by step guide for teens on how to do the things that matter to them despite anxiety. We discuss their work with individuals and families who struggle with the impact of anxiety - and focus on how parents can help their children work through anxiety.