Supporting Young People When Events Increase Their Anxiety

The children and youth in your care might already struggle with anxiety over their own life experiences. In addition, worry may gnaw at them when there is upheaval in their schools and communities, or when they hear or read about world events. Anxiety can show up in a variety of ways—physical pain, emotional dysregulation, trouble sleeping, and feelings that can be hard to name or explain. Be sure to talk with your child’s therapist, doctor, and other professionals for support.

Additionally, here are some resources to help your family cope:

For young children, this PBS Kids cartoon offers strategies to feel calm.

This article by PBS Kids offers four things to do when a child is worried, and helps kids and caregivers become “feelings detectives.”

In this post, Children’s Hospital Colorado helps you strategize how to talk about upsetting current events by age group. 

Here the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing shares a five-step process to help young people, and you, navigate turbulence.