What to Do When You Worry Too Much

What to Do When You Worry Too Much is a self-help workbook for children ages 6-12 who experience anxiety and excessive worry. The book follows an interactive format with exercises, metaphors, and step-by-step techniques to help young readers understand and manage their fears. The text introduces core concepts about anxiety through accessible examples and encourages children to participate in various activities and drawing exercises. Parents and children can work through the chapters together, practicing new coping skills and tracking progress over time. Written by clinical psychologist Dawn Huebner, the book draws from cognitive behavioral therapy principles while maintaining language appropriate for elementary school students. The illustrations by Bonnie Matthews support the concepts and create an approachable, non-threatening tone. This guide empowers children to take an active role in their mental health journey while normalizing conversations about worry and anxiety. The integration of metaphors and hands-on activities reflects an understanding of how young minds process and internalize new information about emotional wellness.

Parents and therapists report success using this workbook with anxious children ages 6-12. Readers say the concepts are explained in clear, relatable terms that kids can understand and apply. Likes: - Interactive exercises keep children engaged - Metaphors like "worry bully" and "worry box" resonate with kids - Practical coping strategies kids can implement immediately - Illustrations help explain complex concepts - Works well for both parent-guided and therapist settings Dislikes: - Some find it repetitive - A few parents say their children found it patronizing - Several note it works better for mild vs severe anxiety - Some wanted more variety in the exercises Ratings: Amazon: 4.7/5 (7,800+ reviews) Goodreads: 4.3/5 (2,900+ ratings) Common reader comment: "This book gave my child the vocabulary to talk about anxiety and concrete tools to manage it." Several therapists mention using it successfully in their practices, with one noting: "It's now my go-to resource for young clients with anxiety."

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🌟 The book has been translated into 23 languages and has helped children around the world manage their anxiety. 📚 Author Dawn Huebner switched careers from clinical psychologist to children's self-help author after realizing there weren't enough engaging resources to help kids cope with worry. 🎨 The book uses the metaphor of growing tomatoes to explain how worries can grow bigger when we give them too much attention and care. 🏆 This guide won the National Parenting Publications Gold Award and has sold over a million copies worldwide. 💡 The cognitive behavioral therapy techniques used in the book are the same evidence-based methods used to treat anxiety in adults, but presented in child-friendly ways using drawings and interactive exercises.