Lola was referred to the YOUnited service for support with anxiety. Her anxiety had led to crippling physical symptoms such as sickness and shakiness, and she had become avoidant of social situations. She was unable to walk her dog at certain times, couldn’t ask her teacher for help at school and feared speaking or performing in front of other people.
Lola was given eight sessions of guided self-help for anxiety and additional support on her transition into secondary school.
During these sessions, Lola learned more about her anxiety and where it stemmed from, as well as how to relax herself in challenging scenarios to help her solve problems and overcome avoidance.
Lola was worried about starting secondary school as she feared getting lost, not making and friends and catching the bus. YOUnited provided Lola with support on how to implement new routines – she identified listening to music on her phone as a possible way to relax on the school bus, making her feel more confident about the journey.
Following her sessions, Lola made progress in walking her dog at times when teenagers were around and began to ask friends for help in class. She became aware that she still experiences anxiety around new people, but felt confident in the step-by-step plans she had made to help her ask her teachers for support in school.
Three months after her intervention, Lola’s parent said:
“Lola is flying at secondary school. She is getting the bus confidently, has made new friends and has accepted she’s ‘one of those teenagers’ she used to be afraid of!
“She had a wobble at the start, but the coping strategies you taught her are all part of her success in recovering from that.”