*This class is meant to be educational only and should not replace actual talk therapy or be used to treat or diagnose any mental health conditions.*


Understanding the science behind anxiety is kind of like revealing the man behind the curtain (for my Wizard of Oz fans). Students will learn that these feelings, while sometimes overwhelming, are not something to be feared. Instead, they will gain the understanding that they can take control of their own actions and emotions. The skills we will work on together are designed to empower your child to tackle these feelings when they arise. This is a crucial step in their journey towards managing their anxiety more effectively. 

SEPTEMBER
Week 1 - Which parts of the brain does anxiety affect? We'll cover the limbic 
system, brain stem, and frontal lobe; their functions and duties. Bonus: What actually is brain freeze?
Week 2 - The 4 "F's" Identifying which one you are. Intro to anxiety journal. Breath work - Box breathing, 5-finger breathing, and emergency brake breath. 
Week 3 - Grounding exercises. 5-4-3-2-1 method, peripheral vision game. 
Week 4- What is the parasympathetic system? Where are your parasympathetic fibers? Hint: You have some on your face! 
Resource: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553141/#:~:text=The%20parasympathetic%20nervous%20system%20predominates,digestion%20and%20urination.%5B1%5D

OCTOBER
Week 1 - Test anxiety - study methods for relief and strategies to calm the jitters. 
Week 2 - Circle of control. Establishing and maintaining healthy boundaries.
Week 3 - The importance of sleep. How much do we need? We will look at the article from Harvard Health on what foods help with anxiety. Food bingo board! 
Week 4 - Social media etiquette, when to unplug. The power of posting positive messages game. 

NOVEMBER
Week 1 - Eat the frog method of tackling hard projects, brain dump and organize worksheets. Both methods are intended to reduce stress and anxiety with schoolwork and responsibilities giving students a sense of control over their own schedules. 
Week 2 - Organize our lives week - PDF for getting organized to reduce stress. + helpful tips.
Week 3 - Self-care. What is it really, and how often do we need it? 
Week 4 -  Support circle - Friends, family, pets. The importance of a circle and how to accept help with gratitude. Gratitude journal PDF included for this week. 
... More to come 

Each week covers a different set of skills but they do not build upon each other and we will conduct reviews often so students may join or leave when they need to and will not miss any content.