FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Donna B. Pincus, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
and Director of the Child and Adolescent Fear and Anxiety Treatment Program
Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders at Boston University
Editor: The Child Anxiety Network
Boston, MA
Email: psychzone1@comcast.net
Website: http://www.childanxiety.net

The Child Anxiety Network releases two new products: The "I Can Relax!" Relaxation CD for Children and the "I Can Do It: Coping Cards for Kids"

Boston, MA -- June 1, 2000 --Although many products exist for helping adults learn how to relax, very few products are currently available for children to teach them ways to relax themselves when they are feeling stressed. Now available on The Child Anxiety Network is the "I Can Relax!" CD for Children, which teaches children skills to help them relax, cope with stress, and reduce physical symptoms of anxiety. The CD features the voice of Dr. Donna Pincus, a child anxiety researcher and therapist, along with sound effects and music, and leads children through a full session of progressive muscle relaxation. Children are taught how to relax as they imagine themselves in different fun and relaxing situations. This CD teaches children skills that may be useful before bedtime, before tests at school, during stressful medical procedures, and also can be useful for helping children manage anger. The CD could be helpful for any child, and may be particularly helpful for those who need to learn how to reduce stress or relax. The CD is increasingly being used in schools, clinics, and hospitals both nationally and internationally. The CD can be purchased online for $13.95 +S&H.

In addition to the I Can Relax CD, The Child Anxiety Network has also released another wonderful product that can be extremely useful for teaching children to talk positively to themselves--the "I Can Do It! Coping Cards for Kids". Children can use these Coping Cards to learn to say positive things to themselves to help them get through difficult moments during their days- whether it be a test, a race, or speech they must give in front of others. Research has shown that children's thoughts and "self-statements" can actually affect their physical feelings of anxiety during these types of situations. When children say positive, affirming statements to themselves, they often report feeling less anxiety and feel more capable of handling stressful moments or anxious feelings. For example, a child who is able to say statements such as, "I am brave and smart and can take good care of myself" is typically able to cope better than the child who continually says negative "self-statements" such as, "I can't handle this-I'll fail".

Coping Cards are palm-sized, colorful cards that have pre-printed positive "self-statements" that have been designed specifically for children. Children can read the statements on the cards anytime, and can store them easily in a backpack or pocket for quick, easy reminders of their ability to cope with whatever comes their way. Appropriate for children between the ages of approximately 5-14 years, Coping Cards are a great tool for boosting youngsters' confidence in their ability to cope with stress and anxiety. Coping Cards can be purchased online for $8.95 +S&H.

For more information visit us at: www.childanxiety.net.


Copyright © 2001 The Child Anxiety Network. All Rights Reserved.
Sponsored by Psychzone Inc.