Let’s make a plan

Parenting Strategies to Support Children with Anxiety

Our Vision

Create an accessible, affordable programme where parents can feel empowered and equipped to be the first line of defence against the fears that keep their child from feeling resilient, creative and at peace in their own mind.

In a series of four, 90 minute meetings, we will:

1. Complete questionnaires together to better understand your child’s anxiety, and help you set your goals

2. Look at the psycho-educational aspects of anxiety in children (i.e. what is happening in that growing little mind when they experience worries, how they learn, and what is being reinforced)

3. Identifying our values as parents and how we can help our children to engage in challenging their thoughts and behaviour.

4. The idea of ‘Soul Fever’ and the impact of modern lifestyle on the young, impressionable mind

5. Helping children face their fears and creating confidence and resilience

6. Introducing Mindfulness techniques to support both parents and children

7. Troubleshooting - Putting these tools into practice

8. Review your goals and make a ‘staying well’ plan

We draw upon several therapeutic modalities, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Simplicity Parenting Coaching and Mindfulness to create a dynamic, flexible model that is adaptable and considers each unique child, but can be applied broadly.

Need to knows:

• Workshops are held on consecutive Wednesday evenings in North Oxford.

• Maximum number of parents per group are six.

• The cost for four sessions is £125 for an individual or £250 (per couple) We suggest both caregivers attend.

• Workshops are audio recorded in case you miss a session.

Child Anxiety and Parenting Tools

Supporting a child who is suffering from anxiety is no small task. Parents want to do everything they can to help their child through a difficult time- though sometimes (through no fault of their own) parents may be inadvertently encouraging avoidance or other negative coping strategies that reinforce a child’s fears.  After working with many children and families, we saw a gap between parents feeling completely on their own and seeking therapy. There is a middle ground, and we believe that begins with equipping parents with the right tactics. We believe that with a little education and a little practice, parents are creative, resourceful and the best people to help their child.  Just as parents can see when a child is physically unwell, they can notice when a child is feeling emotionally poorly. With training, parents can learn to take an emotional temperature and prescribe accordingly. We are committed to helping caregivers develop the tools to restore healthy coping strategies, resilience and a sense of calm in their family. Research evidence suggests that coaching parents in this way can be just as effective as direct therapy with a child. We support you so that you may better support your child.

Goals

-Help parents to empathise with the child's worries to create a safe space for conversation

-Explore the root of the worry by asking the right questions

-Problem-solving with the child

-Empowering  a child to face their fear

- Learn Mindfulness and Simplicity Parenting techniques to support a worried child (and ourselves as parents)

-Creating a structure of positive reinforcement and encouraging confidence in the child to experiment with strategies