Abstract
This chapter provides an overview and rationale for using the concepts of feeling recognition and management early in the Taming Sneaky Fears program, i.e., during one parent session (P-Session 1) and three child sessions (C-Sessions 1, 2, and 5). It offers detailed, step-by-step guidelines on how to implement these sessions and teach four- to seven-year-old children and their parents: (1) feeling recognition (or How to Be a Feeling Catcher by doing a Body Scan in P-Session 1 and C-Sessions 1 and 2 and by using the Feeling Thermometer in P-Session 1 and C-Session 5); and (2) relaxation strategies (or How to Be the Boss of My Body by using Spaghetti Arms and Toes in P-Session 1 and C-Session 1 and Balloon Breathing and Imagery in P-Session 1 and C-Session 2). The chapter suggests adaptations for four- to seven-year-old children with selective mutism and social anxiety disorder and their parents.
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Notes
- 1.
If parents are in charge of bringing the snacks for the child group sessions, it is typically at that moment that the parent who brings the snack for Session 1 gives the snack to one of the child group therapists.
- 2.
The list of puppets the children can use and the puppets reserved for the child group therapists is provided in Sect. 6.3.3.2.
- 3.
If the parent group therapists do not have enough time to deliver all the information that is planned in P-Session 1, we recommend covering the material that was not covered in P-Session 1 at the beginning of P-Session 2, but be aware that P-Session 2 is also content heavy, so it is best for the parent group therapists to carefully pace themselves.
- 4.
The Parent Manual is provided as one of the Supplementary Materials in Chap. 6.
- 5.
The Supplementary Child Workbook is provided as one of the Supplementary Materials in Chap. 6.
- 6.
Koeppen (1974) first described how group therapists could encourage children to squeeze their fists as if they are squeezing the juice out of lemons when doing progressive muscle relaxation. The Taming Sneaky Fears group treatment program adopted this strategy.
- 7.
In subsequent C-Sessions, the child group therapists have additional tasks to complete during Circle Time and these tasks are described in relevant sections of each chapter.
- 8.
The workbook section of Taming Sneaky Fears —Leo the Lion’s story of bravery & Inside Leo’s den: The workbook (Benoit & Monga 2018a, b) contains a number of other drawings that children could do; however, due to time constraints of the group sessions, these drawings are not done in the group (during the parent group sessions and at the final Session 8 (graduation), parents are informed that there are additional drawings that they could encourage their children to do to help the children further integrate what they have learned during the group program).
References
Benoit, D., & Monga, S. (2018a). Apprivoiser les Peurs-pas-fines—L’histoire de bravoure de Léo le lionceau & Dans la tanière de Léo: Le cahier de travail. Victoria, British Columbia: FriesenPress.
Benoit, D., & Monga, S. (2018b). Taming sneaky fears—Leo the Lion’s story of bravery & Inside Leo’s den: The workbook. Victoria, British Columbia: FriesenPress.
Koeppen, A. S. (1974). Relaxation training for children. Elementary School Guidance & Counseling, 9, 14–21.
Manassis, K. (2008). Keys to parenting your anxious child (2nd ed.). Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s Educational Series.
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Monga, S., Benoit, D. (2018). The Taming Sneaky Fears Program: How to Be a Feeling Catcher and the Boss of My Body. In: Assessing and Treating Anxiety Disorders in Young Children. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-04939-3_8
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