From the Canadian Mental Health Association:

A new, free service is available to help BC families with young children who are experiencing challenges with anxiety. The Confident Parents: Thriving Kids – Anxiety Program is a phone-based coaching service for parents and caregivers that effectively reduces mild to moderate anxiety in their children ages 3 – 12.

Through a series of online videos demonstrating key concepts and approaches, supported by 4 to 8 weekly coaching sessions, parents and caregivers build skills and strategies they can use with their child at home, at school and with friends.

Developed by the Canadian Mental Health Association, BC Division in collaboration with BC experts who work extensively with children experiencing anxiety and their families, this ‘made in BC’ program incorporates concepts from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

The new Anxiety Program builds on the success of the award-winning Confident Parents: Thriving Kids – Behaviour Program, in which 85% of families who complete the program report good or very good improvement in their child’s behaviour.

These phone- and web-based programs improve access to early interventions by reducing barriers to support such as long wait times, cost, distance and stigma associated with accessing interventions.

Confident Parents: Thriving Kids – Anxiety Program is available at no cost to families across BC through physician, teacher or counsellor referral.

For more information and referral forms, please visit www.confidentparentsbc.ca.