Manage Student Anxiety with CBT & Mindfulness
In her book, “Using CBT and Mindfulness to Manage Student Anxiety,” school psychologist Katelyn Oellerich explores the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness to help students regulate their emotions and manage anxiety. Oellerich presents a 9-week program that combines CBT and mindfulness techniques to teach children and adolescents how to become aware of their emotions, reframe negative thoughts, and develop coping strategies. By incorporating mindfulness into CBT, individuals can cultivate present-moment awareness while supporting positive thoughts, feelings, and behavior. This approach has been found to be helpful in treating students with anxiety and can benefit educators and practitioners in any setting.
Understanding the Relationship Between Thoughts, Behaviors, and Emotions
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the understanding that our thoughts impact our behaviors and emotions. Oellerich emphasizes the importance of recognizing the role of the environment in influencing our thoughts and actions, along with our emotional well-being. By supporting awareness of what is happening across emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, individuals can gain a better understanding of how these interconnected aspects affect each other.
CBT focuses on several key components in treatment:
- Supporting awareness of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors
- Reframing maladaptive thoughts to be more realistic and positive
- Distinguishing between what is within our control and what is outside of our control
- Teaching coping strategies to calm the mind and body
Mindfulness can be incorporated into CBT in various ways, such as through breath work, movement, creativity, or visualization. By cultivating mindfulness, individuals can pay attention to the present moment while considering what is needed to support more positive thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Targeting Emotions and Thoughts
One of the key aspects of the 9-week program presented by Oellerich is helping students target and identify their emotions. By defining and describing emotions such as sadness, excitement, worry, happiness, and frustration, students can develop a greater awareness of their emotional states. The program also helps students recognize the relationship between their thoughts and physical cues of anxiety, providing strategies to reframe negative thoughts and identify possible solutions to problems.
By helping students identify what is within their control and what is outside of their control, the program empowers them to make informed choices and develop coping strategies. Additionally, Oellerich emphasizes the importance of understanding how relationships with others impact students, both positively and negatively. By identifying necessary changes in relationships, students can create a positive well-being for themselves.
Providing Resources and Support
Oellerich’s book includes case studies and clinical research to support the effectiveness of the program. Throughout the program, Oellerich offers ongoing support strategies, including emotional check-ins, daily mindfulness practices, and accommodations. The appendix includes resources such as permission forms, questionnaires for guardians and teachers, assessments, and exercises that can be used throughout the program.
Applying CBT and Mindfulness in Education
In the current educational environment, where student anxiety is prevalent, incorporating CBT and mindfulness techniques can provide valuable support. Oellerich’s program offers research-based methods and strategies to help manage anxiety and promote emotional well-being. Educators and practitioners in any setting can benefit from the case studies, definitions, and techniques shared in the book.
Key Points:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and mindfulness can be combined to help students manage anxiety and regulate their emotions.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy focuses on supporting awareness of emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, reframing negative thoughts, assessing control over situations, and teaching coping strategies.
- Mindfulness can be incorporated into CBT through techniques such as breath work, movement, creativity, or visualization.
- Oellerich’s 9-week program involves targeting emotions, recognizing the relationship between thoughts and physical cues, exploring coping strategies, analyzing thoughts and problem-solving, and addressing relationships.
- The program provides ongoing support, resources, and exercises for both students and their support system.
- CBT and mindfulness techniques can benefit educators and practitioners in any setting.
