Forming Non-Anxious Children with Dr. Kevin Chapman

From playgrounds to high school hallways to your kitchen table, more families than ever are feeling the weight of fear, stress, and emotional overwhelm. As parents, it’s hard enough to manage our own emotions, let alone help our kids process theirs.

So, how can we help our children walk through anxiety with hope, wisdom, and a grounded sense of peace?

In this episode of The Teach Your Children Well Podcast, host Sarah Cowan Johnson welcomes Dr. Kevin Chapman, a licensed clinical psychologist and a leading expert in anxiety and emotional health. He’s the founder and director of the Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders and the author of Mastering Our Emotions: Biblical Principles for Emotional Health. In addition to clinical expertise, Dr. Chapman brings a deep understanding on how Scripture speaks into our emotional lives, drawing connections between cognitive behavioral therapy and the renewing of the mind described in Romans 12.

Together, Sarah and Dr. Chapman explore how anxiety shows up in families, why labels can hurt more than they can help, and what it means to parent with emotional awareness and spiritual authority. Whether you're navigating your child’s anxiety, your own, or both, this episode offers clarity, encouragement, and practical tools rooted in both science and Scripture.

Tune in now to discover how God’s word and proven strategies can transform the way you understand and handle anxiety in your home.

This episode highlights the following themes:

• Why anxiety is rising in kids—and how to respond with wisdom
• How to reframe negative thoughts using the skill of “being renewed”
• Practical ways to help kids interrupt anxious spirals

“Steal This Idea” breath prayers:

Inhale: The Lord is my shepherd

Exhale: I have everything I need

Inhale: Come, Holy Spirit

Exhale: You are welcome here

Inhale: I worship you, God

Exhale: Fill me with your love

Links from the episode:

• Learn more about Dr. Kevin Chapman and his practice
• Read Dr. Kevin Chapman’s book: Mastering Our Emotions: Biblical Principles for Emotional Health
• Learn more about Sarah Cowan Johnson
• Read Teach Your Children Well by Sarah Cowan Johnson
• Read The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
• Read the transcript here
• Take the survey here

Credits

✅Special offer: Visit ivpress.com and use the code IVPTEACH25 for 25% off and free US shipping on any IVP resource mentioned in this episode.

✅Producers: Helen Lee, Kaitlin Borek, and Travis Albritton

✅Sound Engineering: Honest Podcasts

✅Social Media Manager: Makayla Payne

✅Podcast Art: Kate Lillard

✅Theme Song: "Childlike Wonder" by Reveille

Disclaimer: The comments, views, and opinions expressed in this podcast are solely those of the host and/or the guests featured on the podcast and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of InterVarsity Press or InterVarsity Christian Fellowship.