Anxiety Institute

03/04/2026

Do you ever notice your child getting anxious and immediately want to fix it?

You’re not alone. When kids are anxious, parents naturally jump in to help—but sometimes those instinctive responses can shape how children learn to cope with stress.

Join Rebecca Berman, LCSW, MLSP, CEDS-C, Clinical Director at Anxiety Institute, for a free webinar with The StudyPro:

How to Help When Your Child Is Anxious

📅 March 12
🕘 9 AM EST
🎟 Free

You’ll learn:
• Why your child’s anxiety triggers certain reactions in you
• Common caregiver patterns during anxious moments
• Simple ways to talk about stress with your child
• Practical tools to stay calm and supportive

Small shifts in how parents respond can make a big difference.

👉 Learn more and register:

When kids feel anxious, parents feel it too. Learn simple ways to stay calm, respond with intention, and support real coping skills.

02/28/2026

“My child won’t open up.”

It’s one of the most common concerns we hear from parents.

For teens with anxiety or OCD, silence isn’t about pushing you away, it’s often protection.

The good news? You don’t need the perfect words.
When you listen instead of rushing to fix, you send a powerful message: You are safe with me.

In our latest newsletter, Dr. Dina Nunziato shares practical tips for talking to teens with anxiety, plus a downloadable Parent Listening Guide.

Connection is often the first step toward healing.

🔗 Read full newsletter: https://conta.cc/461qNEa

02/24/2026

We’re proud of Becca Berman, LCSW, MLSP, CEDS-C, Clinical Director of our McLean, VA location, for presenting at the IAEDP Global Symposium 2026 in Baltimore 👏

Becca partnered with Melanie Smith, PhD, LMHC, CEDS-C to present: “Ew! Addressing Disgust in ED Treatment”

A powerful conversation on using exposure-based, evidence-informed strategies to target disgust in eating disorder treatment.

We were also grateful to co-host a networking event with , bringing together clinicians for meaningful connection and collaboration within the ED and anxiety treatment community.

Proud to see our team sharing expertise and contributing to important conversations in the field.

02/19/2026

Welcome Julie Criner to Anxiety Institute!

We’re excited to announce that Julie Criner, LPC, CEDS, has joined Anxiety Institute as Associate Clinical Director in McLean! Julie has nearly 20 years of experience treating adolescents and young adults across inpatient, IOP, and outpatient levels of care, including leadership experience at The Renfrew Center.

Julie specializes in anxiety-driven behaviors, perfectionism, avoidance, ARFID, and family accommodation patterns, utilizing structured, exposure-based and systems-informed approaches to help clients build resilience and achieve meaningful, lasting progress.

We’re thrilled to have Julie’s expertise and collaborative spirit on our team.

02/17/2026

High-performing teens are under more pressure than ever and it doesn’t just show up on the field.

Join us for a free Parent Series webinar: The Athlete Mindset (and Beyond): Supporting High-Performing Teens Under Pressure

Featuring Ayotunde Ayobello, MD Psychiatrist from Yale Child Study Center and Serafin Craig, LCSW Clinician and Director of Parent Services at Anxiety Institute, this interactive session will share practical, evidence-based strategies to support resilience, balance, and confidence both on and off the field.

🔗 Register: https://anxietyinstitute.com/parent-training/post/the-athlete-mindset-and-beyond-supporting-high-performing-teens-under-pressure/

02/17/2026

"Being tuned in, respectful, and emotionally present is the most effective way to find out what’s going on and know what limits or tools are needed."

Does your teenager roll their eyes when you give advice or warn them? With a few adjustments, parents can get teens to open up and think through their decisions.

02/16/2026

A few mindfulness reminders to come back to when anxiety feels loud.

Swipe through and save the ones you want to keep close.
Which one do you need most today?

02/13/2026

We’re excited to share that Rebecca Berman (LCSW, MLSP, CEDS-C) from Anxiety Institute will be presenting at an upcoming IAEDP workshop: ARFID on the Spectrum.

This session will explore the intersection of ARFID and Autism, with practical, neurodiversity-affirming strategies for supporting clients.

📅 Saturday, February 21
🕙 10:45–11:45 AM EST
🔗 Register: bit.ly/iaedp2026

IAEDP AnxietyInstitute

02/06/2026

A client drew this at our McLean location and it says everything.

Anxiety shrinks your world.
Treatment helps it expand again.

Specialized OCD + anxiety care works. 🧡

02/05/2026

We were honored to join Sacred Heart Greenwich for a faculty presentation on “Perfectionism in the Classroom and Beyond.”

Dina Nunziato, PhD, Chief Clinical Officer at Anxiety Institute, led a thoughtful discussion on how perfectionism can show up in students, how it impacts learning and well-being, and how educators can support resilience and flexibility in the classroom.

The faculty was incredibly engaged, and the conversation could have gone on all night. We’re so grateful to Sacred Heart Greenwich for the opportunity to connect and collaborate in support of student mental health.

Thank you again for having us!

AnxietySupport AnxietyInstitute

01/30/2026

Research on right-sizing teen sleep is a major focus now. Catch-up sleep goes a long way. This article from Greenwich is a good summary.

As a parent, you’ve likely seen the classic teen routine: a whirlwind of early school starts, demanding extracurriculars, and late-night study sessions/ phone

01/22/2026

Wellness can be experiential.
At Anxiety Institute, we integrate hands-on, creative activities like clay work to support emotional regulation, mindfulness, and nervous system calming. These moments of focused creativity help clients practice staying present, build distress tolerance, and engage in treatment beyond traditional talk-based approaches.