Book Review & Giveaway: Growing Up Brave (THREE Winners!)

  I will be brutally honest. I have struggled with anxiety my entire life. Even though I am a licensed mental health counselor (ya – I know, funny right?), I don’t always listen to my own advice. It is heartbreaking to me to watch children struggle in similar ways because I know exactly how they feel. It is so easy for us as adults to dismiss children’s fears and worrisome thoughts; however, to the children, they are incredibly real, immense, and life-controlling.

“Growing Up Brave – Expert Strategies for Helping Your Child Overcome Fear, Stress, and Anxiety”, written by Donna B. Pincus, Ph.D., is a book that was written to help parents understand anxiety and how to help alleviate their child’s anxiety at home. Dr. Pincus is the Director of the Child and Adolescent Fear and Anxiety Treatment Program at Boston University. Pincus discusses the various types of anxiety (i.e, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Phobia, etc.) and uses case studies to help readers understand the symptoms apparent with these disorders and how they impact children and adolescents. Pincus explains which anxious behaviors are considered normal and those that are atypical. Concrete tips, strategies, and tools/activities are thoroughly presented to parents, in the hopes that parents can address problems themselves and (hopefully) help prevent a disorder from developing or worsening to the point that it is negatively affecting their child’s life.

What other experts are saying about the book: "Growing Up Brave is an essential read for ALL parents, empowering them with proven strategies and practical advice. All children experience stress and fears in their development. This book is a manual for how to best respond in order to help children develop confidence and self-efficacy. Parents will be inspired to gain insight into their own reactions and utilize the clearly explained, scientifically supported techniques offered here. Dr. Pincus skillfully delineates what to do, and what not to do in responding to childhood anxiety." (Bonnie Zucker, Psy.D., author of Anxiety-Free Kids and Take Control of OCD )

My thoughts about the book: I wish my mother had owned this book when I was young. I have always been considered a “worrywart” or an anxious person my entire life and although my mom attempted to help me in her own way, she didn’t know what to do. Thankfully, I didn’t suffer from panic disorder, but my anxiety certainly limited me more than it should have. As a parent, I think this book is fabulous. I will definitely be using some of these techniques with my own daughter in the near future. Particularly, I think that both of my children could benefit from the “Five-Minutes-a-Day Time” strategy. As a counselor, I was visualizing the faces of some of my students that can benefit from what Dr. Pincus discusses. I have often assisted children in evaluating their anxious thoughts, but I haven’t worked with them on accepting their physical feelings, which helps them understand that these feelings are completely normal and will go away in a brief period of time. I think “Growing Up Brave” is a tremendous resource for both parents and professionals in the field.

Growing Up Brave can be purchased at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

I am very pleased to have the opportunity to host a giveaway for “Growing Up Brave”. I have THREE copies to give away to three lucky Tidbits From A Mom readers. Please fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter.
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*Disclaimer: I did not receive monetary compensation for this post.  I received a free copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  The opinions expressed here are my own.