1. Introducing No Worries - Primary
on behalf of
Sheri Wright
Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist
(Emotional Health and Well Being)
Dr Aimée Webster
Educational Psychologist

2. No Worries - Primary A Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
Programme aimed at reducing
anxiety in children
Facilitator’s Manual
Kim Jeffries - Principal Educational Psychologist
Sheri Wright - Specialist Senior Educational Psychologist
Shropshire Educational Psychology Service
Targeting Mental Health Support
Safeguarding Support Services

3. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy
Behavioural Psychology
All behaviour is learnt
Observable behaviour
Reinforcement of behaviour
Cognitive Psychology
Aaron Beck (1976) working with depressed patients discovered that their own thoughts were leading to feelings of depression

4. The Negative Cycle
The aim of the programme is to disrupt the negative cycle and to replace it with more positive thinking and behaviour.
The links between thoughts, feelings, behaviour and physiology are highlighted throughout the programme.
Adapted from Stallard 1988

5. Unhelpful Thoughts about Ourselves and Our Future
I’m not very good at
making friends
I’m never going to be happy
Everything I do goes wrong
These unhelpful thoughts can make us feel unhappy and worried. Feeling unhappy and worried can often stop us from doing things. If we do less, we become less successful.

6. An example of a negative cycle
Thoughts
That’s the worst I’ve ever played.
That’s the worst I’ve ever read out loud.
That’s the worst I’ve done in maths/numeracy.
Body Signs
Red cheeks.
Heat beating faster.
On the verge of tears.
Feelings
Embarrassed.
Disappointed.
Behaviour
Decides not to attend training anymore.
Decides not to read aloud again.
Decides not to try in maths/numeracy.

7. The Psycho-Social Model
This programme uses the psycho-social model (Williams and Garland 2002)
Feelings
Physiology
Behaviour
Thoughts
This model looks at the interaction between our thoughts, feelings, behaviour and physiology

8. No Worries - Primary Session 1 Establishing the Group
Session 2 Signs and Signals
Session 3 Relaxation
Session 4 Helpful versus Unhelpful Thinking
Session 5 Challenging Unhelpful Thoughts
Session 6 Achieving Our Goal
Session 7 Planning for Success
Session 8 You are Not on Your Own

9. Structure of Each Session
Warm up
Psycho-educational
Activity
Relaxation
Between session task

10. Warm Up Activity
Giraffes Can’t Dance - Giles Andreae and Guy Parker-Rees
Read the story and ask the children to identify whether Gerald is having a thought or a feeling or action by putting their hands on their head (for thoughts) or heart (for feeling) or moving arms (for action).

11. Anxiety has a Biological Function
Facilitator’s Notes
Anxiety has a Biological Function
When we feel threatened, the body releases adrenaline to prepare us for fight, flight or freeze.
(Adapted from SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning) Secondary Resource sheet i.4.1: Fight or Flight)

12. What happens when we pay attention to unhelpful thoughts?
Session 4 - Activity 3
What happens when we pay attention to unhelpful thoughts?
In groups of 2 - 3, discuss the possible outcomes in terms of feelings and behaviour of paying attention to these unhelpful thoughts. 
Thought
Feelings
What We Do
“I don’t think she likes me”
“I’m rubbish at Maths”
After an argument with my friend -
“You are not my friend any more”
“I bet everyone thinks I’m stupid”
“Everyone else is going to the party”

13. Session 5 - Handout Positive Self-Talk
Sometimes when people have recurring unhelpful thoughts it can be helpful to counteract this with positive self talk or helpful thinking. These are some common examples:
I can try my best.
It doesn’t matter what they think.
I’ve done it before I can do it again.
It’s OK to make mistakes.
People won’t be concentrating on me.
My family and friends will support me.
I’ll give it a try.
Between Session Task
Try to identify a recurring unhelpful thought and replace it with some positive self talk.
Be prepared to come back to the group and talk about your positive self-talk and what difference it has made.

14. Quantitative Evaluation Tools
Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (8 – 15 years)
SCARED-R (The screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders – Revised (6 – 19 years)).
Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scales (For Adults)

15. Qualitative Evaluation
Children’s Centre staff reported after their Adult Parents/Carers Group:
“One parent came back into the room after the last session and told us”
‘I started the group with a diagnosis of post-natal depression, I really feel that I am leaving without it!’.

16. Any Questions?