DiscoverThe Family Discipleship PodcastAddressing Anxiety and Resilience with Sissy Goff and David Thomas
Addressing Anxiety and Resilience with Sissy Goff and David Thomas

Addressing Anxiety and Resilience with Sissy Goff and David Thomas

Update: 2025-04-28
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This podcast explores the rising prevalence of childhood anxiety and offers practical solutions. Authors David Thomas and Sissy Gough introduce their children's books, "Lucy Learns to Be Brave" and "Owen Learns He Has What It Takes," which utilize therapy dogs to help children manage fear and anxiety. The books emphasize differentiating between real and unreal fears, building resilience (presented as a biblical principle), and employing tools like the "thermometer chart" and "feelings chart" for emotional regulation. The discussion highlights the importance of allowing children age-appropriate challenges, providing empathetic support, and understanding when to intervene versus letting children learn independently. The podcast concludes by connecting the books' messages to spiritual leadership within the home, suggesting their use in churches and schools to foster emotional well-being and resilience.

Outlines

00:00:00
Understanding and Addressing Childhood Anxiety

The podcast introduces the topic of childhood anxiety, highlighting the increasing prevalence and exploring potential causes. It introduces authors David Thomas and Sissy Gough and their new children's books designed to help children manage fear and anxiety using therapy dogs as relatable characters.

00:03:39
Building Resilience and Emotional Regulation in Children

The discussion focuses on building resilience in children, exploring the importance of identifying real vs. unreal fears, and using tools like the "thermometer chart" and "feelings chart" to manage emotions. The authors discuss the balance between parental intervention and allowing children to face challenges independently.

00:23:09
Practical Applications and Future Resources

The podcast concludes with a discussion of the practical applications of the books in churches and schools, along with plans for future books in the series. The connection between the books' teachings and spiritual leadership in the home is emphasized.

Keywords

Childhood Anxiety


Excessive worry and fear in children, often manifesting as physical symptoms or behavioral issues. Requires understanding and support.

Resilience


The ability to bounce back from adversity; developed through coping mechanisms and supportive parenting.

Emotional Regulation


The ability to manage and control one's emotions effectively; crucial for healthy development.

Therapy Dogs


Dogs trained to provide emotional support and comfort, used in therapeutic settings and the books as relatable characters.

Parenting Strategies


Methods and techniques parents use to raise children; effective strategies involve creating a safe environment and teaching life skills.

Children's Books


Books designed to help children manage anxiety and build resilience, using relatable characters and practical tools.

Spiritual Leadership


The role of parents in providing emotional and spiritual support to their children, fostering a strong parent-child bond.

Q&A

  • What are some common causes of anxiety in children today?

    Increased screen time, overprotective parenting, and lack of opportunities to develop coping mechanisms.

  • How can parents help their children develop resilience?

    By allowing children to face age-appropriate challenges, providing support and guidance, and teaching problem-solving skills. Empathy and asking questions are key.

  • How can the "thermometer chart" and "feelings chart" help children manage emotions?

    These tools help children identify and label emotions on a scale, promoting self-awareness and coping strategies.

  • How do these books connect to spiritual leadership in the home?

    They provide opportunities for parents to connect with children through shared reading and conversations about emotions and faith, strengthening the parent-child bond.

  • How can churches utilize these resources?

    Churches can use the books in Sunday school, children's ministries, or parent education programs.

Show Notes

Adam Griffin and Cassie Bryant are joined by Sissy Goff and David Thomas to discuss how their books “Lucy Learns to be Brave” and “Owen Learns He Has What it Takes” help teach our kids about anxiety and resilience.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

  • Why is anxiety so prevalent in children?
  • Why did y’all choose to use dogs in “Lucy Learns to be Brave”?
  • In “Lucy Learns to be Brave.” you tell the story of how fear makes Lucy start to believe things that aren’t true. Is that the approach that parents should take with their kids, helping them see what’s real or not?
  • How do you see the lesson on resilience in “Owen Learns He Has What it Takes” as an important biblical principle for families?
  • How do you help parents decide when it’s appropriate to let their kids face difficult circumstances and resist the temptation just to rescue them from their challenges?
  • Can you explain what a “thermometer chart” is for and why you wanted to include that in the book?
  • Can you tell us how you use a “feelings chart” in your counseling with kids?
  • Can you tell us more about the books you have coming out this fall?
  • Are these resources you see churches being able to use?
  • How would you connect what y’all are teaching in these books with what Spiritual Leadership looks like at home?

Guest Bio:

Sissy Goff is the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee, where she works alongside her puppy counseling assistant-in-training, Patches the Havanese. Since 1993, she has been helping girls and their parents find confidence in who they are and hope in who God is making them to be. Sissy is a sought-after speaker for parenting events across the country and is a frequent guest on media outlets including NBC News, CNN, Good Morning America, Inside Edition, and Christianity Today. She is the bestselling author of 14 books including her first full-color children’s book, Lucy Learns to be Brave: A Lesson in Courage. She is the co-host of the 11 million+ downloaded podcast, Raising Boys and Girls. A transplanted Razorback who lives in Nashville, you can follow Sissy on Instagram.

David Thomas is the Executive Director of Daystar Counseling Ministries in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the co-author of eleven books, including his first full-color children’s book, Owen Learns He Has What It Takes: A Lesson in Resillience. He is an in-demand speaker and frequent guest on national television, radio and podcasts and has been featured in publications like The Washington Post and USA Today. He is the co-host of the 11 million+ downloaded podcast, Raising Boys and Girls. He and his wife, Connie, have three adult children, a new son-in-law, a soon-to-be daughter-in-law, and a yellow lab puppy named June. Follow David on Instagram.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:


Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code FDP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Family Discipleship Podcast.

 

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Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.


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Addressing Anxiety and Resilience with Sissy Goff and David Thomas

Addressing Anxiety and Resilience with Sissy Goff and David Thomas

Sissy Goff, David Thomas, Cassie Bryant, Adam Griffin