Overcoming Worry and Anxiety in Children
Tips for Parents / Carers – hopefully these simple strategies might help.
It is important when speaking with children about anxiety that we ask questions rather than give answers, this helps the child to…
Think for themselves
It puts them in control
It also helps them to remember the conclusion due to working it out for themselves.
Examples
Why are you worried?
What do you think will happen?
What makes you think that it will happen?
Has that ever happened to you before?
Have you ever seen that happen to someone else?
How likely is it to happen?
These questioning styles encourage the child to consider the evidence for and against the thought and come up with a more helpful and realistic thought.
Parent Led CBT Programmes
If you live in Hartlepool or Stockton you are also invited to sign up to one of our Parent-Led CBT Programmes that we are delivering over the coming months.
Aims of the programme:
The programme aims to support parents in gaining an understanding of the child’s anxiety, worries and or fears and learn Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) strategies they can use with their children to overcome anxiety. Parents are encouraged to work collaboratively with their children to help support and empower both the parents and children. Parents will be supported in developing an understanding, confidence and ability to support their child using these CBT strategies:
- Understand what anxiety is, how anxiety can develop and be maintained
- How worries impact on their child and techniques to challenge unhelpful thoughts and worries
- Face their fears through building brave behaviour and step-by step exposure plans
- Develop problem solving skills, shared understanding of difficulties and how to maintain progress through use of the techniques.
Please click here to express an interest and for more information.
All our therapies are evidence based and can be delivered remotely over the telephone or by video call.
Take a look at some feedback from Parents who have access the course…
| What difference do you feel the course made to your child’s fears/worries? |
“the step by step plan has helped her break her issue into smaller steps”
“helping me to deal with situations”
“ability to question herself and reassure herself”
“helped with resilience by altering thoughts and planning”
“I feel the course has helped me to speak to x in a different way to help overcome her worries”
| How do you plan to implement strategies from the course? |
“stepping back and not always reacting to behaviour and worries”
“ensure the plan and take more time to listen”
“approach as a parent difficult times better and differently”
“implement them in my day to day planning”
| Which strategies were most useful? |
“praise and reward, reflection, worry time”
“step-by step planning approach”
“Questioning rather than reassure and rewards”
“Planning and explaining”
“Step by Step plan”
