This week, Lara welcomes back one of our most trusted voices on child development and mental health: Dr. Zia Lakdawalla. A seasoned clinical psychologist and founder of Foundations for Emotional Wellness, Dr. Lakdawalla brings over a decade of experience supporting children, teens, and families through anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and relationship struggles.
In this episode, we dive deep into a question that keeps many parents up at night: Is my child’s anxiety just a phase—or something more? Drawing from her years of clinical work in hospitals, schools, and private practice, Dr. Lakdawalla shares what signs to watch for, what behaviours may signal deeper emotional struggles, and—perhaps most importantly—how to respond in ways that foster emotional safety and connection.
We unpack some of the most common misconceptions about childhood anxiety and explore its impact not only on the child, but on the entire family system. Dr. Lakdawalla also offers powerful tools to help parents regulate their own emotional reactions in the moment—so they can show up with calm, compassion, and confidence.
Whether your child has a formal diagnosis or you’ve simply noticed more worry, sensitivity, or emotional overwhelm than usual, this episode offers reassurance, practical strategies, and a reminder that you don’t have to walk this road alone.
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Learn more about Dr. Lakdawalla’s work
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🎵Intro Music: Good Times by Patrick Patrikios
🎵Sting Music: Purple Planet Music - Timelapse