How to support anxious children in school: Lessons from Peter Ruppert of Anxiety Fitness

Nip in the Bud® Podcast - The children's mental health charity

In this enlightening conversation, Peter Ruppert shares his personal journey with anxiety, detailing his early experiences and the challenges he faced growing up. He emphasizes the importance of understanding anxiety as a natural part of being human rather than an enemy. Peter discusses various coping strategies, including mindfulness techniques and the significance of therapy in managing anxiety. He advocates for better mental health education in schools and the role of social media in fostering community and support. The conversation highlights the need for empathy and understanding from educators and parents towards children experiencing anxiety, ultimately promoting a healthier relationship with mental health.

Takeaways

• Anxiety is a natural part of being human.
• Understanding anxiety can help in managing it effectively.
• Mindfulness techniques can be beneficial for anxiety management.
• Education about mental health is crucial for both children and adults.
• Social media can be a powerful tool for sharing experiences and support.
• Panic attacks can feel overwhelming but are manageable with the right strategies.
• Therapy plays a significant role in understanding and coping with anxiety.
• Children's behaviors may indicate underlying anxiety that needs to be addressed.
• Validation of feelings is essential for children experiencing anxiety.
• Anxiety can be managed to a healthy level, not just survived.

Keywords

anxiety, mental health, therapy, panic attacks, mindfulness, education, social media, coping strategies, childhood anxiety, mental fitness

Nip in the Bud - Where to get help

https://nipinthebud.org/where-to-get-help/

Chapters

1. How to support anxious children in school: Lessons from Peter Ruppert of Anxiety Fitness (00:00:00)

2. The first memories of noticing anxiety (00:01:57)

3. What did parents and teachers do to help? (00:05:52)

4. Labelling behaviour as 'naughty' (00:08:00)

5. Observation is key (00:14:35)

6. The mind / body link (00:16:21)

7. How thoughts can impact the physical body (00:20:00)

8. What are thoughts? (00:22:16)

9. Mindfulness (00:23:20)

10. What is depersonalisation? (00:25:06)

11. Diagnosis of anxiety (00:29:53)

12. Learning tools to help (00:32:05)

13. The anxiety cycle (00:33:34)

14. 54321 grounding tool (00:34:25)

15. Worry time (00:37:40)

16. Social media for sharing anxiety advice (00:40:25)

17. Panic attacks experiences (00:44:09)

18. The value of community (00:46:55)

19. Cognitive behavioural therapy (00:51:52)

20. Sharing my story for mental health first aid (00:56:07)

21. Is anxiety a lifelong journey? (00:58:30)

22. Anxiety - a human thing! (01:03:54)

23. The key is validation of another's feelings (01:05:27)

24. How can parents help their child? (01:07:16)

25. Favourite book to share with our audience (01:08:40)