Anxiety and Mental Health Resources for Families
Anxiety and Mental Health
Anxiety is a developmentally inappropriate fear of an anticipated future threat. There are several anxiety disorders that differ from one another in the types of objects or situations that induce fear, anxiety, or avoidance behaviour, and the associated thoughts.
It is normal for students to demonstrate developmentally appropriate symptoms of anxiety or to be anxious in response to certain situations or anticipated future threats. A good article to help differentiate between the two is: Understood: The Difference Between Typical Anxiety and an Anxiety Problem
Understanding Anxiety Webinar for HCOS parents by Julie Bohni (Counsellor)
Wired for Connection Webinar for HCOS parents by Julie Bohni (Counsellor)
- An Effective Approach When Kids Feel Anxious, with Dr. Kendra Read (5 min video)
- Video on Anxiety by AXIS (HCOS subscription username: hcos.family and password: axis2020)
BC Support Websites:
- BC Helpline for Children 24-hour helpline for all BC youth 310-1234 (no area code needed)
- Wellness Together (Covid-19 Specific resources)
- Jack.org #dosomething Youth Mental Heath Advocates
- WellbeingBC
- FoundryBC on Anxiety
- AnxietyBC
- AnxietyBC Youth
- Anxious Toddlers to Anxious Teens
- START - Short Term Assessment Response Treatment - Fraser Valley
- Canadian Mental Health - Youth Resources
- Dealing with Depression
- Anxiety Canada App: MindShift
- Dwell (app) reads the Bible with time for reflection, calm music, repetition
- May7ICare - Resources for MiddleSchool and Highschool
- LilyJo Project Mental Health resources - topics like Anxiety, stress, self-harm, eating disorders, abuse (UK resource)
-
Interior Health Crisis Line (for anyone) 1-888-353-2273
Free Counselling
- UBCO counselling - virtual, free and ongoing support
- Wellness Together Canada - virtual, free, live counselling for adults and youth
- BC Covid Mental Health Network - free, phone-based, short-term support with a counsellor. Email bccovidtherapists@gmail.com to receive an appointment time.
- List of local and situation specific free counsellors and resources across BC
Books on Stress & Anxiety for Students:
- Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes
- Wilma Jean the Worry Machine by Julia Cook
- David and the Worry Beast by Anne Marie Guanci
- When My Worries Get Too Big by Kari dunn Buron (uses 5 point scale)
- What to Do When You Worry Too Much by Dawn Huebner
- What to Do When You're Scared and Worried by James J. Crist
- Stress can Really Get on your Nerves by Trevor Romain
- Workbooks:
- I Feel Worried by Nadine Briggs and Donna Shea
- Coping Skills for Kids Workbook by Janine Halloran
Courses for Kids on Managing their Anxiety
- Butterflies in your Tummy - a Lesson on Anxiety for Kids
- How to Overcome Test-Taking Anxiety
- Coping with Anxiety for Teens
- Right Now Media - Compass and Light
- Anxiety Canada - My Anxiety Plan
Treatment Options & Strategies for Anxiety:
- FoundryBC Anxiety screening tool
- Foundry Virtual
- AnxietyBC
- AnxietyBC Youth
- BounceBack: For Adults and Youth
- MindShift App
- FoundryBC recommended Apps and Tools
- MonSTRESSity game
- Worry Rockets game
- Resources for Treating Selective Mutism
- Resource for Identifying and Supporting Students with OCD in Schools
- Coping Strategies for Supporting Students
- Coping Strategies for Supporting Students with Social Anxiety
- Diagram for Treatment
- What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (BC children's Hospital)
Resources on Anxiety for Parents and Teachers:
- Why Smart Kids Worry and What Parents can do to Help by Allison Edwards
- Martin M Antony has made four of his now out of print books available by download
- Teach Mental Health - Free course through UBC
- Bring Mental Heath to School - A Curriculum Resource for Grades 7 - 12
- EASE - Everyday Anxiety Strategies for Educators
- Cooling Down Teen Stress - Classroom resource kit
- News Report on Teen Phone use and Anxiety
- WE Well-being Grades 4-6
- Ministry of Education Mental Well-being Information and Resources
- Improving Mental Health (Canadian Mental Health Association) CMHA
HCOS Learning Commons Books and Book Packs on Anxiety:
Curated list of Anxiety and Worry resources on SORA - digital books, audio books
- Understanding Intense Emotions and Strong Feelings Pack
- Helping your Anxious child & Squirmy Wormy Pack
- My Feelings Game
- Taming the Worry Dragons for Teens
- The Explosive child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children
- Taming Worry Dragons Kit
- Freeing your child From Anxiety Pack
- Turnaround: Turning Fear Into Freedom
- Anger and Anxiety Management Kit
- No More Meltdowns Pack
- Rosie's Brain
- Ish by Peter H Reynolds
- Frankie Rides a Bike by Paulette Bourgeois
- The things Lou Couldn’t Do by Ashly Spires
- Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henke
Tools to Relax, Manage Anxiety, Get Grounded
- 5 senses:
- Look at something - Be present
- Feel something -
- Squeeze your arms (deep pressure)
- Cross your arms and tap them,
- Use your tongue to put pressure on the roof of your mouth, hum, sing, have a hot cup of tea, or a very cold drink
- Progressive muscle relaxation - tighten muscles, hold and release
- Smell something - Aromatherapy, essential oils
- Taste something - an orange tic tac, a mint, food - slow down and be intentional when eating
- Listen to something - music, particularly in the 70-90 beats a minute range
- Name 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
- 5 things you can see, 4 you can hear, 3 you can feel, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste
- Create a sense of power and control
- "I can choose when to wake up, what to eat, how to exercise, to feel competent"
- General
- Continue to have or build a structure, routine
- Limit intake of [negative] information
- Pray, read your Bible, ground, breathe
- Build skill/competence
- Connect with others, yourself, God
- Exercise
- Be in nature
- Take thoughts captive - "Right now..." rather than "What if..."
- Breath: Belly Breath with Elmo; Bubbles with Fish, Mindful breathing,Cocoa Breathing
- Toss a ball between two people is co-regulating and access the parasympathetic system
HCOS Publications on Mental Health:
- "Motivation" video by Emma Codling (HCOS Student)
- "A Spirit of Love, Power and Self-Control" newsletter article by Carmen Timmermans
- "Exploring the Link between Anxiety and Learning Disabilities" by Carmen Timmermans
- "Anxiety" by Bruce Hildebrandt
- "10 Things to Help with Testing Anxiety and the FSAs" by Carmen Timmermans
- "Empathy and Anxiety" by Carmen Timmermans
- Example of Anxiety Activity by Karen Roeck
6 minute video about Anxiety by Marcia Mishchenko, LS consultant
When Anxiety/Mental Health is related to Learning Disabilities
- Dyslexia, Self-Harm and Attempted Suicide
- Keeping Students with Learning Disabilities Motivated at Home
When it is more than Anxiety
The goal at HCOS is to promote healthy development, prevent disorders and provide treatment to those children with disorders. (Child and Youth Mental Disorders: Prevalence and Evidence-Based Intervention, pg 11)
- Teacher Knowledge Update on Mental Disorders
- Video on Anxiety Disorders "Crash Course Psychology #29
- Video on Depressive and Bipolar Disorders "Crash Course Psychology #30
- Video on Trauma and Addiction "Crash Course Psychology #31
- Video on Schizophrenia and Dissociative Disorders Crash Course Psychology #32
- Video on Eating and Body Dysmorphic Disorders Crash Course Psychology #33
- Video on Personality Disorders Crash Course Psychology #34
Self-Care
Starting with yourself. What are you modelling?