Available:*
Material Type | Library | Call Number | Suggested Age | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Book | Searching... Cox Landing Public Library | 618.92 SPE | Young Adult | Searching... Unknown |
| Book | Searching... Putnam Main Public Library | 618.92 SPE | Young Adult | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
Teens will become their bravest and fiercest selves and overcome social anxiety disorder with this helpful, upbeat book written by an expert in the field.
Social anxiety is tough, but teens don't have to figure it out alone. This empowering book will walk them through strategies that work. From practicing mindfulness to relaxing their bodies, readers can train their brains to help them gradually get back to doing more of what they love to do. These tools will help teens manage anxiety in the future and keep it from managing them.
This book uses evidence-based skills from cognitive behavioral therapy to give teens a toolkit to help kids overcome their anxiety and move toward becoming their bravest, fiercest selves.
Lively chapters will engage teens and caregivers alike.
Author Notes
Jacqueline Sperling, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, faculty at Harvard Medical School, and the co-founder of and the Director of Training and Research at the McLean Anxiety Mastery Program at McLean Hospital. Dr. Sperling specializes in implementing evidence-based treatments, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, and working with youth who present with anxiety disorders and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder. She also focuses on providing parent guidance by using treatments, such as behavioral parent training, to help families address children's internalizing and externalizing behaviors. Anya Kuvarzina graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design and earned her MA from Goldsmiths University. She teaches Graphics & Illustration at CSVPA college, blogs about illustration, and makes animated gifs for Instagram. She lives in Cambridge, UK. Visit treesforanya.com, @TreesForAnya on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and @anyakuvarzina on Pinterest.
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6 Up--Inevitably, adolescence is a time of anxiety and confusion. For teenagers who suffer from anxiety disorders, however, the middle school/high school years can seem unbearable. In the best of times, teens in modern society have to handle a barrage of cultural and emotional stimuli like never before. With the recent pandemic, the mental health landscape is even more precarious. In this work, clinical psychologist Sperling outlines a practical plan to help anxiety sufferers combat their fears. Addressing well-meaning but often unhelpful advice, e.g., "just breathe," she offers a more detailed approach to tackling specific situations. With graphics and suggestions for simple progress charts, the author explains why anxiety arises and how teens can train their brains to handle overwhelming encounters. At the end of each chapter, she provides a brief summary of the most important points. Sperling takes the commonly known talking points about anxiety and uses them as stepping stones for a more comprehensive action plan both for teens who live with debilitating anxiety disorders and those who occasionally experience anxiety-causing scenarios. She walks readers through each suggested exercise with clear, engaging writing. Her tone is accepting and gentle, inviting teens to acknowledge their shortcomings and helping them see that it is only human to experience stress and anxiety. VERDICT An important, much-needed guide to help the many teens who are dealing with anxiety. For all libraries.--Karin Greenberg, Manhasset H.S., NY
Kirkus Review
A clinical psychologist offers teens practical tools they can use to deal with social anxiety. The director of the McLean Hospital's Anxiety Mastery Program provides explanations and examples of techniques to help young people manage their fears and anxieties. To begin, she defines social anxiety and introduces three fictional teens. Emma, Jordan, and Maria (shown with differing skin tones in the grayscale illustrations) present different worries but respond similarly by withdrawing--in the classroom, among friends, or on the playing field. She follows these young people throughout the book, giving step-by-step directions for each of the tools she suggests. Sperling explains how to manage thoughts, feelings, and behavior using the tools of cognitive behavior therapy: checking your thoughts, mindfulness, and relaxation. She also discusses the strategy of exposure and response prevention, including gradual exposure and purposefully difficult exposure, to learn to curb defensive responses. At every step, Sperling uses one of her characters to show how a teen might put her techniques into practice. Every chapter includes a recapitulation of the most important points. The author addresses her readers directly; her explanations are clear, her tone is patient and reassuring, and she encourages regular use of these tools, offering the parallel example of an athlete's daily practice. The book concludes with a helpful chapter on self-care. Straightforward and useful advice. (references, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Table of Contents
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| Chapter 1 What Is Social Anxiety? | p. 5 |
| Chapter 2 The Power of Emotions | p. 17 |
| Chapter 3 Keeping Thoughts in Check | p. 27 |
| Chapter 4 Mindfulness | p. 45 |
| Chapter 5 Relaxation Exercises | p. 59 |
| Chapter 6 Exposure and Response Prevention | p. 71 |
| Chapter 7 Making the Most of Exposures | p. 89 |
| Chapter 8 Relapse Prevention | p. 103 |
| Chapter 9 Self-Care | p. 121 |
| Chapter 10 What Next? | p. 137 |
| Afterword | p. 145 |
| References | p. 147 |
| Index | p. 151 |
| About the Author, Illustrator, and Magnation Press | p. 156 |
