School Anxiety Workshop
July & August Workshops Available -- Flexible workshop dates.
Is school anxiety holding your child back? Many young people feel overwhelmed by academic pressure, social worries, or big changes. At With You in Mind Counselling, we understand these challenges. Our dedicated School Anxiety Workshop is specifically designed to equip young people with the essential coping skills for anxiety, transforming worry into newfound confidence and resilience.
Our 4-week workshops run weekly, same day/time, in small groups (max 4 people) for focused, personalised learning. £20 per session. More information about each week is outlined below:
Week 1: Understanding Anxiety
This foundational week is all about bringing clarity to what can feel like overwhelming and confusing emotions. We aim to normalise anxiety and create a sense of empowerment knowledge: and self-understanding.
Deciphering Anxiety's Signals: The workshop will look at identifying anxiety and exploring how it manifests physically, such as a "fizzy stomach" or tense shoulders. It will also cover emotional indicators like irritability and constant worry, as well as behavioural cues like avoiding classes or social situations. Recognising these signs early makes anxiety feel less scary and more manageable.
Creative Therapy for Deeper Processing: 'Feel It' and 'Emotion' Cards can help name and discuss a wider range of emotions, building emotional vocabulary and communication skills in a non-threatening way. We also look at using creative sandtray work which allows a creative and symbolic representations of school experiences, challenges, and feelings. This non-verbal approach helps process complex anxieties or social dynamics in a safe, contained space.
A Closer Look at Each Week:
Week 2: Spotting Your Triggers
Once we understand what anxiety feels like, this week focuses on why it appears. Identifying triggers is a powerful step in preventing anxiety from taking over:
Diet and Lifestyle's Role: We’ll discuss how factors like consuming too much caffeine (found in fizzy drinks or energy drinks) can make anxiety symptoms worse, or how inconsistent nutrition might affect mood and energy levels. We’ll also explore how a lack of regular, quality sleep can leave the brain feeling wired and more prone to worry.
Mindset and Environment: We’ll delve into "messy thinking" – when negative thoughts spiral or become overwhelming – and offer simple ways to challenge these thought patterns. We’ll also consider how a physically messy or disorganised environment can sometimes mirror or contribute to internal feelings of chaos and stress.
Self-Care and External Pressures: We'll gently introduce the concept of "self-neglect" (like not eating well or getting enough rest) and how it can deplete inner resources, making anxiety harder to cope with. We’ll also look at common external stressors, such as academic demands, friendship dynamics, or family changes, and how understanding these anxiety triggers helps your child develop proactive strategies rather than just reacting to feelings.
Week 3: Managing Your Anxiety
This week is all about building a powerful, personal toolkit of coping skills for anxiety that your child can use anytime, anywhere.
Unlocking Inner Resources and Strengths: Through guided discussion and simple exercises, we look at identifying unique strengths. This might include problem-solving skills, creativity, resilience from past challenges, or being a good friend. Recognising these inherent positive qualities helps build self-belief, reminding them they already possess tools to navigate difficulties.
Hands-On Techniques for Immediate Relief: The workshop will teach easy-to-learn, effective techniques, including activities such as Diaphragmatic (Belly) Breathing, a simple yet powerful technique to calm the nervous system, and the 5-4-3-2-1 Grounding Exercise, a quick sensory exercise to bring focus back to the present moment during anxious feelings. Additionally, Simple Progressive Muscle Relaxation, which involves tensing and relaxing different muscle groups, will be taught to release physical tension. These techniques provide immediate relief and a sense of control.
Mindfulness and Visualisation for Lasting Calm: We’ll introduce mindfulness for teens – the practice of bringing gentle awareness to the present moment, noticing thoughts and feelings without judgment. Guided visualisation techniques will help children create peaceful mental spaces, like imagining a calm beach or successfully navigating a challenging school day, fostering relaxation and positive mental rehearsal.
Week 4: Empowering Self-Expression and Self-Worth
The final week integrates emotional understanding with creative expression, solidifying new coping skills and fostering a stronger sense of self.
Cultivating Self-Esteem and Compassion: We’ll explore the deep connection between self-perception and anxiety levels. Through discussions and activities, we focus on building positive affirmations – short, powerful beliefs– to challenge negative self-talk and reinforce self-acceptance. We'll also practice self-compassion, encouraging kindness and understanding that we so offer offer to others but struggle to offer ourselves, a vital skill for building resilience.
Expressing Through Creativity: A gentle, creative activity offers a unique way to externalise difficult feelings, with activities such as drawing or writing about worries. This process helps create distance, making anxiety feel less intense. It's a safe, non-pressured way to begin communicating challenging emotions. We may also use tools such as Stone Painting for Affirmations as a tactile activity which can be taken away and become reminders of strengths and newfound confidence.
