B3iii: Review of Anxiety Management Program Little Champions: Becoming Worry Warriors

Danielle Kavin

Little Champions: Becoming Worry Warriors

Danielle Kavin MA RCC
Child and Youth Mental Health
Danielle.kavin@gov.bc.ca

Learning Objectives
-

Review the anxiety program Little Champions: Becoming a Worry Warrior

Increase awareness of how Cognitive Behavior Therapy can be modified for younger children (3-7
years of age)
Increase understanding of the value of parental involvement for anxiety treatment in children and
youth

Little Champions Curriculum

6-8 week psycho-educational group for anxiety management
First 4 sessions are for parents only
Last 3-4 sessions are for parents and children
After each parent session the parents are given homework to help increase their own awareness and to
begin to prepare their children for the group
Two types of homework are given to parents:
-

To help increase parents understanding of anxiety

For parents to introduce to their children the concept of anxiety and assist them in understanding
how anxiety affects them

Little Champions Sessions

Session 1 Understanding anxiety
-

Mindfulness activity
What is anxiety, the purpose of anxiety and the brain and anxiety
Normal developmental fears and when anxiety becomes a concern
Why anxiety affects some kids more than others
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (what it is, how it is used for young children)
Pathway to anxiety (thoughts, feelings, body sensations, behaviours)

Child and Youth Mental Health Matters Conference, Vancouver, BC, May 6 - 8, 2012

B3iii: Review of Anxiety Management Program Little Champions: Becoming Worry Warriors
Danielle Kavin

Session 2 Becoming a good coach

-

Progressive muscle relaxation

Understanding own anxieties
Understanding how parents actions/behaviours affect childs anxiety
Emphasizing love, affection and encouragement
Being mindful of your own feelings and judgements towards your child
Learning from mistakes

Session 3 CBT for Anxiety

-

Finding a special place

Anxious thoughts in children
Basic thinking errors, Challenging thoughts, parenting responses that make it worse
Anxious feeling in children, challenging feelings
Anxious behaviours in children, challenging behaviours

Session 4 Creating a coping plan

-

Stories with stuffies

Learning to self-sooth
Empowering children to deal with the worry
Creating the plan
Getting others involved

Session 5 Parents and Children

-

Introduce anxiety to kids

Feelings
Understanding thoughts, feelings, body sensations and behaviours
Blowing bubbles
Yoga
Story

Session 6 parents and children

-

Introduce feelings and body sensations

Drawing bodies with feelings
Progressive muscle relaxation
Filling bucket of coping strategies

Session 7 parents and children

-

Introduce anxious thoughts and behaviours

Talk about thinking
Positive self talk
Story: recognizing scary thoughts
Distractions
Special place

Booster session as needed and as directed

Child and Youth Mental Health Matters Conference, Vancouver, BC, May 6 - 8, 2012

B3iii: Review of Anxiety Management Program Little Champions: Becoming Worry Warriors
Danielle Kavin

CBT for Little ones

Strong emphasis on parent participation

Education to parents on developmental differences with children aged 3-7
Introduction with children in understanding thoughts, feelings and behaviors
Games and activities to assist children in recognizing thoughts, feelings and behaviors
encourage a mixed age range for group

Parental Participation

Parental participation for anxiety treatment with children of all ages

Kavin, D., Schulz, B. & Loewen, K. (2011, December). Parental Involvement in the Treatment of Childhood
Anxiety. Insights to Clinical Counselling: BC Association for Clinical Counsellors.
http://bc-counsellors.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/IICC-Winter-2011.pdf

Participation with younger children

Being aware of parental responses
Acting as a cheerleader to the child
Transferring the responsibility to the child

References
Hirshfeld-Becker, D.R. (2006). Being Brave A program for Coping with Anxiety for young children and their
parents. Boston, MA: Massachusettes General Hospital.
Goldstein, Hagar, and Brooks. (2002). Seven Steps to Help Your Child Worry Less. Boston, MA: Specialty
Press/ADD Warehouse.
Lyneham, H.J., Abbott, M.J., Wignall, A. & Rapee, R.M. (2003). The Cool Kids Program. MUARU:Macquarie
University, Sidney.
Newth, S. (2003) Anxiety Disorders Toolkit: Information and resources for effective self-management of anxiety
and anxiety disorders. New Westminster: BC. Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information.
Garland, E.J., Clark, S.L. (2009). Taming Worry Dragons: A manual for children, parents, and other coaches
(4th ed.). Vancouver, BC: BC Childrens Hospital.
Barrett, P. (2004). Friends for Life. Bowen Hills, Qld.: Australian Academic Press.
Bourne, E.J. (2005). The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook (4th ed.). Oakland, CA: New Harbinger.
Kendall, P.C. & Hedtke, K.A. (2006). The Coping Cat Workbook (2nd ed.). Ardmore, PA: Workbook Publishing.
DuPont Spencer, E., DuPont, R.L. & DuPont, C.M. (2003). The Anxiety Cure for Kids: A guide for parents.
Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons Inc.

Child and Youth Mental Health Matters Conference, Vancouver, BC, May 6 - 8, 2012

B3iii: Review of Anxiety Management Program Little Champions: Becoming Worry Warriors
Danielle Kavin

Perepletchikova, F., Axelrod, S.R., Kaufman, J., Rounsaville, B.J., Douglas-Palumberi, H. & Miller, A.L. (2011).
Adapting Dialectical behavior therapy for children: Towards a new research agenda for paediatric
suicidal and non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors. Child and Adolescent Mental Health, 16 (2), 116-121.
Webster-Stratton, C. (no date). Helping children learn to regulate their emotions. From:
www.incredibleyears.com University of Washington.
Wilcox, P. (2011). Trauma treatment for children. From www.traumatreatment.blogspot.com

Resources in BC
www.forcesociety.com
The F.O.R.C.E. Society for Kids' Mental Health is a provincial organization that provides families with an opportunity to
speak with other families who understand and may be able to offer support or advice on what has worked for them. The
F.O.R.C.E. also provides families and professionals with information, tools, and tips on how to support and assist children
with mental health difficulties.
www.CMHA.ca
A guide to understanding mental illness and how to get help for mental health concerns.
www.heretohelp.bc.ca
Gives introductions to mental illnesses including Bipolar Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety Disorders,
and Child & Youth Mental Health. Also provides tips on improving mental health, and BC resources for individuals and
families managing mental illnesses.
www.aacap.org
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry website, providing facts on issues that affect kids, teens, and
families.
www.familieschange.ca
A guide for parents and kids experiencing separation and divorce.
www.caringforkids.org
Tools to enhance adult/child relationships.
Resources for anxiety disorders:
www.anxietybc.ca
www.adaa.org
http://worrywisekids.org

Child and Youth Mental Health Matters Conference, Vancouver, BC, May 6 - 8, 2012