Background

Femi had suffered from anxiety since he was 3-4 years old, often feeling anxious in crowded places and loud noises. This got worse after Covid-19 as he started secondary school and sadly became a school refuser. However, with the help of our talking therapy, intervention and support, we identified the key triggers and trauma behind this feeling of anxiety that Femi presented towards his mum and school, with some truly positive results by the end of his 1-2-1 sessions.

Many children and young people who experience trauma-related anxiety often come from a home where there has been parental conflict, parental illness (physical or mental) or other related adversity, resulting in low mood and self-esteem, long-term anxiety and difficulty managing their emotions.

Therapeutic approach 

Our expert therapist supported Femi and his family with 1-2-1 sessions for the child to focus on understanding, containing and managing anxiety. Whilst also exploring ways to improve his sleep routine, enabling Femi to rest to build his confidence and self-esteem.

Our family-centric approach also meant parenting support for Femi's mother, enabling her to understand how her own childhood experiences impacted on emotionally supporting her child. In addition, our team also helped support Femi's mother in understanding the child's life experiences.

What was explored during the therapeutic sessions?

• Femi thought about the difficulties in getting out of bed or going outside the home and what lies beneath this behaviour.

• Femi completed coaching exercises to explore and reflect on the importance of trust and how he negotiates this, thought about honesty towards himself and others, and reflected on his sense of self and what he brings to situations.

• Femi thought about wanting to go to college, become independent and have 'his life back.'

• Femi explored his decision to take his exams this year and thought about the shift in energy and motivation he was experiencing.

The outcome of Talking Therapy

At the end of Femi's support, it was amazing to see him feeling more motivated and gaining an increased sense of self and value. He had a new outlook on his future and life and looked forward to attending college and gaining independence.

Having increased confidence and self-esteem meant Femi could get his life back on track and regulate his emotions. During the sessions, he was equipped with tools and strategies to manage his feelings and emotions positively.