Why Language is an Asset in Managing Anxiety

Language plays a pivotal role in how children understand and manage their emotions. Buzanko (2020) explains how parents and caregivers communicating with their children can significantly influence their emotional development and resilience. By focusing on language to describe their feelings and experiences, children can better understand and work with their anxiety. This teaches children to notice when anxiety occurs and to name what causes it. The specificity language affords helps children focus on the actual cause of their anxiety, making it more contained and less overwhelming.

Teaching Children to Identify and Name Anxiety Triggers

One effective method for helping children manage their anxiety is to teach them to identify and name their anxiety triggers. The "My Anxiety Triggers Worksheet (Knightsmith, 2020) is a valuable resource that encourages children to pinpoint the situations, people, or events that often lead to feelings of anxiety. By recognising these triggers, children can develop personalised coping strategies and seek support from their parents and guardians. For example, if a child identifies noise as a trigger, they can work with a parent or teacher to find ways to manage their anxiety in noisy environments. Such an awareness through language gives back control and agency in anxiety management to the child.

Practical Steps for Parents and Guardians

Parents and guardians can take several practical steps to help their children manage anxiety through the use of language:

● Modelling Specific Language: Teaching children the value of using language to describe and discuss emotions can ‘narrow’ and reduce the overwhelming feeling of not being in control. For example, instead of saying, "I am stressed," a parent might say, "I feel stressed when I have a lot of work to do. "

● Encouraging Open Communication: By creating an environment where children feel safe and comfortable discussing the causes of their anxiety, there is an opportunity to pinpoint the causes. Providing a simple resource, such as a pen and paper, while discussing their triggers and associated anxiety, children can be encouraged to visualise their triggers, thus assisting them in making sense of their anxiety.

● Using Tools and Resources: Resources such as the "My Anxiety Triggers Worksheet" can help children identify and manage their anxiety triggers. They can also provide a structured way for children to explore their feelings and develop coping strategies. https://www.pookyknightsmith.com/download-my-anxiety-triggers-worksheet/

By teaching children to use language as a tool to describe their anxiety and identify their triggers, parents and guardians can help them develop a better understanding of their emotions and build resilience. This approach can make anxiety collaboratively more manageable and enable children to take an active role in supporting their anxiety and well-being.

References

Buzanko, C. (2020). Words That Worry: The Link Between Parental Language and Child Anxiety. Koru Family Psychology. Retrieved from https://korupsychology.ca/words-that-worry/ Knightsmith, P. (2020). My Anxiety Triggers Worksheet. Retrieved from https://www.pookyknightsmith.com/download-my-anxiety-triggers-worksheet/