Anxiety in Young People

Camp Cope-A-Lot, now online, is an e-version of Coping cat (for the 6-13 year olds). Dr. Khanna oversees the Camp Cope-A-Lot program.

Dr. Khanna usually sends out the following message: The Camp Cope-A-Lot program is a 12-session online e-learning program that walks children through key components of CBT for anxiety, using the FEAR Plan - based on the Coping Cat treatment program. Typically the coach (counselor) sits next to the child as they are on a computer. When providing care remotely or to a group, a coach can share their screen (via Zoom or monitor that the group can view) with their clients. We recommend providing each client with a pdf of the accompanying workbook (Go-To-Gadget) that is available from within the program for download and print.

To learn more: https://copingcatparents.com/Camp_Cope_A_Lot

Child Anxiety Tales is a 10-session online parent-training program designed for use by parent(s)/guardian(s) who would like to learn how to teach and support their child in using anxiety management strategies.

To learn more: https://copingcatparents.com/Child_Anxiety_Tales

Simple notion: It's OK to be afraid, and recognize your emotions, but it's also cool to face the fear. The outcome won't be perfect, but nothing is perfect. Simply put, don't let fear lead to recurring avoidance.

Although play therapy is not an empirically supported treatment, there are strategies that come from empirically supported treatments that involve play. For example, taking turns in a game that encourages being a little silly, trying something new, or facing a fear.

The generally effective approaches are not specific to grade levels. That is, what has been found to be effective for youth includes 7 to 17 year olds. That said, 4th graders will be highly varied in terms of their level of meta cognition. Some will be more developed cognitively, emotionally, physically, whereas others will be less developed. Being alert to these developmental differences will be helpful.

In short, creating exposure tasks (behavioural experiments) for the youth, and helping the parent to reduce/eliminate accommodations for the anxiety.

Too big a question for a short answer. That said, be a “coping model” and model for the youth how to be calm and collected.

Anxiety is tied to fear and avoidance, and typically not to anger/outbursts. The percentages are very low.

Most have the key ingredients (e.g., exposure [behavioural experiments] cognitive change), but there are some differences in emphasis. Some programs focus on parents and changing their accommodation practices, whereas others focus more on the youth’s personal efforts. What is key is that if there is empirical support for the program, the probability of a beneficial outcome is known and typically better than for “unevaluated’ programs.

Be direct with the parent and ask questions like, “ Do you want to make all the decisions for your child for their lives?” Do you want to select their partners? Do you want to go to college with them? The answers are “NO,” and the next comment is, “Then when do you want to start to let them learn how to make their own wise decisions?”