I’ve already used this workbook once, and found it to be a very useful tool to overcome my daughter’s anxiety. I’ve just ordered my second copy to use with my son and his food neophobia.

What to Do When You Worry Too Much: A Kid’s Guide to Overcoming Anxiety

explains anxiety in child friendly terms and ends each chapter with an exercise to help your child take control of their worry.

The first chapter uses the analogy of planting a single seed, explaining how that one seed can grow into a giant tomato plant, producing far more fruit than one person could ever find a use for. The dilemma of being buried under a mountain of tomatoes all started from that one, very tiny seed.

The next eight chapters help identify when anxiety is in control, and what it feels like. Gradually, we hope to put a face on anxiety and set in motion the process of gaining control over it.

Building on three cognitive-behavior principles, (containment, externalization and competing demands), each chapter explains simple step-by-step techniques to help your child take control of their anxiety by looking at worry in an entertaining and humorous way.

We’ll be starting this journey in May. Stay tuned as we work our way through each chapter and see if putting a face on anxiety means putting it in a place where it doesn’t need a menu.