Episode #80: Dr. Krystal Lewis
Dr. Krystal M. Lewis is a Clinical Psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health where she works with the Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience. She provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to youth with anxiety. Her research interests include identifying mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of CBT. Dr. Lewis has extensive training and clinical experience treating anxious children and adolescents and is an advocate for early intervention, prevention, and evidence-based treatments. In addition, she is largely involved with the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and co-chairs Special Interest Groups.
As a clinical psychologist at the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Krystal Lewis is interested in how to make therapy, specifically cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), more effective for children and adolescents. As Krystal puts it, the goal of CBT is to help clients identify and change unhelpful thinking patterns that influence their mood and behaviors, and ultimately, to give the client tools that help them become their own therapist. On today’s episode, Krystal and I talk about what led to her interest in psychology, and how CBT can help treat anxiety (among other mental health conditions) and also can increase resilience. Then, we move to the big topic of the moment: how the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting individuals on an emotional level. We talk about the fact that each day may bring something different emotionally, how parents can help their children cope and validate their feelings, and why “should” thinking has to take a back seat to self-compassion, especially right now. Finally, we talk about the strategies from CBT that people can use to help them through days that feel challenging, including a tip that I put into practice immediately after Krystal and I finished recording.
“It’s okay to feel scared or angry or frustrated and unproductive. Whatever feelings you’re experiencing are okay, and it’s really more about what we do with those feelings.”
Here are some of the things Krystal and I chatted about:
How patients get connected to research studies at the National Institute of Mental Health
Thinking she would become a pediatrician, but then discovering psychology in high school
How she gained research experience during college, and how it helped define her path
What cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is, and how it seeks to change thinking patterns
How CBT can be used as a preventive approach to mental health and can increase resilience
Why kids with anxiety may or may not have anxiety as adults, and what factors play into that
The wide range of emotions that people may be feeling as the COVID-19 pandemic plays out
The changes parents might see in their kids as a result of the pandemic, and how to respond
The value of having open conversations with kids and validating their emotions during this time
How parents modeling appropriate coping behaviors helps their children learn the same skills
Why self-compassion is incredibly important right now, and how it can help us in the moment
What self-efficacy is, and how it can help us with both anxiety as well as everyday challenges
How focusing on your thoughts, which is a strategy from CBT, can be really useful right now
The importance of staying engaged in activities, and an easy way to remind yourself to do that
What she has been doing each day to stay active, take breaks, reset, and stay connected
Resources that she recommends that can provide a wide variety of support during this time:
Apps:
Headspace (for mindfulness exercises)
Calm (a meditation and relaxation aid)
Stop, Breathe and Think (calming and meditation exercises)
Colorfly (a coloring app for relaxation)
Resources:
Managing COVID-19 Anxiety (Anxiety and Depression Association of America)
We Asked Experts How to Cope With Your Coronavirus Anxiety (Shine Text)
DoctorRadio About Our Kids: Tips for Parenting Anxious Kids and CBT (Sirius XM)
Supporting Families during COVID-19 (Child Mind Institute)
“A good way to help your child is also to help yourself.”
Follow Krystal: Twitter
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