Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) Dec19/Jan20 Aspire Mag FINAL | Page 57

How Parents Affect the “A BY SISSY GOFF, M.ED., LPC-MHSP re you comfortable with that?” Let me tell you a little about the mom who asked her daughter this question recently at Daystar Counseling Ministries, where I’ve been counseling girls and their families for 27 years. I was about to do an assessment, which means meet with a new child and family to Daystar. I knew that the girl was eight and showing signs of anxiety. As you’ve likely read, anxiety is now a childhood epidemic in our country, affecting one in four kids. Girls are twice as likely to suffer from it as boys. The jury is still out on the average age of onset, but it’s typically between six and eight. So, honestly, this girl fit the profile of almost every eight-year-old I see for counseling. 57 Anxious Daughter