Anxiety

BRIEF SUMMARY

Everyone experiences stress and anxiety to some degree but some people are less equipped to handle these feelings due to traumatic experiences, unstable homes or innate character traits. Counselors can help students and their families deal with anxiety in healthy ways.

KEY POINTS

• Mindfulness can be a useful tool for combating anxiety.
• Long-term anxiety can manifest in emotional and physical symptoms.

RESOURCES

• Anxiety tips for parents
• Counselortalk responses 2011
• Teacher training by Amy Winkler
• Anxiety PD Practice Scenarios
• GoZen!
• Anxiety Group curriculum
• A worry group curriculum
• Anxiety Disorders (PowerPoint presentation) from IUPUI graduate counseling course, Fall semester 2018
• Anxiety Stress tips for teens
• Students with Anxiety in the Schools
• Helping Students with Anxiety
• coping-skills-anxiety
• cycle-of-anxiety
• decatastrophizing
• mindfulness-exercises
• progressive-muscle-relaxation-script
• Rogers Behavioral Health OCD and Anxiety Center Adolescent Residential Care – residential treatment center for adolescents dealing with severe anxiety
• Anxiety-Inducing Cognitions: A Personal Overview
• Anxious Kids – Resource Guide (from ASCA@Home conference, July 2020)

SHARED WISDOM

• Sometimes, anxiety can look like ADD and even ODD in children so it is good to explore all triggers of behaviors.
• Anxious children benefit from structure and predictability.
• I just wanted to share with everyone an anxiety tool that our school counselors at Peru Community Schools have been using. In our experience it has been helpful and proven to aid in working with students that have come to us in a panicked state. It is called a Cahhlm Disc: www.cahhlmdisc.com
• Counselortalk, November 2019 resources in NW Indiana for severe anxiety: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pSZGgtNbAsj0zTObZ0-NczP1kvUMfhyTHAvjvLffE58
• From Counselor Talk, October 2018:
  • Q: Does anyone have a great app for managing anxiety that is simple to use?
  • A: Breathing Bubbles & Settle Your Glitter are great.
  • A: I have also used Smiling Mind and MindShift (recommended by an LMHC) for anxiety. Smiling Mind has all different age levels. Mindshift has some some chill out tools, has an electronic journal, had a “thinking right” tool that helps explore the thinking processes, and a ton of other items to help with anxiety. Perfect for anyone with some anxiety looking for help and coping strategies.
  • A: MindShift is great!
  • A:Breathe 2 Relax (several recommended)
    Mind Shift (several recommended)
    Settle Your Glitter
    Breathing Bubbles
    Calm
    Headspace
    Stop, Breathe, Think
    Smiling Mind
    Calm Classroom

CONTENT FEEDBACK

If you have suggestions, feedback, or resources, please email counselor1stop@inspiresuccess.org and let us know.