Clinics
Clinics
The Anxiety Disorders Clinic
Children experience fear and anxiety from time to time. Anxiety is important and has positive effects. It warns us of danger, and it motivates us to get things done. However, at least 1 in 10 children suffer from severe anxiety, meeting criteria for an anxiety disorder and anxiety is the most common psychological problem in children. When anxiety becomes a problem, it can cause distress to your child, and it can get in the way of everyday activities, schoolwork and friendships. Anxiety disorders include: Generalised Anxiety, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder.
The Anxiety Disorders Clinic
What Does Anxiety Look Like?
- Anxious children and young people usually have anxious thoughts that go around and around in their head, a bit like a broken record player. Their thoughts may focus on a perceived threat, fear, or perceived future negative outcome. Often these thoughts are “irrational” (they are not supported by real evidence).
- Anxiety causes physiological changes in the body associated with the fight/flight/freeze response (e.g., increased heart rate, increased breathing, sweating, and nausea). This response can cause children to freeze, fidget, pace, cry, cling and/or shake.
- Children may also display “Avoidance” behaviours.
Clinicians that work within The Anxiety Disorders Clinic have extensive experience in treating anxiety disorders throughout the lifespan. Your child will be supported to develop a range of tools and resources to effectively manage and reduce their anxiety. Treatment involves core strategies within a cognitive behavioural framework that usually includes:
- Psychoeducation about the nature of anxiety
- Developing an awareness of one’s thoughts and body sensations
- Activity scheduling and behaviour activation
- Relaxation and stress reduction techniques
- Disputation and detective thinking
- Cognitive restructuring or reframing
- Exposure therapy with a graded hierarchy
- Behavioural experiments
Treatment planning is individualised and may also draw from other best practice frameworks such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) where appropriate.
Extensive experience in treating anxiety disorders.
Making An Appointment
The Anxiety Disorders Clinic operates from both Ivanhoe and Hampton. For more information or to make an appointment, please contact either clinic.