Dr Danielle Einstein visited Harrodian this week to deliver a parent seminar in the school auditorium on the theme of supporting young people when worry and anxiety take hold. Dr Einstein is a leading clinical psychologist, researcher and author who has been closely involved in national discussions in Australia about the impact of technology and social media on young people’s mental health. She joined us during a short and busy visit to the UK between meetings with UK Parliamentarians in Westminster and another speaking engagement at Winchester College.
Her talk, Supporting Student Clarity When Worry Takes Hold, explored how parents can better understand anxiety in children and in themselves. Among other themes, she discussed why learning to tolerate uncertainty is important and how normal anxiety is increasingly being pathologised in wider conversations about wellbeing. She also spoke about strategies for supporting young people to face challenges without rushing to rescue or offer quick fixes, and the importance of adults modelling resilience and self mastery. Dr Einstein emphasised that anxiety becomes more problematic when it leads to avoidance and young people begin to withdraw from normal activities, and that addressing this early by encouraging gradual engagement rather than avoidance can be important, while recognising that every child and situation is different.
Technology and social media use also formed part of the discussion. Dr Einstein noted that constant connectivity can intensify worry and make it harder for young people to step back from anxious thinking. She spoke about the importance of intentional technology use within families and shared her “Key Insights for Parents” poster, which offers practical guidance for parents. See the poster below.
Dr Einstein also explained that in her own clinical practice she does not take on new child clients until she has first spoken with parents about their approach to mobile phone use and social media. In her experience, many of the strategies she recommends are difficult to implement if children have unrestricted access to smartphones outside of sessions.
Invitation to Zoom Meeting with Mr Hardie and Mr Holder Thursday 12 March at 08.30pm
Parents are invited to continue the discussion at a short Zoom meeting on Thursday 12 March at 8.30pm, hosted by Peter Hardie with Head of PSHE Guy Holder. The session is aimed at parents across the school, particularly those in the Prep School (8s to 12s). It will include a brief overview of the risks associated with social media use and the possibility of delaying smartphones, as well as a short presentation of a new touchscreen brick phone, the XploraOne, which has been designed to provide basic smartphone functionality while limiting access to social media and other distractions. There will also be an opportunity for questions.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://harrodian.zoom.us/j/84100867119?pwd=zVTE9lTSDU6OSwdcBBk0v2yovCSUg2.1
Meeting ID: 841 0086 7119
Passcode: 625327
Parents interested in exploring Dr Einstein's ideas further can find them in her books Raising Anxiety and The Dip: A Practical Guide to Taking Control of Phone Use. Additional insights and resources are also available through The Einstein Report: https://theeinsteinreport.substack.com/
Thank you to all Harrodian parents and staff who attended the seminar, which raised more than £250 for the youth mental health charity YoungMinds through ticket donations.