Helping anxious children and teens develop confidence, emotional resilience, and practical skills to manage worry, school stress, perfectionism, and overwhelming emotions.

Because children thrive when they feel seen, safe, supported, and equipped to face life’s challenges with confidence.

When your child is struggling with anxiety, it can feel heartbreaking to watch. You may find yourself constantly reassuring them, encouraging them, helping them avoid situations that feel overwhelming, or searching for answers online, all while wondering why nothing seems to provide lasting relief. At times, you may even question whether their worries have become more than a phase.

At A Keen Mind, we help children and teens learn how to understand anxiety, build confidence, and develop healthy coping skills so they can face challenges with greater resilience. Many of the children we work with struggle with excessive worry, school anxiety, perfectionism, separation anxiety, or emotional overwhelm. Together, we help them build the confidence, flexibility, and self-trust needed to face life’s challenges without anxiety calling all the shots.

We also work closely with parents, providing practical tools and guidance to help you support your child without feeling overwhelmed or alone. Together, we help children develop the confidence, emotional resilience, and self-trust needed to navigate life’s challenges with greater calm and flexibility.

Whether your child is experiencing excessive worry, school anxiety, perfectionism, emotional outbursts, separation anxiety, or stress-related struggles, we’re here to help your family move toward greater calm, confidence, and connection.

Ready to talk with someone about your child’s anxiety?

Book a free 15-minute parent consultation.

Call 704-286-9927 or email jessy@akeenmind.com

Does This Sound Like Your Child?

Your child seems to worry about things more than other kids. They ask the same questions repeatedly, look to you for reassurance, and often struggle to feel settled even after you’ve tried to help.

School mornings may be stressful. They might complain of stomach aches, become emotional when it’s time to separate, avoid situations that make them uncomfortable, or become overwhelmed when things don’t go as planned. Sometimes what looks like defiance, irritability, perfectionism, or emotional outbursts is actually anxiety hiding beneath the surface.

Your child may:

• Worry excessively about school, grades, sports, friendships, or family members
• Frequently seek reassurance and struggle to feel settled even after receiving it
• Appear unusually quiet, withdrawn, or hesitant to speak because they worry about saying the wrong thing, being judged, or drawing attention to themselves
• Avoid situations that trigger anxiety, fear, or discomfort
• Become overwhelmed by transitions, uncertainty, or unexpected changes
• Struggle with perfectionism and fear of making mistakes
• Have difficulty separating from parents or caregivers
• Have difficulty sleeping or experience stress-related stomachaches and headaches
• Experience emotional outbursts, irritability, or meltdowns that seem larger than the situation

If these challenges sound familiar, you’re not alone. Many anxious children are bright, thoughtful, caring kids whose nervous systems have become stuck in patterns of worry and protection. With the right support, children can learn to manage anxiety, build confidence, and develop lasting emotional resilience.

Understanding Anxiety Through the Nervous System

Anxiety isn’t simply something your child thinks. It’s something they experience throughout their entire body.

When children feel anxious, their nervous system begins preparing them for danger, even when no real danger is present. Their heart may race, their stomach may hurt, their thoughts may spiral, and they may feel an overwhelming urge to avoid whatever feels threatening.

From the outside, anxiety can look like clinginess, perfectionism, irritability, emotional outbursts, or avoidance. Underneath these behaviors is often a child whose nervous system is working hard to keep them safe.

Many children don’t need more information. They need support learning how to feel safe, regulated, and confident in the face of uncertainty.

This is where healing begins.

How We Help Children Build Confidence and Resilience

At A Keen Mind, we help children and teens understand anxiety rather than fear it.

Through therapy, children learn to identify emotions, understand their nervous system, build confidence, develop healthy coping skills, and gradually face challenges that anxiety may be encouraging them to avoid.

We also believe parents play a vital role in the healing process.

Many well-intentioned parents find themselves trapped in cycles of reassurance, accommodation, and worry. While these responses come from love, they can unintentionally strengthen anxiety over time.

That’s why we help parents learn practical tools such as co-regulation, emotional coaching, and confidence-building strategies that support lasting growth and resilience.

Our goal isn’t to eliminate anxiety completely. Our goal is to help your child develop the confidence and skills needed to navigate life’s challenges with greater calm, flexibility, and self-trust.

Reaching out for support is an act of care. With the right guidance, meaningful change is possible.

Meet Jessy Fenyves, LCMHCA

Child & Teen Therapist

Jessy understands that anxious children aren’t trying to be difficult. They’re often trying to cope with feelings that feel too big to manage alone. Her goal is to help children feel understood while teaching practical skills that build confidence, resilience, and emotional flexibility.

Jessy specializes in helping children and teens navigate anxiety, excessive worry, emotional regulation difficulties, school stress, perfectionism, social challenges, and life transitions.

With warmth, patience, and genuine care, Jessy creates a safe space where children feel understood while helping parents develop practical strategies to support growth and resilience at home.

Jessy utilizes evidence-based approaches including CBT, play therapy techniques, emotional regulation skills, parent collaboration, and anxiety-focused interventions tailored to each child’s unique needs.

Anxiety can make children feel stuck, but with the right support, children can learn that they are stronger than their worries.

Frequently Asked Questions About Child Anxiety Therapy

What are common signs of anxiety in children?

Anxiety can appear as excessive worry, perfectionism, irritability, difficulty sleeping, school avoidance, frequent reassurance-seeking, stomachaches, headaches, or emotional outbursts.

Can anxiety look like anger, irritability, or defiance?

Yes. Many anxious children don’t appear worried on the outside. Anxiety can show up as irritability, emotional outbursts, perfectionism, avoidance, shutting down, or refusing to participate in situations that feel overwhelming. Often these behaviors make more sense once we understand what is happening underneath the surface.

How do I know if my child needs therapy?

If anxiety is interfering with your child’s confidence, school performance, friendships, sleep, or daily functioning, therapy may help.

Do parents participate in therapy?

Yes. Parent involvement is often an important part of helping children build confidence and learn new coping skills.

What ages do you work with?

Jessy works with children and teens experiencing anxiety, emotional regulation challenges, school-related stress, and related concerns.

Do you offer virtual appointments?

Yes. Virtual therapy is available throughout North Carolina.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

You don’t have to navigate your child’s anxiety alone.

Whether you’re noticing excessive worry, school anxiety, perfectionism, emotional overwhelm, or stress-related challenges, we’re here to help.

Schedule a Free 15-Minute Parent Consultation

📞 704-286-9927

📧 jessy@akeenmind.com