There is now broad agreement among anxiety researchers that about one-third of anxiety in children is due to genes and temperament, while two-thirds of anxiety habits are learnt. This means that children mostly learn anxious thinking habits in the way they interact with others or situations. The goal of Anxiety Coach is to help parents develop strategies to help their children deal well with potentially anxiety producing situations. The course will cover the following topics:

• An overview of how a well-honed theory of parenting (what you need to repeatedly do) can assist parents to manage children’s worries.

• Some brain basics, including how the pre-frontal middle cortex and the amygdala operate, and where fear and anxiety originate.

• Commonly misused phrases and cognitive distortions used by children and their peers.

• A helicopter view of what risks we can allow and which require us to keep children safe. • ‘Traps and trip wires’: what to do when a child’s amygdala starts to play-up.

• Memorable strengthening sayings, questioning strategies and mindfulness exercises