Worry Scripting is a Great Tool for Anxious Kids!

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A worry script, also known as “imaginal exposure” in the therapy world, is an effective tool for helping children manage excessive worry about a specific fear they have, like being stuck in a bad storm while at school or of a parent being in a car accident. The process entails having your child write out one of their specific, intrusive fears from “start to finish” in great detail while a caring adult (oftentimes a therapist or parent) can provide support.

You might wonder, “Why encourage my child to delve into their worst fears? Won’t this make them more anxious and fearful?” In short… No! Research shows that worry scripting is a type of exposure strategy that allows the child to confront their fears instead of avoiding them.
 
By actively avoiding worry-driven thoughts, our brain starts to believe that avoidance is the only way to protect ourselves. On the other hand, facing fears directly through strategies like worry scripting, we empower children to address their fears and gain a sense of mastery over sitting with anxiety.

Who is worry scripting helpful for?

Worry scripting is particularly helpful for children experiencing anxiety or excessive worry, specific fears, and intrusive thoughts associated with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder).

Specifically, it is most effective for children whose fears and worries involve hypothetical situations in which they have little to no control over. Even if your child has worries and fears about several different topics, these topics likely share similar underlying themes. For example, children who have an underlying fear of being left alone will often have specific intrusive worries about things like “bad guys” in the yard or a fire breaking out in the kitchen.
 
Writing a worry script about one specific fear is actually does two very important things for children.
 

First of all, it plays out the scenario from start to finish, including providing steps for your child to take in the event that the imaginary scenario actually does occur, which gives them a way to take empowered action in their response to the fear. For example, if a fire breaks out in the kitchen they can alert a trusted adult, help call ‘911,’ and safely wait outside of the home for help from adults. This becomes part of their worry script and they feel a sense of confidence in managing that situation.

The second important way that worry scripting helps children is that is it shown to reduce fear in other areas because the child writing the sorry script starts to feel more comfortable addressing worry directly, which then generalizes to an overall sense of confidence in their ability to handle the worrisome thoughts.

How do I help my child write a worry script?

Ideally you can have your child’s therapist walk you through this process the first time you try it so that you know you’re hitting all of the important parts of the story. If a therapist is not available for that first trial run, you can follow the guidelines and recommendations below.

Writing a worry script with your child can be a powerful and transformative way to manage anxiety and excessive worries. By confronting fears instead of avoiding them, your child can gain increased confidence in confronting their fears and managing their anxious moments.

Once your child addresses one specific fear, encourage them to tackle another fear with a new worry script! Children who have successfully completed exposure to 2-3 specific fears tend to begin generalizing their skills to confidently approaching new fears with less intense worry feelings.
 
If you’d like some bibliotherapy recommendations for supporting your anxious child at home, check out our blog post “Awesome Books for Your Anxious Child!”
 
If you are interested in additional support for your child or yourself, check out our amazing team of child and adult therapists here at Flourish Counseling & Wellness.

Take the first step towards healing.