Hello and welcome, everyone, to another episode of "What to do during times of anxiety." I’m James Bennett, and today we’re talking about something that, honestly, hits close to home for a lot of us—anxiety in kids and teens. You know, those moments when your heart’s pounding, your palms are sweaty, and your mind’s racing before something big—like, say, a class presentation. I remember my own first time standing up in front of my classmates, and, well, let’s just say I was not exactly the picture of calm. My hands were shaking so much I could barely hold my notes. I think I even forgot my own name for a second—true story. Anyway, I want to start with a story about Jordan, who’s 11. He’s sitting in class, and the teacher suddenly says, “Okay, time to present your science project!” And just like that, Jordan’s heart drops. His chest tightens, his brain’s screaming, “Oh no. Not me.” He feels frozen, hands sweaty, panicking. Sound familiar? For some, it’s a new school, or a party, or even just talking to someone new. But what’s actually happening inside Jordan’s brain? Well, Dr. Maya Torres, a brilliant child psychologist, explains it like this: there’s this tiny part of the brain called the amygdala. When Jordan feels that panic, the amygdala thinks he’s in danger—even though it’s just a presentation. It sets off the fight-or-flight response: heart races, muscles tense, thinking brain sort of shuts down. It’s the brain trying to help, but, well, it can be a bit dramatic, can’t it? The good news is, we can actually train our brains to feel safe again, even in those moments. And that’s what we’re diving into today.So, let’s get practical. There are three simple tools that really work for calming anxiety—whether you’re a kid, a teen, or, honestly, an adult who still gets nervous before a big meeting. First up: Square Breathing. It’s as simple as it sounds. You breathe in for four counts, hold for four, out for four, and hold again for four. Let’s actually try it together, right now. Ready? In… two, three, four. Hold… two, three, four. Out… two, three, four. Hold… two, three, four. Do that a few times, and you might notice your heart slowing down a bit. Jordan actually used this at his desk before his presentation. It didn’t make the nerves vanish, but it helped him feel a bit more in control. Second tool: Name It to Tame It. This one’s from Dr. Torres. You just say what you’re feeling out loud—like, “I feel nervous right now.” It sounds simple, but it actually switches on your thinking brain, helps you take back some control. Even little kids can do it. And the third tool is what I call The Cold Trick. Splash cold water on your face, or hold something frozen. It activates a survival reflex that slows your body right down—sort of like hitting the reset button. These are things you can practice at home, at school, wherever you are. And, honestly, I use square breathing myself when I’m feeling anxious. It’s not magic, but it’s surprisingly effective.Now, the real magic happens when you make these tools part of your daily routine. Dr. Torres always says, it’s not about using them once and expecting miracles—it’s about building habits. For parents and teens listening, try weaving these techniques into your mornings, or before bed, or whenever things get a bit stressful. There’s this family I worked with who started using Name It to Tame It during those hectic school mornings. Instead of everyone bottling up their stress, they’d just say, “I’m feeling rushed,” or “I’m a bit worried about my test.” It didn’t fix everything overnight, but it made mornings a lot less tense. And honestly, I’ve seen so many of my clients benefit from these small changes. It’s not about never feeling anxious again—it’s about having tools to handle it when it shows up. Even tiny steps can make a big difference over time. So, if you try any of these techniques, or if you’ve got your own ways of staying calm, I’d love to hear about it. That’s all for today’s episode, but we’ll be back soon with more ideas and stories to help you—and your family—find a bit more calm in the chaos. Until next time, take a breath, be kind to your mind, and remember: you’re not alone in this.

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