Davidson Child Anxiety Counseling

Davidson Child Anxiety Counseling Hi, I'm Katie Lear, counselor and founder of Davidson Child Anxiety Counseling. We help kids and teens live confidently with anxiety and OCD.

Based in Davidson, NC; virtual therapy available throughout NC, NY, and FL.

Instagram, TikTok, Discord, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook all require users to be 13 or older to join. If only life we...
03/08/2026

Instagram, TikTok, Discord, Snapchat, YouTube, and Facebook all require users to be 13 or older to join. If only life were so simple. Sure, Instagram says you have to be 13 to join, but Instagram doesn’t have a tween daughter begging for an account, claiming she’s the last person in her class who is without one. As far as I can tell, the age limit has very little to do with kids’ readiness to be on social media. Nobody consulted with a child psychologist or child development expert to come up with this magic number. Instead, it has more to do with big media companies not being allowed to collect data on little kids.

One of the reasons social media apps remain free is because they’re collecting data on us all the time, so that they can target advertisements to us. I guess that, somehow, it’s deemed okay to do this once a child turns 13. What does this mean for parents? I think we should all be taking this age guideline with a grain of salt, because it’s a little bit arbitrary. Depending on their maturity level, some kids may be ready for social media at 13. Many others may need to hold off until they are older, or have a lot of parental supervision to make sure they stay safe.

This number is particularly surprising when you consider that most kids with intrusive thoughts feel like the odd one ou...
03/07/2026

This number is particularly surprising when you consider that most kids with intrusive thoughts feel like the odd one out. They may worry they’re the only ones who have ever had thoughts like this, and that it means they’re bad or weird. Most adults with intrusive thoughts don’t talk about them with other people, either because they quickly disregard them or because it would feel odd to mention in casual conversation. No wonder kids feel so alone!

So, intrusive thoughts are normal — but we know that they can still cause problems for kids. But those issues aren’t caused by the thoughts themselves. Problems arise when the thoughts are very frequent or intense, or when kids have a hard time dismissing them.

Source: https://www.medicaldaily.com/ocd-symptoms-more-widespread-you-think-94-people-have-intrusive-thoughts-275440

I put inappropriate thoughts in quotes here because there’s a big difference between thinking something and acting on it...
02/28/2026

I put inappropriate thoughts in quotes here because there’s a big difference between thinking something and acting on it. We all have weird thoughts from time to time about things we probably wouldn’t be proud to share. Sometimes, intrusive thoughts are about the exact subjects we try to push away or not think about in our day-to-day lives: things like s*x, violence, and criminal behavior. These kinds of thoughts can cause a lot of shame, guilt, and distress for children, who worry these thoughts mean they are bad or naughty. Telling our children that intrusive thoughts are a normal, though strange, part of life that don’t have anything to do with who they are can help alleviate that shame and help them to move on from intrusive thoughts.

Flashbacks are most common in kids with PTSD. They may feel like they come out of nowhere, or they can be triggered by s...
02/27/2026

Flashbacks are most common in kids with PTSD. They may feel like they come out of nowhere, or they can be triggered by something that reminds a child of their trauma in some way. They can include any of the 5 senses, and often activate a child’s fight-or-flight system as if the dangerous event was happening again. These are not thoughts under the child’s control, though they can be deeply upsetting to experience.

This quirky, longer picture book uses the metaphor of creating a recipe to describe the many layered “ingredients” that ...
02/25/2026

This quirky, longer picture book uses the metaphor of creating a recipe to describe the many layered “ingredients” that make up the grieving process. Because it’s more abstract, it’s best for older kids who can distinguish the difference between fantasy and reality. Amazon recommends this book for kids 8 and up, but I think it could work for slightly younger children who are avid readers, too (though it’s a little on the long side, so you may want to break the story up into a few reading sessions).

Many adults who have reviewed this book say it’s been helpful for them, too. The story’s main character goes through many feelings associated with grief, including a few that are harder to talk about, like jealousy and hopelessness. Children and adults can learn about how grief isn’t a linear process, and it’s okay to focus on your grief for a little while and then take a step back when it becomes too intense. Finally, the book stresses the importance of finding supportive people who understand and can share your grief with you.

Children with anxiety or OCD may have repeated, unwanted worries that they can't seem to shake. These are often “what if...
02/22/2026

Children with anxiety or OCD may have repeated, unwanted worries that they can't seem to shake. These are often “what if” worries that focus on something bad that could happen in the future. Other times, these “what if” thoughts could be about something naughty a child worries they could have done. Some children with OCD may also get a nagging sense that if they don’t do something exactly right, they could cause something bad to happen. These thoughts may not always be logical, which can make them even more confusing and bothersome for kids.

This lesser-known book explores the entire life cycle, from birth to death as well as what might happen after. It’s grea...
02/21/2026

This lesser-known book explores the entire life cycle, from birth to death as well as what might happen after. It’s great for children who are asking deeper questions about what gives life meaning, or where people go after they die. The Endless Story explores many ideas different people and cultures have about the afterlife. The book uses simple, open-minded language and doesn’t comment on whether anyone is right or wrong, which makes it appropriate for kids of all beliefs and backgrounds.

The Endless Story describes the life cycle as something universal — it happens to all of us. It’s a gentle and even beautiful way of looking at life and death that works for kids of all ages, but really lends itself to elementary-aged kids. The author, a professional artist, has added beautiful illustrations throughout that will encourage children to read this book again and again.

Many people experience intrusive thoughts, and it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. They may happen when a pe...
02/18/2026

Many people experience intrusive thoughts, and it doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. They may happen when a person is going through a lot of stress, or they may just happen randomly.
Just aving an intrusive thought every once in a while isn’t a sign of mental illness. They can be totally normal, like the brain version of a hiccup. A child with occasional intrusive thoughts can usually brush them off without taking them too seriously.
But children who are struggling with repeated, ongoing intrusive thoughts can’t brush them off so easily. In these cases, a child may be dealing with a mental health problem that needs attention. OCD and PTSD are two common mental health conditions that can cause children to have intrusive thoughts.

Kids with OCD deal with repeated thoughts, worries, or mental pictures that upset or scare them. Kids are bothered by these worries, and feel pushed to do something to make the worry go away or prevent something bad from happening. This creates a cycle of repeated worries and repeated behaviors, called obsessions and compulsions, that take up a lot of time and add even more stress.

Children who have survived extremely frightening or dangerous events may have lingering problems after the fact. While some kids will bounce back, others may be diagnosed with PTSD. Kids with PTSD will re-experience parts of their trauma in some way, often through intrusive thoughts or flashbacks. Flashbacks are vivid memories that pop up suddenly and intensely, almost as if a child is living through the event again.

Heads up: we’re no longer Katie Lear, Child Counselor!As a one-woman therapy practice, I’ve mostly just gone by my name....
02/16/2026

Heads up: we’re no longer Katie Lear, Child Counselor!

As a one-woman therapy practice, I’ve mostly just gone by my name. But now that the practice is growing, it feels like the right time to pick a name that better reflects who we are: a small, specialty practice committed to helping kids navigate anxiety and OCD, both here in Davidson and across NC, NY, and FL.

Our social handles have been updated to , and over the next few weeks, our website and logo will get a fresh look too.

Thanks for hanging out with us here in the virtual world, and for trusting us with your kids. 💛

Ida Always doesn’t feel like an educational or therapy book—it’s just a good story. Like many of my favorite books for k...
02/16/2026

Ida Always doesn’t feel like an educational or therapy book—it’s just a good story. Like many of my favorite books for kids, this one teaches by showing, not by telling. Readers meet Ida and Gus, two polar bears at the Central Park Zoo (who really existed!) who are best friends. One day, Ida becomes very sick and can’t get better. Over the course of the book, Ida and Gus grieve and prepare for Ida’s death together.

This book offers a child-friendly explanation of death, as well as a good example of what to expect when someone has a terminal illness. Ida sleeps more often, has good and bad days, and sometimes needs a moment alone while she is sick. Gus goes through some very human feelings, too: disbelief, anger, humor, and acceptance are all a part of the story. Gus—and readers—learn that you can continue a friendship during and after terminal illness, and that you don’t need to see someone in order to stay connected to them.

There is no set age at which intrusive thoughts start. However, they may be more common or noticeable in tweens and teen...
02/13/2026

There is no set age at which intrusive thoughts start. However, they may be more common or noticeable in tweens and teens. Intrusive thoughts are sometimes a symptom of OCD, which can show up as early as age 7 or 8 and as late as the teens or early twenties.

In my child therapy office, it’s usually middle or high school kids who are able to put the weird experience of having unwanted thoughts into words. They are old enough to think about their own thinking and notice their thoughts as they pass by, so they know that something doesn’t feel right.

Although they may not talk about it as much, younger kids can be bothered by these thoughts, too. Because they don’t have the vocabulary to talk about what’s going on, you might see changes in their actions, instead. For example, they may ask for reassurance about the same subject again and again.

Death is never easy to talk about, but it can be even harder to broach the subject when a loved one’s cause of death was...
02/11/2026

Death is never easy to talk about, but it can be even harder to broach the subject when a loved one’s cause of death was difficult or sensitive. This heavily illustrated book is divided into panels, like a comic strip. The pictures are expressive, colorful, and full of small details for children to notice and study. The pictures alone can prompt a lot of discussion, but this child-friendly book also shares some hard truths about death.

It’s one of the books I find myself turning to again and again in my child therapy practice to help children make sense of more difficult grief experiences. When Dinosaurs Die offers brief, age-appropriate explanations of death caused by violence, racial prejudice, su***de, and substance abuse. It also helps children understand that while most people live to a very old age, it is sometimes possible for very young children and even babies to die. Note that these specifics may be too much information for families looking for a more general introduction to the subject of death. If your little one has experienced one of these causes of death, however, reading about them in print can be extremely reassuring. (I do advise that you flip through this book in advance to ensure that the content is right for your child’s needs. It’s okay to pick and choose sections to share!)

Address

706 Northeast Drive Ste 1
Davidson, NC
28036

Telephone

+17049812591

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Davidson Child Anxiety Counseling posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on LinkedIn
Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share via Email
Share on WhatsApp Share on Instagram Share on Telegram

Category