Anxiety can be crippling for teenagers. Having the opportunity to share their worries with others and find strength in unity can be profoundly helpful for young people as they grow.  In this course, we will focus on learning how and why worry happens and developing coping strategies that will help alleviate the symptoms of participants. 

Anxiety is complex and can stem from a variety of sources. For the purposes of this course, we will not be digging into the root causes of each student's worry. However, students will be asked to reflect on personal fears and may choose to share if they are comfortable doing so. Parents will be asked to be involved partners in helping students be successful in their classroom work by practicing learned skills with them.

I highly recommend the Anxiety Workbook for Teens, by Lisa M. Schab, LCSW to use with this class. This journal-style workbook is not required, but is helpful. I will list the exercises that students using this book should do each week to correlate to our classwork. Here is the structure and schedule of the class:

Week One:
Introductions
Ground rules and creating a safe space
You aren't alone
Rapport building 

Week Two:
Understanding worry and its physical symptoms
Extension exercises

Week Three:
Mindfulness
Extension exercises

Week Four:
Avoidance and getting back in the game
Extension exercises

Week Five:
Thinking errors (part 1)
Grounding
Extension exercises

Week Six:
Thinking errors (part 2)
Extension exercises

Week Seven:
Challenging thoughts
Extension exercises

Week Eight:
Self-rescue
Extension exercises

Week Nine:
Movement
Practice exercises

Week Ten:
Gratitude
Creative expression
Wrap up and group closure

As this is a flex class, there are no live meetings. Students may complete class work on their own schedule, but will be expected to move forward at the weekly pace of the class to allow for discussion and ensure understanding. Each week, students will be asked to work through a lesson that will be posted in the Oustchool classroom. Lessons will include a lecture video and assignments that correspond with the teaching. Students will be expected to answer interactive questions and encouraged to engage in on-topic conversation in the Outschool classroom.  

Families choose flexible format (FLEX) classes for many reasons. The most common, being the opportunity to access course material at their convenience and not have to schedule around the class. Flex courses can be taken anytime, anywhere! Additionally, sensitive subject areas are difficult for some students to discuss in person (such as behavioral health or puberty). Flex classes give students a measure of anonymity that can be comforting. 

Students enrolled in this class will have ample opportunity to interact through discussion questions. I respond to student answers on a near-daily basis. I enjoy the opportunity to take time answering each student's questions that the flex format affords me!