School Avoidance Anxiety: Why Do You Feel So Helpless, Hopeless and at a Loss?

by Jodee Pearl Killarney, Laura Wilkinson (Editor)

I was inspired to write this book after speaking to parents of anxious teenagers and listening to their problems. I noticed that there were a significant number of teens with anxiety who were unable to go to school—a term called ‘school refusal’ or ‘school avoidance’. I have collated and answered the following questions in the book to help parents

1: What is it About School That is So Terrifying?
2: Why School Avoidance Anxiety Isn’t About the School
3: Why Do You Feel Hopeless, Helpless and at a Loss as a Parent?
4: Does Changing Schools Work?
5: Should You Homeschool?
6: Why Does Your Anxious Teen Refuse Help?
7: Why Can’t Your Anxious Teen Sleep?
8: Perfectionism and How it Links to Anxiety and School Avoidance
9: Why Has Secondary School Changed Your Teen So Much?
10: The Link Between Lockdown and School Anxiety Chapter
11: What to do if Your Anxious Teen is Being Bullied
12: Why do You Feel Like a Failure as a Parent?
13: What's the Solution?

I have made this as concise as possible, answering the most common questions parents of anxious teens have. I want this to be simple and to the point so that it provides you as parents an idea of what’s going on. I have based my answers on my previous teaching experience and understanding of the school environment as well as my experience as a mental health practitioner. I have written the book specifically for parents of teenagers as that's where my experience lies, however, the underlying principles of this book also applies to children.

I sincerely hope this book helps you and your teen tackle the exhaustion and helplessness that comes with school avoidance anxiety.

64 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 7, 2022