Episode 14: What Your Child’s Behavior Is Really Telling You — Part 1: Anxiety, Overwhelm & the Signals We Miss

Send us Fan MailWhat if your child’s “bad behavior” isn’t something to fix—but something to understand?In this powerful episode of A Journey to Whole Woman Health, Dr. Jamie Erwin and Dr. Mary Kathryn Nader sit down with licensed professional counselor supervisor Kate Jennings, founder of The Bug and the Bee, to unpack what’s really going on beneath tantrums, anxiety, and overwhelm in kids and teens.From toddler meltdowns on airplanes to middle school friendship struggles and rising anxiety, Kate shares practical, evidence-based tools for parents to respond with empathy, clarity, and confidence.You’ll learn why behavior is communication, how anxiety shows up in the body, and how small shifts in your response can completely change your child’s emotional world.What You’ll Learn: Why behavior is always about gaining or avoiding something The power of “connect before redirect” How anxiety activates the fight, flight, or freeze response Why saying “you’re fine” can actually increase anxiety  The mind-gut connection and why kids feel anxiety in their bodies  How to respond to tantrums, overwhelm, and emotional outbursts  Practical scripts to help your child process fear and uncertainty  How to model emotional regulation as a parent Key Takeaways: Kids do well if they can Behavior is not random—it’s communication Anxiety lives in the body, not just the mind  Connection builds safety—correction alone does notResources Mentioned: SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors)  Mind-gut connection research  Collaborative Problem Solving framework Connect with Our Guest: Kate Jennings, LPC-S The Bug and the Bee (Fort Worth, TX)If this episode helped you better understand a child in your life, share it today with a parent, teacher, or caregiver.Support the show