#189 Is It Normal Anxiety—or More? A Guide for Parents with Zack Schafer

Flourish Coaching

Aug 26, 2025

In this episode, Lisa and Zack discuss:

Understanding the difference between everyday anxiety and an anxiety disorder
The role of technology and social media in contributing to Gen Z anxiety
Evidence-based treatment approaches, including exposure therapy
Parenting strategies to support anxious teens without reinforcing fear

Key Takeaways:

Anxiety can be defined as an overestimation of threat and an underestimation of one’s ability to cope, and it becomes a disorder when it causes significant dysfunction in daily life.
Technology use often serves as a “medication” for uncertainty, providing short-term relief but contributing to worsening anxiety, with research suggesting decreased youth alcohol use but no mental health improvement.
Accommodations, such as parents completing tasks for anxious teens, can unintentionally reinforce fears; asking guiding questions helps youth build coping skills.
Exposure therapy works by gradually confronting fears until they become manageable or are disproven, reducing avoidance and increasing confidence.

“Fear and anxiety have an incredibly important role to play in our lives. It’s not all bad. It’s not a negative emotion, but it is an emotion that requires some understanding and some skill to address.” – Zack Schafer

About Zack Schafer:

Zack is an occupational therapist (OT) dedicated to helping people overcome mental health challenges and live meaningful lives. After earning psychology and OT degrees from Sacred Heart University, he completed UNC Chapel Hill’s OT Mental Health Fellowship, publishing research, teaching, and providing inpatient psychiatric care. In 2021, he joined Mountain Valley as its first OT, trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy, and advanced into leadership. Appointed executive director in 2024, he now oversees all program operations. A Massachusetts native living in Lebanon, NH, Zack enjoys yoga, hiking, running, weight training, and time outdoors with his wife Kevi and their son, Micah.

Episode References:

The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt: https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036
Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke: https://www.amazon.com/Dopamine-Nation-Finding-Balance-Indulgence/dp/152474672X
SPACE Treatment by Dr. Eli Lebowitz: https://www.spacetreatment.net/
BePresent App: https://www.bepresentapp.com/

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