Step by Step

The world is full of exciting new things for Sam to try...but new things can be scary! Can his mom help him figure out how to face his fears?

Sam is getting older, and every day there are new things for him to try, from a trip to a farm, to going to a new friend’s house, to the first day of school. But Sam can’t help but worry about all these new things--what if he doesn’t like them? His mom helps him figure out what small steps he can take, little by little, so that he realizes he can handle it.

Includes a Note to Parents & Caregivers with more information about helping children face their fears.

Kathryn Boger, PhD, ABPP, is a board-certified child and adolescent clinical psychologist who has devoted her career to helping children struggling with anxiety and OCD. She is passionate about improving care and decreasing suffering through innovative, research-based treatment approaches. In 2013, she co-developed the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program (MAMP) at McLean Hospital, nationally recognized for providing empirically-supported intensive anxiety treatment. She was also an Assistant Professor in Psychology at Harvard Medical School and has published peer-reviewed journal articles, delivered regional and national talks (including a TEDx), and provided training to hospitals, schools, and the community. In 2021, Dr. Boger co-founded InStride Health focused on increasing access to insurance-based, evidence-based care for children and adolescents with anxiety and OCD. She lives in MA with her husband and three children who work on being brave every day.

Hiroe Naka graduated from the Parsons School of Design. Illustrations from her first children’s book were chosen for the Society of Illustrators Annual Exhibition. She lives in Tokyo, Japan.