Anxiety Resources

Cook Children’s is here to help support your child through their anxiety and concerns. Below you'll find guidance and tips from our family to yours.

What are anxiety disorders?

Anxiety disorders can cause extreme fear and worry, and change a child's behavior, sleep, eating, or mood.

Important anxiety topics for families

Anxiety (for teens) | Cook Children's
Anxiety disorders (for parents) | Cook Children's
Anxiety disorders fact sheet (for schools) | Cook Children's
Stigmas of mental health care in children | Cook Children's
Critical role of pediatricians in the mental health crisis | Cook Children's
Quick guide to generalized anxiety disorder | Child Mind Institute
Quick facts on generalized anxiety disorder | Child Mind Institute
Generalized anxiety disorder in kids | Child Mind Institute
Generalized anxiety disorder - self-care | MedlinePlus
Generalized anxiety disorder: when worry fets out of control | National Institute of Mental Health
Anxiety and children | The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Panic disorder | Cook Children's
Panic disorder factsheet (for schools) | Cook Children's
Guide: panic disorder | Child Mind Institute
Quick facts: panic disorder | Child Mind Institute
Panic disorder | MedlinePlus
Panic disorder in children and adolescents | The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

5 Ways to shake shyness (for teens) | Cook Children's
Social anxiety (for teens) | Cook Children's
Social anxiety factsheet (for schools) | Cook Children's
Guide: social anxiety disorder | Child Mind Institute
What is social anxiety disorder? | Child Mind Institute

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (for parents) | Cook Children's
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (for teens) | Cook Children's
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (for kids) | Cook Children's
Obsessive-compulsive disorder factsheet (for schools) | Cook Children's
Kids and OCD, the parents role in treatmente | Child Mind Institute
Parents guide to OCD | Child Mind Institute
What does OCD look like in kids? | Child Mind Institute
Obsessive-compulsive disorder In children and adolescents | The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Separation anxiety (for parents) | Cook Children's
Quick guide to separation anxiety | Child Mind Institute
What is separation anxiety? | Child Mind Institute
Separation anxiety | MedlinePlus

Test anxiety (for teens) | Cook Children's
Back-to-school anxiety | Child Mind Institute
Classroom anxiety in children | Child Mind Institute
Back to school anxiety | Cook Children's
Addressing chronic stress and trauma in schools | Cook Children's
Facts for families: school refusal | The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

School violence: What students can do (for teens) | Cook Children's
Someone at school has a weapon, what should I do? (for teens) | Cook Children's
Talking to kids about gun violence | Cook Children's
How to help children and parents after mass shooting | Cook Children's
How parents and children can process a school shooting | Cook Children's
Parenting & back to school: emotional safety starts at home | Cook Children's
How to talk to kids about school shootings | Child Mind Institute

Going to a therapist (for teens) | Cook Children's
Going to a therapist (for kids) | Cook Children's
Taking your child to a therapist | Cook Children's
Behavioral treatments for kids with anxiety | Child Mind Institute
Guide to behavioral treatments | Child Mind Institute

10 ways to manage everyday stress (for teens) | Cook Children's
Childhood stress: How parents can help | Cook Children's
Coping with stress (for teens) | Cook Children's
Stress (for kids) | Cook Children's
Stress and chronic pain | Cook Children's
Estrés y el dolor crónico | Cook Children's
How to help children and teens manage their stress | American Psychological Association
The power of mindfulness | Child Mind Institute
How mindfulness can help caregivers | Child Mind Institute
The art and science of mindfulness | Child Mind Institute
Helping teenagers with stress | The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

10 tips for parenting anxious kids | Child Mind Institute
What are the different kinds of anxiety? | Child Mind Institute
Raising a child with mental health struggles | Cook Children's (Raising Joy Podcast)

Be mindful to stress less | Cook Children's
Feeling good about yourself (self-esteem) | Cook Children's
Stress less: Eat, play, sleep | Cook Children's
Try yoga to lower stress | Cook Children's
What to do when you feel stressed | Cook Children's
How to model healthy coping skills | Child Mind Institute
Helping your teen with depression | MedlinePlus

Anxious Kids, Anxious Parents: 7 Ways to Stop the Worry Cycle and Raise Courageous and Independent Children by Reid Wilson & Lynn Lyons
Bloom: 50 Things to Say, Think, and Do with Anxious, Angry, and Over-the-Top Kids by Lynne Kenny & Wendy Young
Freeing your Child from Anxiety, Revised and Updated Edition: Practical Strategies to Overcome Fears, Worries, and Phobias and Be Prepared for Life – from Toddlers to Teens by Tamar E. Chanksy
Making Your Worrier a Warrior: A Guide to Conquering Your Child’s Fears by Daniel B. Peters
Parenting Your Anxious Child with Mindfulness and Acceptance: A Powerful New Approach to Overcoming Fear, Panic, and Worry Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy by Christopher McCurry, PhD
The Anxiety Cure for Kids, Second Edition: A Guide for Parents by Elizabeth DuPont Spencer, Robert L. DuPont, and Caroline M. DuPont

Coping skills for kids

Distorted thinking

How to Make a Coping Skills Bag

Mindfulness Strategies and Techniques

Imagining Your Feelings are Like Clouds

Belly Breathing and Pinwheel Breathing

Art Journaling: Drawing Your Feelings

When your feelings get too big

Our community created these coping cards to give you an activity to try when your feelings get really big or overwhelming. These activities will give your body and your brain a chance to catch up to the feelings and help you know why you feel the way you do.

Child coping cards

Print English coping cards

Print Spanish coping cards

Teen coping cards

Print English coping cards

Print Spanish coping cards

Additional resources for families

Raising Joy podcast

We encourage you to subscribe to our Raising Joy podcast, which aims to encourage hope and resilience among children and teens. Available on the following networks:

Joy Campaign
Listen on Apple
Listen on Spotify

Behavioral health services

Our licensed experts provide psychology and psychiatry services for families whose children and adolescents, ages 2 to 18, are experiencing behavioral, neurodevelopmental and emotional challenges.

Behavioral Health department
Contact us

Need help finding information?

Finding health information you can trust can be confusing and overwhelming. Let us help. A Cook Children's librarian can send you up to date information from reliable sources.

Ask a Librarian

Anxiety Resources

What are anxiety disorders?

Important anxiety topics for families

Generalized anxiety disorder

Panic disorder with panic attacks

Social anxiety disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

Separation anxiety

School anxiety and school avoidance

Talking about school shootings and school safety

Benefits of therapy for managing anxiety

Stress management and mindfulness

How to support someone with anxiety

Coping skills for stress

Recommended books that address anxiety