FROM SIGNUP TO SHOWUP REDUCING CAMP ANXIETY Camper

FROM SIGNUP TO SHOW-UP REDUCING CAMP ANXIETY

Camper anxiety Past – “I know you’re nervous but it’ll be ok” Now – “If you’re nervous I’ll try to get you out of it!”

Stress • Strain or tension: • physical • mental • emotional This is what breaks resilience But it’s also what BUILDS resilience Just like exercise

Stress is to resilience as exercise is to muscle Good & Bad Stress New Stimuli or unknown patterns cause stress Change leads to stress Unpredictable supports worsen

Camp’s relationship to stress Camp must create GOOD stress – necessary for all the growth Discomfort is the norm Discomfort creates or worsens anxiety Teaches mad skills!

3 obstacles to letting camp work Unsafe vs uncomfortable (happiness NOW) Not knowing where my kid is = neglect Desire to “protect” mental health

hap·pi· ness: noun good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy INGREDIENTS: 1. Confidence 2. Competence 3. Relationships

• Unattainable • Conflicts with resilience Happiness Now Trap • Removes opportunity for resilience “practice” • Causes us to change the narrative to support everything being ok • Limits the resources we offer • We’re terrible at predicting it for others

Comfort vs Discomfort • Security • Healing • Identity • Learning • Change • GROWTH

Unsafe vs Uncomfortable

Tracking Trap From “no news is good news” to “No news means something terrible has happened. ” Parents who don’t track are brave Reframing from neglect to responsibility Camps are contributing to the problem with daily emails and online photos

Fear of Anxiety Trap Generalized Anxiety Disorder • Interferes with acts of daily living • Episodic but usually baseline symptoms Panic Attacks • 10 -30 minutes • Hard to differentiate from pseudo-panic Specific Phobias • Common • Strategies are useful Feeling Anxious or Normal Anxiety • Caused by discomfort • Often protective

Myth: “The more I help the better we will both feel” Culture of Successf ul Families That’s only HALF true Truth? Failure must be experienced. Resilience requires practice

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION? q. Trust q. Goal-sharing q. Expectation shaping

With everyone • Parents • Campers • Staff Through investigation Trust • Who are you • What have you been taught • What concerns you Through microactions • Ask for small buy-ins before big ones • Remember gratitude

The solution: Goal sharing! 1 2 3 4 Get to know your families beforehand as much as possible Understand what they want Find goals you share – the more proximal the better Be able to explain how your path gets them to that goal

Let them know that you expect parent and kid struggles Warn them! This way they won’t feel like they made the wrong decision Put a plan in place before it happens

“When not if” language Gratitude for sharing the concern (model this!) Expectation shaping Empathy for the struggle Connect to resources Offer solutions

• Set expectations Whennotif Languag e Set • Remove the premise of failure Remove Model

Gratitude Words to use • Thanks for letting me know • Grateful you’re comfortable discussing this • Glad you and your child have this relationship • Glad we have developed our relationship Empathy • • I hear that you’re feeling… I understand feeling…. I’ve felt… It’s hard to feel…

Have a list before this happens Strategie s to suggest When you have this ready to send, parents believe that you expected this, you’ve seen it before, they’re not alone Testimonials Other experts Tools they can use when it flares up

Dr. G has digital resources YOU need for your families! Pick a time to talk to her about it! (click this!)