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Episode Summary: Are today’s teens truly more anxious — or are we simply seeing anxiety more clearly?

In this episode, we unpack the narrative of “the anxious generation” and explore what current research actually shows about adolescent anxiety. We discuss adolescent brain development and expected shifts in mood, sleep, and emotional intensity, and how to distinguish developmentally expectable distress from clinically impairing anxiety.

We also explore how contextual factors — COVID-19 disruption, social media and parasocial relationships, and expanded access to telehealth — shape our understanding of youth anxiety reporting without assuming pathology.

Finally, we delve into a critical relational factor: how caregiver anxiety and over-accommodation can unintentionally reinforce avoidance — and what differentiation looks like in practice when supporting teens.

Joining me is Sophia Vale Guarino, LCSW, author of Calming Teenage Anxiety — a practical guide for caregivers who want to support teens with clarity and steadiness.

Get her book here: https://a.co/d/005IWBFj

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About Our Guest: Sophia was born in Los Angeles, raised in London, and holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from New York University.

She has been providing therapy since 2015 and has over a decade of experience working with adults and adolescents. Sophia has treated individuals and families in her private practice while also providing therapy in medical, educational, residential and outpatient settings. She is an expert at treating teenage anxiety, and is the author of the book, Calming Teenage Anxiety: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Teenager Cope with Worry.

Sophia has been featured on numerous media outlets, such as television news segments, radio stations, podcasts and YouTube channels. Sophia’s writing has been featured in Writer’s Digest, Your Teen Mag, Get Fit Now and her book, Calming Teenage Anxiety: A Parent’s Guide to Helping Your Teenager Cope with Worry was selected by Kirkus as an indie pick for 2026. She has taught continuing education courses for professionals on adolescent anxiety, and has guest lectured at both the high school and university level. Sophia is also a subject matter expert for Hollywood, Health and Society, ensuring script accuracy in addiction-related story lines. Additionally, Sophia holds certifications in the following areas: animal assisted therapy, forensic social work, sex therapy, yoga teaching and is a master level reiki practitioner. In her free time, Sophia volunteers for several animal rescue organizations, and as a trained fine artist and fashion designer, she loves painting and drawing as well as designing and manufacturing clothes.

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Conflict of Interest Disclosures:

The host, Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, is the Founder of Affirm Mental Health, an accredited CE provider. She receives financial compensation from Affirm Mental Health for the development and delivery of continuing education content. No other financial conflicts of interest were reported.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for clinical training or treatment. If you or someone you know needs mental health support, please reach out to a licensed professional.

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