1. Creekside Middle School Parent Coffee
Presenter:
Laura Guzzi, LCSW
St. Vincent Carmel Hospital
Medical Social Services

2. Let’s talk about anxiety
Anxiety is normal
Anxiety is adaptive
Anxiety is not dangerous

3. Fight, Flight or Freeze
When the amygdala is triggered, information is not transferred to our pre-frontal cortex. This means that our “fight-flight-freeze” response is triggered.
We react, rather than have an opportunity to choose our response.

4. Friendships
School
Family

5. Impact of Technology

6. Anxiety can manifest physically:
Insomnia
Pain

7. Emotionally
Separation Anxiety
Worry
Rumination

8. Behaviorally
Acting Out
Anger
Rituals

9. Talking with Kids about anxiety:
Talk about our amygdala and it’s role in the fight-flight-freeze response – if we can name it, we can tame it
Help kids understand that while they cannot always control the stimulus around them, they can help manage their response to it
Facilitate resilience by encouraging a growth mindset about stress/anxiety

10. Tools for Relaxation
Smell the Soup…Cool the Soup
4-7-8 Breathing – Breathe in for a count of 4, hold your breath for a count of 7 and slowly release your breath to a count of 8.
Progressive muscle relaxation
The Naming Game – Naming items you see in the room can often help distract anxious thoughts. (ie –blue vase, green chair, red flowers)
Meditation – Loving Kindness Meditation
Aromatherapy – Oils like lavender and mandarin are great to help manage anxiety
The more often you practice these exercises, the more quickly your body recognizes what you are doing and you can access a state of relaxation more quickly.

11. Strike a Pose
Experiment:
Blow Bubbles
Gratitude Journal
Go Outside