Description:

Many clinicians focus on breathing, calming, or other distraction techniques when dealing with anxious children. However, focusing on “getting rid of the worry” often backfires, and leaves children and teens feeling more hopeless than engaged. But, when we use short “relaxation” practices with children to shift their patterns and beliefs–when we use this time of focus to deliver and seed valuable information–we create great opportunities for change, engagement, and skill-building. In this hour, I’ll describe the tricks to getting the most out these exercises, without stepping into the trap of elimination.

Educational Objectives:

1. Describe the risks of using elimination strategies with anxious kids and teens.
2. Create short and focused experiential recordings to use with anxious clients.
3. Utilize relaxation as a way for anxious children to step toward active exposure practice in treatment.

*Sessions may be edited for content and to preserve confidentiality*