Professor Colin King addresses parents and caregivers about child and youth anxiety at the Faculty of Education Auditorium. (Photo: Gerry Rucchin)
Community learns how to reduce child anxiety
Over 100 parents and caregivers from London and surrounding areas came to the Faculty of Education to hear how they can help children overcome their worries and fears.
Professor Colin King, Director of the Child and Youth Development Clinic, gave the presentation because there’s a need in the community for parents and caregivers to build their skills to deal with anxiety.
“Anxiety disorders are one of the most common forms of mental health problems. Additionally, we know one in three students are struggling with high-levels of stress,” said King.
The audience learned about:
- The causes of anxiety as well as its signs
- How to reduce anxiety through Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy, which is an evidence-based intervention that targets how a person thinks and acts in response to a situation
The talk was targeted for parents and caregivers of youth between five to 18 years of age.
The Child and Youth Development Clinic provides consultation, assessment, and intervention services from graduate student clinicians in psychology, speech and language, and social work to children and youth from three to 18 years of age. Graduate students in School and Applied Child Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Speech and Language Pathology programs at Western, as well as School of Social Work at King’s University College, can participate at the clinic.
“I’m very proud of the work of Dr. King, his colleagues and student clinicians,” said Faculty of Education Dean Vicki Schwean. “They’re improving the lives of children, youth and families. They’re making a difference. They’re transforming education. They’re transforming lives.”
The clinic also offers individual and group cognitive-behavioural therapy in group and individual sessions. Parents, guardians and service providers, such as school officials, mental health providers and doctors may refer children and youths to the clinic.
