Anxiety and worry are common issues when counseling children. The source of anxiety in children may be generated from many underlying issues. Children often reflect the worry and anxiety that they witness from their parents and caregivers. Often times it is helpful to work with the entire family system to combat issues of anxiety and worry. Here are a few creative techniques that are very useful when counseling children with anxiety.
THE WORRY WARRIOR
Creating the worry warrior can be a very fun and therapeutic activity for children. Simply use an old cereal box (or similar) and cut a slit into the box. The client will write down their worries and anxieties and "feed" them to the worry warrior!
THE WORRY BOX
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The worry box is a great way for children to combat their worries at home. By having the child create a worry box, they are able to write down all of their worries that they may experience between counseling sessions. This way the child does not have to think about their worries all week, but can simply write them down and not worry about them again until they are with the counselor!
GAME: BRIDGE OVER WORRIED WATERS
This is perhaps my favorite therapy game! It is specifically created for children who have anxiety. The game is filled with problematic scenarios in which the child will choose a coping skill to combat the problem. For example:
Problem: "You have a big test tomorrow at school"
Coping Skill Choices: "Take 10 slow deep breaths", "Talk to a trusted adult", "Listen to your favorite music"
This game is available for purchase on The LearningOutlet for $34.99, or I encourage you to create your own homemade version!
