Why Kids’ Anxiety Is at an All-Time High

Why Kids’ Anxiety Is at an All-Time High

written by Dr. Liz Matheis, published on Psychology Today

Here we are, one year and 8 months after the start of the pandemic, still battling its effects, and we are exhausted and overwhelmed. Our children, teens, and young adults continue to hear about new variants of the virus, which makes us believe that this is not over yet.

Adults, parents, and children everywhere are struggling with heightened levels of anxiety and as mental health professionals, there is more need than there is supply. We are seeing the anxiety across the lifespan. Isolation has led to feelings of anxiety and ultimately sadness as there seems to be a little end in sight.

What about the COVID-19 pandemic has created such heightened levels of anxiety for so many of our children?

An Open Letter to Administrators on the Upcoming School Year

An Open Letter to Administrators on the Upcoming School Year

written by Dr. Liz Matheis, published on Psychology Today

Dear school administrators,

I want to start by saying this is not a letter to place blame or fault. It is a letter to give you perspective about my children and many other children who returned to school in September 2021.

From March 2020 to June 2021, many of these children were on an educational hiatus. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m not saying that you didn’t try, or that you didn’t struggle to make difficult decisions every day to keep school doors open and children safe. I thank you because I know you didn’t sleep, felt incredibly distressed, and worried a great deal—and yet you showed up every day.

How many pandemics have we lived through before this? For the vast majority of us, the answer is none. We all did the best that we could to balance the demands of our children, our jobs, and our mental health. Many of you also have children of your own. The demand was unbearable and again, I thank you.

Kudos to all of us that have made it this far. But I want to give you a little insight and feedback about why so many children are struggling so much this school year. Some are failing, some are falling behind, some don’t care, and many care, but don’t understand why they are failing or why school is so difficult this year.

How to Protect Yourself as an Empath

3 Ways to Protect Yourself as an Anxious Empath

by Dr. Liz Matheis, published on www.themighty.com

Anxiety is an incredibly pervasive feeling that impacts every part of our functioning. It impacts our decisions, our thoughts, our feelings, our assessments and, most importantly, our perception of ourselves. Anxious people are some of the most caring and thoughtful people who just want to do right by others. Anxious thoughts are mean. They lie. They tell us things about ourselves that just aren’t true, even when we make decisions that are based on the well-being of others before ourselves.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety has peaked and has become overwhelmingly debilitating for people of all ages — small children, pre-teens, teens, young adults, adults and parents. Because most people who are anxious are also empaths — people who feel more empathy than the average person. In fact, empaths are aware of the feelings that are held by the people around you, whether they are friends, family or even strangers.

Your Post Pandemic Recovery

Your Post Pandemic Recovery

by Dr. Liz Matheis posted on Psychology Today

With the beginning of the 2020 pandemic world shut down almost 16 months behind us, it’s time to reflect on how much our lives have changed in what felt like an eternal and laborious year. Our mental health has suffered, whether you are a parent, a teen, a young adult, an adult, or a child. Pat yourself on making it this far. It’s time to recover from the upheaval we have lived through.

So. Much. Change

As human beings whose primary task is to adapt and survive, we have made many changes to the way we think and perceive safety and danger very quickly. Yes, we can adapt, but that was quick – too quick – and our anxiety adapted in an upward fashion too.

Within one year, we have had to adapt to working from home, school from home, entertainment from home, extra-curricular activities from home, shopping from home, and everything from home.

Why We May Feel Burnout Instead of Relief Post-COVID-19

Why We May Feel Burnout Instead of Relief Post-COVID-19

by Dr. Liz Matheis, published in themighty.com

Here we are, post-COVID-19, and although many of us think that our anxiety should begin to subside, what if it isn’t? What if you’re not as relieved as you thought you would be? What if you are not doing the metaphorical happy dance as we begin to gain hope of returning to “normal,” whatever that really means?

It’s been a long 15 months. We have been trying to protect ourselves, our children, our parents and our grandparents from a virus that has an effect that ranges from a cold to not being able to breathe. It’s a frightening virus that has created a level of panic that has permeated and impacted our daily life and mental health immensely. And just like that, we are supposed to let go of all of these safety precautions? I’m not ready. It’s OK. Acknowledge what parts you are not comfortable with and understand that you don’t need to make sudden changes to your routines if you are not ready.

Let it Go: Parents, Let Teens Unwind This Summer

Let It Go: Parents, Let Teens Unwind this Summer

by Dr. Liz Matheis, published on psychology today.com

The past 15 months have been unprecedented. As I always ask – how many pandemics have you lived through? Our teens made insane changes quickly and suddenly, and although they initially welcomed them, that is not the sentiment right now.

Our teens became anxious, sad, overwhelmed, socially isolated, and grieved for all the milestones they missed. They have learned how to “meet” with friends using apps, bake together, watch movies together, and all within the virtual world.

Even though March 2020 through June 2020 were boring and academics didn’t look anything like our teens knew them to be, they chugged along and hoped for a different September.

4 Tips to Embracing Your Naked Face

4 Tips to Embracing Your Naked Face

by Michelle Molle-Krowiak Ed.S, LCSW

Re-entering the world without our mask has been a dream since March 2020.  I missed my “naked” face!  Despite that, the process has been slow and anxiety-filled.  I imagined ripping it off and running into the sunset; yet,  the reality is a feeling of uncertainty and pressure.  So another layer of this pandemic has been realized, “un-masking anxiety”.  I know I am not the only one so I wanted to share my tips.

  • Start outside: Breathe the fresh air and maintain social distancing allowing you time to embrace your naked face.
  • Start small:  I went for quick trips during off-peak hours.  As I walked into the mall, I slowly lowered the mask, easing my discomfort little by little.  
  • Conquer your inner critic voice: For me, I need a positive affirmation to help ease my discomfort. My discomfort does not come from the possible virus ( I feel pretty confident being vaccinated and still taking reasonable precautions).  My discomfort and anxiety came from feeling unsafe from an unnecessary confrontation.  Feeling eyes of judgement or even fear of me the unmasked individual impacts me.  I do not want anyone to feel uncomfortable because of me.  However, I realized my fears were just my own worries that I needed to challenge myself with a positive affirmation.
  • Smile: Spread the joy. The power of a simple smile will lift your own spirits and others.  It is time to shine.

In the end, this is a personal decision of when and where… I wish you peace and joy as you un-mask.  I, for one, am loving saying good-by to my un-masking anxiety and saying hello to all those smiling naked faces.

Anxiety in a Post-Covid World

Anxiety in a Post-Covid World

by Dr. Liz Matheis, published in https://differentdream.com/

Anxiety in a post-Covid world is the latest new reality in over a year of new realities. Clinical psychologist Liz Mathies is here today with 3 strategies to tame your anxiety as you and your family begins the process of re-entry.

Hooray, hooray! The end of the pandemic is coming!

Wait. Is it a hooray?

In one breath, you may feel relieved that life is returning to normal. But in the same breath you wonder what is normal 14 months after a pandemic that suddenly and drastically changed our lives.

Fourteen months ago, anxiety about a virus that we had never seen before entered our lives. Before we knew it, it was deemed a global pandemic.  I remember where I was exactly and who I was with when I first heard that news. It was mind blowing and overwhelming.

This virus was far more than just a flu. Our anxiety became intense and constant as it created fierce symptoms and many didn’t survive.

For many of us, that anxiety has actually not yet settled. We carry a residual level of worry. We’ve adopted functional rituals such as disinfecting surfaces, washing doorknobs, washing our hands and wearing masks.  We ask questions such as: “Does that restaurant have outdoor seating? Are those tables too close? Did that person just touch the door handle? Are my kids safe to go to school? What if I’m carrying the virus and pass it on to my parents/elderly relatives?” The list goes on and on.

Self-Care and Setting Boundaries

Self-Care and Setting Boundaries: Dr. Liz Matheis on the Impact of the Pandemic on Working Mothers

by Dr. Liz Matheis, published in https://jobs.mom/

Our roles as women have changed and morphed and we are handling more than ever –  juggling, balancing the needs of everyone else during a time when we, as families, are together more than we are apart. Here we are over one year later, and we are exhausted and drained. We have been overseen and forgotten. As mothers during this pandemic, life went from being full to being overwhelming and demanding to say the very least. Our roles have changed, our bodies and minds can feel it, and our mental health is deteriorating.

Understanding Teens’ Invisible Struggles During COVID-19

Understanding Teens’ Invisible Struggles During COVID-19

written by Dr. Liz Matheis, published in www.psychologytoday.com

Our teens are suffering.

Children are not used to a routine that is repetitive with so little change from day to day. Nowadays, their school days consist of sitting in front of a screen with little variation, little social interaction, little true academic instruction, little focus, and a whole lot of missing of their school routine as they remember it to be prior to March 2020.

Their extracurricular activities are limited and interactions are not the same. Spontaneous social interactions are being missed. Our teens miss sitting next to each other, sharing lunch together, riding the school bus together, and all of the conversations and interactions that took place on a daily basis. One student shared with me that the biggest highlight of his day has been what he is going to eat. How incredibly boring and disappointing. Many teens (and adults) took for granted the variety of their days and the freedom that they had—until it was gone.

 

"The various psycho-educational testing Dr. Liz conducted on our son gave us critical clues about where his learning strengths and weaknesses lie so that his needs could be better addressed at home and school. Moreover, because of their warm, kindhearted personalities, both Dr. Liz and her associate, Stephanie, formed an immediate bond with my son. He eagerly looks forward to his weekly therapy sessions. We are so lucky Dr. Liz came into our family's lives when she did! For stressed-out families trying to help their children as best they can, she is a calming voice of reason!"
- Julie C.
"Dr. Matheis has a remarkable ability to understand the unique needs of her patients and address them constructively. She builds strong, meaningful relationships with patients and their families, encouraging trust and collaboration. When working with my son who struggles with autism-related anxiety, she created an environment in which he was able to calm down and open up to her in ways I had not seen before. She was able to reach him and helped him work through his crisis/problem. Most importantly, she empowered him to move forward."
- N.L.
"Dr. Matheis is amazing. She has tremendous resources and loads of energy. She is not willing to accept anything less than the most effective results for her clients. She made me feel as if my son was her top priority throughout the entire process. I would, without reservation, give her my highest recommendations.  Thank you, Dr. Matheis!"
- Anonymous
"Dr. Matheis has an amazing ability to read kids and connect with them. She has been an invaluable resource for our family over the past several years and has helped us with everything from educational consulting, to uncovering diagnoses as well as family therapy. Working with Dr. Matheis never feels clinical and most importantly, our children love and trust her. We can not thank you enough Dr. Liz!"
- Anonymous
"My teenage son had been seeing Dr. Matheis through his senior year of high school, as he was only diagnosed with ADHD at 16 years old.  Dr. Matheis came highly recommended from our pediatrician and she has done wonders for our son as well as our family, navigating new ways for him to deal with his diagnosis without the use of medication.  She taught him ways to organize himself and even when something did not work for him, she patiently continued teaching him new ways to keep himself on track.  She has also helped us as parents to understand how his mind works so that we did not continue to blame his lack of focus on him, rather on his unique way of thinking.  Thank you Dr. Matheis!!!!"
- LG
"Dr. Liz is the best! Our family was directed to her by our Pediatrician to assist with figuring out severe mood changes, severe anxiety, strange new fears and food aversion that had come onto one of our children literally overnight. After just a couple of visits, she suggested that the issues may actually be rooted in a physical issue and suggested we immediately take our child to be swabbed for strep, because Dr. Liz suspected PANDAS (a pediatric autoimmune disorder brought on by strep). The same Pediatrician that suggested Dr. Liz would not do the swab (they do not believe in PANDAS and we no longer go there) but I took my child to my doctor who did the swab and it was positive for strep. When our child went on antibiotics, within 24 hours all symptoms went away and our child was back :-) Dr. Liz then recommended a PANDAS specialist who helped us and our child is in complete remission and is happy and healthy. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Liz for her knowledge of all things, even the most remote and unusual and for helping us so much! Thank you!"
- Anonymous
"The various psycho-educational testing Dr. Liz conducted on our son gave us critical clues about where his learning strengths and weaknesses lie so that his needs could be better addressed at home and school. Moreover, because of their warm, kindhearted personalities, both Dr. Liz and her associate, Stephanie, formed an immediate bond with my son. He eagerly looks forward to his weekly therapy sessions. We are so lucky Dr. Liz came into our family's lives when she did! For stressed-out families trying to help their children as best they can, she is a calming voice of reason!"
- Anonymous
"Thank you, Dr. Liz. Although we have told you countless times, it will never feel enough. You have listened when J could barely speak and continued to listen when he was sad, angry and confused. You've challenged him and directed us in our roles as parents. You've helped J face his fears while the list evolved and changed, and yet you've stayed committed to 'the course.' We pray that your children realize that time away from them is spent helping children learn and that vulnerability is a sign of strength and bravery."
- June I
"My son was admitted to an Ivy League school when only 2 years ago, you assessed him and saw his struggles, his Dyslexia. We are grateful that he no longer has to carry that deep feeling of inadequacy or shame that must have kept him so self conscious and from reaching his potential. He has the PERFECT program for him. He has A's in high math and economics. He became a Merit Scholar, a Boys State legislature, the HEAD captain of the football team and help a job ALL while studying and managing his classes and disability. I am PROUD of you, a young doctor, who knows and sees the vulnerability of children and helps them recognize "it's NO big deal" God bless."
- Anonymous

Learn More About Dr. Liz!

Subscribe to our Mailing List
Psychological and Educational Consulting Logo

513 W Mt Pleasant Ave, Ste 212,
​Livingston, NJ 07039