DR. RENAE REINARDY’S COURAGE CRITTERS

from Area Woman Magazine Feb/Mar '15

by Lake & Home Magazine | Area Woman Magazine

local AUTHORS

By Marie Laska

Fear is a universal emotion shared by all humans of any age. It has the capacity to not only help an individual respond appropriately to perceived danger, but can also render one powerless or even alter the decisions that one will make throughout the course of his life. Being afraid of heights, for example, may prohibit someone from ever being able to ride on an airplane. And for a young child, a fear of the dark or of an imagined boogeyman under the bed can make bedtime a nightmare for all involved.

Local psychologist Dr. Renae Reinardy, the founder of the Lakeside Center for Behavioral Change in Fargo, has become a familiar face through her multiple television appearances on shows such as “Good Morning America” and “Hoarders,” and has spent the past decade helping individuals who struggle with not only fear, but also anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders and body-focused behaviors like hair pulling and skin picking.

Drawing on her experiences as both a psychologist and as a mom, Dr. Reinardy has made it her mission to “help children stand up to everyday childhood fears” so that a treatable condition does not become a life-altering trigger in later years. Utilizing empirical evidence and play therapy principles she has designed a therapeutic stuffed animal which she calls the Courage Critter. With this therapy tool, Dr. Reinardy creates a plan with care providers to use “children’s imagination and role-playing skills to help them feel empowered and comforted” in dealing with fears and out of control behaviors.

Realizing that the average adult may not know how to help a child through a fear-induced situation, Dr. Reinardy created the Courage Critter and an accompanying website to help parents, doctors and other caregivers learn a number of practical skills. She emphasized that “it’s so important to empower kids and to teach them to stand up to their fears.” As Dr. Reinardy explained, “childhood fears are common in child development and my main message to parents is to not ignore them, to intervene sooner rather than later.”

Through the use of a therapy tool such as the Courage Critter, a child can begin to learn lifelong skills in confronting fears rather than learning to avoid triggers or stressful situations. As one example, some local medical clinics have utilized the Courage Critter in helping children who may have a fear of needles, or to help provide comfort to children who have been diagnosed with chronic illnesses.

Dr. Reinardy also describes how the Courage Critters website helps care providers and children to “break fearful situations down into smaller steps,” through the use of tools such as the “fear thermometer and fear hierarchy, which children can use to measure their fear and create a plan to help make it more manageable.” Caregivers and children can visit the website to learn additional skills that help a child replace toxic fear thoughts through a technique she calls “good coach thinking,” and other skills such as relaxation and self-care tips. When the Courage Critter is purchased, the child becomes a member of the Courage Club which allows access to these skills on the website. These techniques help caregivers and children break unhelpful patterns rather than inadvertently reinforcing a problem.

Along with providing “a little buddy to help a child in their journey of confronting a fear,” the Courage Critter also provides sensory comfort and the website teaches skills that can be helpful for children experiencing bodyfocused repetitive behaviors (i.e. hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting). There are a number of tools available for these issues as well that can be utilized once they become a member of the Courage Club.

Courage Critters are available for sale at www. couragecritters.com, in her office, or at the 25th Street Vintage Point Market. Dr. Reinardy encourages parents and/or care providers to help the child in their life by accessing this resource. If additional support is needed, they are free to contact Dr. Reinardy directly for guidance. [AWM]