AT Parenting Survival | Raising Kids with OCD & Anxiety

ARFID can look like OCD, anxiety, extreme picky eating, or even a traditional eating disorder, which is why so many parents feel confused about what they are actually dealing with.
In this episode, I break down the five types of ARFID, avoidant, aversive, restrictive, mixed, and ARFID plus, and explain how each one presents differently.
We also talk about how ARFID overlaps with OCD and anxiety, when exposure and response prevention is the right fit, and when a feeding therapist or occupational therapist may be the better route. Understanding what is driving your child’s food restriction is the key to getting the right help.
If you are a parent trying to figure out whether your child’s eating struggles are fear based, sensory based, or something else entirely, this episode will give you clarity and direction.
Resources mentioned in episode:
PANDAS Network
Aspire
Anxiety Specialists of Atlanta - Dr. Megan Faye
Psypact map
Equip ARFID Program
The Emily Program
Kate Farm’s Protein Shakes
Boost Very high Calorie Drink
Free upcoming series: Survival Tools for Parents Raising Kids with Anxiety or OCD
***
***
This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to
https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:
https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):
https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:
www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:
www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most parents think they know what their child’s OCD looks like. They see the washing. The checking. The obvious behaviors.
But what they’re usually seeing is just the tip of the iceberg.

OCD isn’t only handwashing or checking. It’s mental reviewing, silent debating, internal checking, trying to “neutralize” a thought, confessing, reassurance seeking, avoidance, symmetry rituals, and that constant need for things to feel just right. Many of the most powerful compulsions happen completely inside your child’s mind, which means you will never see all of them.

In this episode, we’re talking about how OCD really works, why you can’t be the OCD police, and how to shift from trying to catch compulsions to teaching your child the skills to delay and resist them. Because empowerment, not surveillance, is what actually builds long term resilience.

If you want detailed guidance on how to teach your child to handle OCD at home, you can learn more at www.natashadaniels.com/parentcourse.
If you are a parent who feels like you’re missing something but can’t quite see what OCD is doing behind the scenes, this episode is for you.
Get this week’s PDF handout at www.natashadaniels.com/handout

***
This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to
https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:
https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):
https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:
www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:
www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Harm OCD is one of the most frightening and misunderstood themes of OCD, especially when it shows up in children. Intrusive thoughts about hurting oneself or someone else can feel shocking, confusing, and deeply distressing for both kids and parents. These thoughts often clash with a child’s true values, which is exactly why they feel so intense.
In this episode, we gently unpack what harm OCD really is and what it is not. We talk about the difference between intrusive thoughts and intent, and why fear can so easily be mistaken for danger. When parents understand the OCD cycle and how it attaches to what matters most, they are better equipped to respond with clarity instead of panic.
If you are a parent who has ever felt your heart drop after hearing your child share a scary thought, or if your child has ever been terrified of their own mind, this episode is for you.

Resources Discussed in Episode:
-Handout of this episode

-Videos on Harm OCD:
https://youtu.be/qQgTkIfUFDM?si=0c9wIFghIctn4BCT
https://youtu.be/XR0anBw_NIY?si=ggHSaxbhkdlkvOjF
https://youtu.be/hPOJW3iXRwU?si=lFAcTY7qMX7DMiXh

-SPACE Study Course

***
This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to
https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:
https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):
https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:
www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:
www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OCD rarely stays contained inside your child’s mind. It often pulls parents directly into the cycle through reassurance questions, confessing, repeated checking, cleaning rituals, avoidance rules, or even scripting exactly what you are allowed to say.
If you feel like you are constantly answering the same questions, following invisible rules, or walking on eggshells, OCD may be involving you more than you realize.
In this episode, we break down how to identify family accommodation, how to decide what to stop doing first, and how to respond in a way that supports your child while shrinking OCD. You will learn simple, practical steps to move from being part of OCD’s system to becoming part of your child’s recovery.

Resources Discussed in Episode:
Download the PDF for this episode
Space Study Guide Course
Join the AT Parenting Community for live classes, parent support, and ongoing guidance

Related YouTube videos:
Reassurance and Why It Grows OCD
When OCD Makes Kids Confess
How OCD Involves Family Members

***
This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to
https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:
https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):
https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:
www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:
www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you know if your child is just worried, anxious, or dealing with OCD?
Kids worry. That’s normal. But sometimes fear sticks around longer than it should and starts to take over daily life. In this episode, I break down the differences between typical kid worries, anxiety, and OCD so you can better understand what your child is really struggling with.
We talk about:
-What developmentally typical fears and worries include
-How anxiety shows up over time
-How OCD includes intrusive thoughts and the urge to do something for relief
-Why treatment looks different for anxiety versus OCD
If you have ever wondered whether something is developmentally normal or a sign your child needs extra support, this episode will help you make sense of it.
You are not overreacting for paying attention. Understanding the difference is the first step to helping your child get unstuck.
⚠️ Grab any courses you have wanted before our pricing goes up on March 1, 2026 at AT Parenting Survival School

***
This podcast episode is sponsored by NOCD. NOCD provides online OCD therapy in the US, UK, Australia and Canada. To schedule your free 15 minute consultation to see if NOCD is a right fit for you and your child, go to
https://go.treatmyocd.com/at_parenting

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be used to replace the guidance of a qualified professional.

Parents, do you need more support?

🌸 Here’s are resources I offer parents 👇🏻❤️

Online classes for parents raising kids with anxiety and OCD:
https://atparentingsurvivalschool.com

Join the AT Parenting Community (A membership designed to support parents raising kids with anxiety or OCD):
https://atparentingcommunity.com

Take one of my FREE webinars:
www.Natashadaniels.com/webinars

Check out my books:
www.Natashadaniels.com/books

🌸 Other social places I hang out:

http://www.facebook.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.pinterest.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.instagram.com/ATparentingSurvival
http://www.twitter.com/Parentingsurvival
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.