14 2025 Understanding and Treating Anxious Children June 18

Overview

Anxiety is the most frequently occurring mental illness among children and adolescents. It includes Generalized Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Separation Anxiety, Selective Mutism and Specific Phobias. This workshop will describe the most common anxiety disorders and how to assess for them. As they have both biological and behavioural components, the importance of working with primary care physicians and psychiatrists will be addressed. This workshop will outline Cognitive Behaviour Play Therapy interventions that are adaptations of evidence-based CBT principles such as psycho-education, skill development, exposure and relapse prevention. Methods of evaluating progress and outcomes in therapy will be explored.