I recently met with a young girl named Sadie who had suffered a panic attack at softball practice. Consequently she was afraid to return to practice, fearing another panic attack. I call this “anxiety about anxiety”. We talked about the importance of conquering this fear, not giving into it.

The worst thing you can do is avoid the trigger. Doing so allows our brain time to convince us how awful the fear really is. Instead, we need to show our brain that we can face the fear and nothing bad will happen.

Exposure Therapy

For this situation I recommend a form of exposure therapy where you take one step at a time towards the fearful event. In Sadie’s case it might look like:

Day 1: getting ready for practice and going to the car

Day 2: Add driving to practice, pulling in the parking lot for a few minutes, and then going home

Day 3: Add sitting in the bleachers for as much of practice as able

Day 4: Add participating in practice for 5 minutes

Continue adding increments until able to participate in practice regularly again.

Increase comfort, decrease fear

We talked about some coping strategies she could try that might bring her some comfort and help her manage her fear. She chose to wear her favorite socks and bring a favorite stuffed animal with her in the car.

Positive Reinforcement

We brainstormed ways to add an incentive if Sadie was able to achieve her goal. We all respond well to positive reinforcement! I recommend these incentives be small and frequent. Find something that makes dealing with the fear worth it. Sadie chose getting a slushy as her incentive, which her parents were agreeable to.

The Parents Role

Parents are always in a tough spot with these situations. How much do you push a child who is clearly struggling? Sadie’s parents were in agreement that they wanted her to fulfill her commitment when she joined the team. They also felt it was important to not allow her anxiety to hold her back from life experiences. They agreed to provide support and encouragement to help Sadie achieve small steps towards her goal of attending practices.

The win!

When we met again Sadie had not only met her goal but exceeded it. She was able to work up to attending practices and even a game! She feels so confident now that she signed up for the next session of Softball! Way to go, Sadie.

If you or your child need help managing anxiety, contact Carrie Raap at R+ Therapy in Tucson, AZ. Carrie is an online therapist with more than 20 years experience. Her therapeutic specialties include relationships, depression, and anxiety. She has numerous credentials, including a Master's Degree in Social Work (MSW) and a license in clinical social work (LCSW). She is a KPA-certified dog trainer and can help clients through use of animal-assisted therapy. If you reside in Arizona or Michigan Contact her for a free introductory consultation.