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 Upcoming Group: Ages 8-11 New Groups: Starting regularly in Fall, Winter and Spring Child Sessions: Weekly over 10 weeks Parent Sessions: Two Meetings over 10 weeks Individual: Private sessions for your Child only can also be arranged upon request |
Anxiety Prevention and Promoting Resiliency
What is FRIENDS for Life?
FRIENDS for Life is an anxiety prevention and intervention program developed in Australia by Dr. Paula Barrett, a clinical child psychologist. It is a cognitive-behavioral intervention which addresses the cognitive, physiological and behavioral processes that are seen to interact in the development, maintenance and experience of anxiety. FRIENDS helps children and youth cope with feelings of fear, worry, and depression by building resilience and self-esteem and teaching cognitive, behavioral, and emotional skills in a simple, well-structured format.
FRIENDS is about preventing childhood anxiety and depression through the building of emotional resilience. It aims to reduce the incidence of serious psychological disorders, emotional distress and impairment in social functioning by teaching children and young people how to cope with, and manage anxiety, both now and in the future.
What makes Friends for Life different?
- Evidence-based: Supported by ongoing research by Dr. Paula Barrett and her research team with a demonstrated preventative effect.
- FRIENDS for Life is recognized by the World Health Organization as an effective treatment and prevention of anxiety and depression.
- It is a local program developed in Brisbane, and used internationally (including Canada, Japan, Mexico, Norway).
- It is a positive program which targets all children, regardless of their risk levels. It focuses on equipping children with skills to overcome daily challenges and negative life events which we all encounter as human beings.
This program is also an excellent adjunct to children receiving individual treatment with a psychologist, psychiatrist or therapist. So even if your child is receiving individual treatment, they can also benefit from participation in FRIENDS. We will be happy to collaborate with your child’s individual mental health professional.
Find out more information on our Groups (select the link)
A detailed description of our Groups
An Overview of our Group Sessions
Preventing and Treating Anxiety in Children and Youth
The empirical-basis for treating Anxiety Disorders in Children
(select the link)
Evidence Based Abstracts for Friends for Life
More Information on Friends for Life