#paulabarrett

[friendsresilience]

Celebrations

This is an article about Dr Paula Barrett after she was named Telstra Business Woman of the Year.

“Paula Barrett

CHILD psychologist Paula Barrett says the key to being a successful woman is resilience.

“It’s about falling over and getting up again and again,’ she said. Ms Barrett, 46, has earned international recognition for developing intervention strategies for child-hood and adolescent anxiety.

Her Friends for Life prevention program, created in the early 1990s, is used in schools and clinics in 15 countries and in November she was named Telstra Business Woman of the Year

“When you look at people who have succeeded it always looks very easy, as though things just happen for them But they don’t,” Ms Barrett, who lives in Toowong in inner-Brisbane, said.

“Life has ups and downs. My advice is to stick with what you’re passionate about. A lot of people will try to knock you down, but persevere.” “

[friendsresilience]

Dr Paula Barrett’s Visit to Taiwan

[friendsresilience]

Fun Friends

From The Queensland Principal

This is an article about the need for scientifically validated resilience and anxiety programs explained by Dr Paula Barrett.

“Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health problems in childhood and adolescence affecting up to 21010 of all children and youth. This estimate indicates that 1 in 5 children and youth or 4 to 6 students within a classroom of 30 children are at risk for experiencing an anxiety disorder. Currently, over 1 million Australian children under the age of 18 suffer from anxiety and/or depression. The World Health Organization has stated that obesity, early onset diabetes, anxiety and depressive disorders will be more prevalent in Western countries than any other health problem in the next 30 years. Further, the World Health Organization has found that mental health disorders are responsible for an estimated 110/0 of the disease burden worldwide which is projected to rise to 15% by the year 2020.

In time, every Australian family will need to access the medical care system to access mental health care (National Mental Health Council of Australia, 2004).

Once present, childhood anxiety disorders tend to be chronic and recurrent and rarely remit without treatment. In addition, many children who experience clinical levels of anxiety will experience more than one disorder with recent estimates suggesting that 65% to 95% of anxious children and youth will experience comorbid anxiety disorders. Childhood anxiety also has a strong association with depression and childhood anxiety disorders may actually precede the development of depression with studies indicating that 220/o to 44010 of anxious children and youth also experience depression. Given the significant relationship between anxiety and depression and the precedence of anxiety disorders, effectively treating anxiety in childhood and adolescence may help reduce the likelihood of a depressed mood in later life (Kendall, Safford, Flannery-Schroeder, Et Webb, 2004).

Unfortunately, most children and youth who suffer from anxiety will not actually receive clinical intervention (Olfson, Gameroff, Marcus, Et VVaslick, 2003). At the moment, only 5% of people suffering from anxiety or depression receive help. And for those who do many will terminate before program completion, some will relapse, and others will fail to respond to treatment (Barrett and Ollendick, 2004). Additionally, 74010 of mental illnesses commence before 18 years of age (Mental Heath Council of Australia; Kim-Cohen et al. 2004). Anxiety disorders in childhood are frequently overlooked as the symptoms are often unrecognizable. Anxious children tend to be shy, cooperative, compliant, and may present as the “perfect” child within the school setting and when away from home. Increased attention is given to children with disruptive behaviours as they clearly interfere with daily life functioning, home school life (Albano, Chorpita, Et Barlow, 2003).

Anxiety can become a chronic condition for man, children and can subsequently affect several life including academic performance, social interaction, self-confidence, and the ability to enjoy everyday life experiences (Barrett, 1999). Disruptions in their academic performance tend to occur as anxious children may find it difficult to start and complete tasks due to the fear that their work will not be good enough. These children tend to be highly perfectionist and often experience a higher dependence upon others which can be seen through their  constant reassurance seeking and needed approval from others (it. peers, parents, and teachers). Such a child may continually ask the teacher, ���Is my work okay, did I do a good enough job?” or their friends, “Am I still your best friend today?” Anxious children tend to be overly sensitive to criticism, have low self-esteem (Barrett, 1999) and usually become preoccupied with their worries and the uncomfortable physiological arousal that accompanies them (hyperventilation, nausea, sweating, loose bladder, etc.). School refusal is commonly seen in anxious children as they display difficulty in attending and staying in school often resulting in a complete avoidance. Such effects of childhood anxiety often lead to strained relationships between the child and their peers, parents, and teachers and, if left untreated, can often lead into depression in adolescence.

The World Health Organization has found that Australia has the forth highest youth suicide rate in the world. In their annual report (2005-6) The Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian found that suicide is the number one cause of death for Australians aged 10 to 35. These staggering statistics create an ethical obligation for early intervention with preventative programs for children. Evidence-based resilience programs have found that school based prevention is the best milieu. Social and emotional skills affect performance in school and in the workplace to a greater degree than IQ (Heckman, Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2006). It is thus a worldwide imperative to invest in emotional, social and cognitive education. Therefore, targeting children at Prep and school when they are young with scientifically validated resilience programs is the best opportunity for strategic investment in mental health today.

FRIENDS is the only anxiety and depression prevention and treatment program that has been scientifically validated and endorsed by the World Health Organisation as an effective program for the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression in children and youth (World Health Organization, 2004). A number of trails must be undertaken for scientific validation of a program. Examples of steps in the process of validation include: the program must undergo a series of control trials nationally and internationally with replicated results by at least 2 expert international research teams. Further, the self-report and diagnostic measures must have strong, published psychometric properties and the program must have undergone a series of control trials for selective prevention and universal prevention in school settings for all age groups. Additionally, change must have been measured at post and long term follow up (for prevention trails a minimum of 3 year follow-up measures are required to prove maintenance of gains and true prevention effects). The FRIENDS program has proved successful for long-term benefits with prevention and resilience gains proven sustainable for at least 3 years following the program implementation (Barrett, P.M , Farrell, L.J., Ollendick, T.H., Et Dadds, M., 2006).

The FRIENDS program is a positively focused program which aims to increase social and developmental skills through the use of cognitive-behavioural techniques. The program allows for easy implementation at all levels of prevention, early intervention and treatment. It can be offered as a selective, indicated and universal program within the community or school setting. The FRIENDS program be delivered with ease by health professionals, teachers and school counsellors following an accredited workshop. (…) FRIENDS utilises two developmentally tailored workbooks for use with children (aged 7.11 years) (Barrett. 2004) or youth (aged 12-17 years) (Barrett, ‘200n), a leader’s manual with the content and process in each session, and can be run in both group and individual settings.

The program utilises the acronym “FRIENDS” to help children remember the strategies they learn to manage their anxiety. The FRIENDS acronym (Barrett 2005) stands for:

Feelings

Remember to Relax. Have quiet time.

I can do it! I can try my best!

Explore solutions and coping step plans.

Now reward yourself! You’ve done your best!

Don’t target to practice.

Stay calm for life!

The word FRIENDS highlights the main objectives and themes of the program. Children are encouraged to: 1) think of their body as their friend as it tells them when they are feeling worried by giving them clues (physiological and somatic response); 2) to be their own friend and to look after their body through emotional regulation exercises; 3) to talk to their friends when they are in difficult situations and to help others when they are in difficult situations, and; 4) to reward themselves when they’ve tried their best.

The FRIENDS program incorporates several important cognitive-behavioural components that are based on skill acquisition, including, 1) psycho-education regarding feelings; 2) understanding the physical expression of anxiety and how to use relaxation skills; 3) cognitive restructuring and positive self-talk; 4) problem-solving skills and graded exposure tot achieving goals and facing tears; 5) the importance of self-rewards and trying hard, achieving goals, and; 6) relapse prevention and learning how to maintain skids for life. Inc booster sessions facilitate the generalisation of skills and help children to apply the FRIENDS skills to everyday situations and future challenges.

The FRIENDS program also includes a family skins component which involves parents during each stage of the program. A collaborative “team” approach is emphasized within the FRIENDS program where the facilitator, parent(s), siblings and the children work together with a shared goal of increasing confidence and coping skills. The family component of FRIENDS is aimed at empowering everyone in the family to recognize their skills and strengths and to use these skills to help one another become more confident and brave. Parents are educated about the development of anxiety in childhood and the distinction between normal developmental fears and anxiety disorders. Parents are taught about the identification of the risk and protective Linton; of anxiety; they learn strategies to recognize and manage their anxious children; and they learn how to recognize and modify negatively reinforcing parenting practices Parents learn about the FRIENDS skills during the two structured parent sessions which are outlined in the current editions of the leaders manuals (Barrett, 2005).

It is recommended that program leaders conduct 2 comprehensive parent sessions which comprise the entire content of the program. Within the school setting it may be difficult to attract some parents to the parent sessions so it is recommended that the sessions be held during convenient times for the parents (e.g. during lunch, immediately after school, in the evening). In the treatment setting (e.g. private health clinic) parents are actively involved in every session as they usually join each session (group or individual) for the last 30 minutes to discuss the skills that were taught. Parents are encouraged to work with and practice the FRIENDS skills through the “family homework” activities that are assigned at the end of each session. Parents are encouraged to take an active role in the program as research has indicated that the inclusion o’ parents in program implementation has a Positive impact on the treatment of anxious children.

Due to the large evidence-base and extensive results indicating that the FRIENDS program for children and youth is effective, the next step in research was to develop the FRIENDS program for an even younger age.

The Fun FRIENDS program (Barrett, 2007), is a downward extension of the pre-existing FRIENDS programs targeted for children aged 4 to 6 years. Research reviews strongly suggests that the preschool years are essential for building social-emotional skills (Heckman, 2000). Children who are socially and emotionally well adjusted to do better at school, have increased confidence, have good relationships, take on and persist at challenging tasks and communicate well (National Research Council and Institutes of Medicine 2000). Further, early intervention in schools reduces onset of youth anxiety and depression.

The Fun FRIENDS program focuses on developmentally sensitive cognitive-behavioural techniques to teach children social-emotional learning to increase resilience and decrease emotional distress. The developmentally tailored CBT skills include: teaching children cognitive problem-solving skills for dealing with interpersonal challenges; recognizing and dealing with body clues (i.e. physiological arousal) through breathing control and progressive muscle relaxation, cognitive restructuring (recognizing and changing unhelpful red thoughts to helpful green thoughts); attention training (looking for the positive, happy aspects of a given situation); graded exposure to fears (creating coping step plans); and family and peer support.

The Fun FRIENDS program targets three major areas of social-emotional learning curriculum; 1) Self Regulation: the ability to adjust to new situations, awareness of own feelings and the ability to manage emotions; 2) Responsibility for self and others: demonstrates self-direction and independence, respects and cares for the classroom or group environment, follows routine and rules; and 3) Pro-social behaviour: plays well with others, recognizes others feelings and responds appropriately, shares, respects the rights of others and uses thinking skills to resolve challenges and conflicts. The program incorporates all the above skills and each session corresponds with one of the three curriculum areas mentioned for social-emotional development. The program is 10 sessions whereby each session is broken down into 15 minute learning activities (4 to 5 learning activities for each session), so that the program objectives are reinforced daily through experiential, play-based activities such as the use of play, dramatic role-play, story telling, music, movement and art.

The first Fun FRIENDS trial was conducted within 16 preschool classrooms in Brisbane, Australia. Eight class-rooms received the program by a clinically trained postgraduate student (intervention group) and the eight remaining classrooms were used as a comparison group (waitlist control group) and received the program by their teachers in the following school term. In total, 319 children, aged 4 to 6 years, participated in the trial.

To assess the effectiveness of the Fun FRIENDS program, parents and teachers completed a number of self-report questionnaires. Results to date have been positive and highlight the long-term effectiveness of the program. Results have shown that children in the intervention group experienced a statistically significant decrease in anxiety symptoms from pre to post to 1 year follow-up An effect for time was found indicating that at each time-point (pre, post,1 year follow-up), children’s anxiety symptoms continued to decrease and this decrease was maintained 1 year following program implementation. Results also indicated that levels of parental stress for both mothers and fathers significantly decreased from pre intervention to 1 year follow-up for children in the intervention group only, indicating that parental stress was significantly lower following the program and this was maintained over time. Both parent and teacher report indicated increased levels of social arid emotional strength from pre to post intervention for children in the intervention group. Upon further examination of this result, a high level of concordance was found between parent and teacher report indicating that parents and teachers are highly communicative during preschool and appear to be observing the same level of symptoms/strengths in the children.

These results highlight the effectiveness of the Fun FRIENDS program in decreasing anxiety, decreasing parental stress and increasing social and emotional strength in preschool children. The preschool years represent an ideal time to intervene as there is a high level of communication between parents and teachers which is essential when implementing interventions with young children as the skills learnt in the program are more likely to be substained in both the home and school setting.

FRIENDS has a strong evidence-base and has been shown to be both an effective treatment and preventative intervention, for children and youth with anxiety and depression. Research to date indicates that one in five adults and children suffer anxiety or depression (more prevalent than drug use, attention deficit disorder, or any health problem) but only 5% of cases receive intervention. Suicide is the NUMBER 1 cause of death in Australia in the 10-35 years age group, and Queensland together with the Northern Territory have the highest incidence of suicide in Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2005). We all have an ethical obligation to intervene and promote preventative and effective treatment strategies for our children and youth. .A universal intervention in the school curriculum which targets all children with a community systematic approach will enhance the resilience skills of children, teachers and their families with long term sustainability.

Implementation of the FRIENDS program in the core curriculum of schools will help reduce anxiety urn manifestations including depression, eating disorders, behaviour problems, alcohol and other substance misuse, bullying and youth suicide. FRIENDS is one of the best and most cost-effective investments in child and youth mental health that is available for implementation in the school setting today.”

[friendsresilience]

Bouncing Back

From Head2Head

This is an article about resilience and social and emotional skills explained by Dr Paula Barrett.

“A lending expert in the field of child and adolescent mental health provides us with tips on developing resilience and happiness in the young.

Professor Paula Barrett (…) authored and implemented a program called Friends. The program runs in Australia and around the world and is considered best practice by the World Health Organisation for the prevention and treatment of childhood and adolescent anxiety anti depression.

According to Professor Barrett, when it comes to the mental health of children and adolescents, there is no single cause of either their happiness or their distress. Instead, there are various risk and protective factors determining the extent to which a child is at risk of, or protected from, developing emotional difficulties.

Positive factors help build resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity and stress. Resilience can be nurtured by parents or other adults, peers, and programs such as Friends. Friends uses cognitive behavioural therapy to help children think positively and act appropriately when facing life challenges.

“Social and emotional skills are the most important skills we can give our children for long-term happiness and success in life,” Professor Barrett says.

“Social and emotional skills include looking people in the eye, learning to speak with a confident voice, recognising feelings in ourselves and others, learning empathy, learning to make positive friendships and to share, and learning how to behave in social situations.

“Children who have learned these skills will be more resilient than others. They will adjust better to change, have a more positive start to schooling and know how to form and maintain positive friendships. They will will relate better to parents, siblings and teachers and know how to calm down and regulate their feelings when things get tough.

“These children will be happy to try new things.”

Further protective factors include having a strong positive attachment to at least one adult, such as a parent, teacher or friend; possessing or developing a positive thinking style; having a strong support network such as an extended family, sport club or church group; and being in a school environment in which a child feels at ease and accepted.

Being active is another important factor. Professor Barrett recommends that children walk, run or cycle a minimum of three kilometres a day.

Diet is another crucial factor. “Too much sugar in the bloodstream can lead to hypertension, the development of diabetes and the related anxiety of daily injections,” she says.

Professor Barrett also believes that children should sleep a minimum of nine to 10 hours a day. “Lack of sleep leads to a greater vulnerability to stress, illness, lack of attention, inability to cope, irritability and anxiety symptoms.”

The good news is that there are more protective factors than risk factors.

“While the brain, particularly up to the age of 16 or 17, is especially vulnerable to emotional trauma and traumatic life experiences, it is also open to neurological growth through brain exercise. The brain is plastic,” Professor Barrett says.

“Despite trauma or lack of early loving experiences. some damage can be repaired at a neurological level through the development of close, loving relationships at any stage of life

“There is hope for emotional repair for both children and adults.” “

[friendsresilience]

Channel Seven – Business Person of the Year

This is an article about the nomination of Dr Paula Barrett for the Business Person of the Year.

“Professor Paula Barrett is a social entrepreneur internationally recognised as preeminent in the field of child psychology. She authored the FRIENDS for Life program that teaches children from the age of four positive coping strategies to build resilience. FRIENDS is endorsed by the World Health Organization for the prevention and treatment of anxiety and depression, it is used in 18 countries, and available in 13 languages. Paula is Director of the innovative research-based clinic, (…) which helps an average of 3000 families yearly. (…)”

[friendsresilience]

With Help From Friends

From TIME (February 2004)

This is an extract from TIME magazine and it is about how the FRIENDS Programs can help kids prevent issues when they become teenagers.

“THE KID WHO PUTS TACKS ON CLASS-mates’ chairs and turns his math tests into paper planes may have a problem, but chances are someone will act quickly to find out what it is. Maybe it’s one of the attention disorders so commonly diagnosed these days: perhaps there’s trouble at home. The point is that disruptive children don’t go unnoticed. But what of the child in the same classroom who never acts up and whose reports are full of ticks in the right boxes? Though easy to teach com-pared to the troublemaker, some children like this might also be crying out for help, if only they could summon the nerve. Thanks to a new Australian program, help might find them first.

The prevalence of anxiety among children in many developed nations seems to be rising. Whatever the causes (and the decline of the extended family, over emphasis on achievement and a general speeding up of life are all possibilities), it’s estimated that between 15 and 20% of kids feel anxiety that diminishes the quality of their lives. Put simply, these children spend too much time worrying, ruining what should be their most carefree years.

Instead of looking forward to a school camp, for example, they fret about what might go wrong, like being served food they don’t like or having to shower in front of others. While these scenarios might cross the minds of most kids, anxious ones would rather skip the camp than risk embarrassment. Some extremely anxious children worry incessantly about things beyond their control, such as earthquakes, nuclear war and SARS, inflating in their minds the danger to themselves and their families. Worse, sufferers feel compelled to conceal their fears from everyone and often grow into depressed teens. “Anxious children are too rarely brought to us,” says clinical psychologist Dr. Paula Barrett, (…) “so we’ve started going to them.”

This is done with a Barrett-designed program called FRIENDS, which is used widely in Australian hospitals and clinics to treat anxious children and depressed adolescents. But it’s as a course presented in both primary and secondary schools and aimed at preventing anxiety that FRIENDS (a mnemonic for Feeling worried?—Relax—Inner thought—Explore plans—Nice work, reward—Don’t forget to practice—Stay calm) is taking off. By helping young people to accept their feelings as legitimate and showing them techniques of positive thinking and problem solving, the program “builds their emotional resilience,” claims Barrett, who is also associate professor of psychology at Griffith University. In Australia, some 40,000 students—mainly in private schools—have done FRIENDS, which has also reached children in New Zealand, South Africa, the U.S. and Europe. Canadian schools are soon to begin a large trial of the program, which will be translated later this year into Chinese and Russian. “Dr. Barrett’s work in childhood anxiety can only be described as ground-breaking,” says Dr. Deborah Beidel, professor of psychology at the Maryland Center for Anxiety Disorders. a leading specialist facility in the U.S.

As both a preventive and a treatment tool, FRIENDS is helping to control child-hood distress. For evidence, there are the favorable results of numerous trials—and there are children like Maddison, who was eight when her Dad left home to live with one of her Mum’s friends. Previously out-going, she became increasingly withdrawn and diffident as she struggled with feelings of guilt and confusion. Steered toward Barrett by the family’s G.P., Maddison thrived in the FRIENDS program. One after-noon last week she sat doing her homework at a desk at Pathways, where her mother, Vikki, works at the front desk. Now 11, Maddison explained how she’d just auditioned at a big dance school. It had been nerve-racking, she said, having to perform ballet and a jazz routine in front of the ex-aminers and other kids; she’d even had to sing Happy Birthday. She didn’t make it into the school, but the point for her was that she’d tried, and driving home afterward Vikki choked up when Maddison told her. “You know, I’m so proud of myself”

In the ’90s, as Barrett was drawing on work by American psychologist Phillip Kendall to design FRIENDS, researchers were fine-tuning their theories on the types of children most prone to anxiety. They now believe that 1 in 5 is born, as Barrett describes it, “physiologically sensitive to stress and certain stimuli.” A test for this sees three-month-old babies held by their mothers and exposed to a sudden noise. The heart rate of the sensitive child rises higher and more quickly than the average child’s, and remains elevated for longer.

But of every five sensitive kids (who tend to be smart and artistic), three won’t develop problems with anxiety. Their secret, explains Barrett, is certain “protective factors:’ ‘fop of these is parenting style: the sensitive child whose parents are encouraging and optimistic generally rises above his predisposition toward anxiety. On the other hand, a child with the double whammy of physiological sensitivity and negative parents whose favored approach to problems is to avoid them “is going to be a bit of a mess,” says Barrett. Sensitive kids “desperately need the parent who says, ‘Yes, there are some dangerous things, but we can learn to cope with them and generally the world is a pretty good place.'” In the past few years, researchers have become convinced that other things can help prevent children from lapsing into anxiety, including a school environment that is welcoming and puts participation above achievement, and a network of friends.

Barrett first read psychologist Kendall’s work while researching her Master’s thesis on childhood fears in 1992. She was fascinated, and later wrote to him seeking permission to develop it. Kendall had challenged the prevailing notion that children weren’t capable of thinking about how they think, and that it was therefore pointless to try to treat their anxiety with cognitive behavioral therapy; the only solution, it was believed, was to help the parents manage the child’s behavior. Barrett agreed CBT directed at the child could work, and thought Kendall’s “Coping Cat” program could be built on by encouraging greater parental and sibling involvement in the treatment. She also began treating anxious kids in groups, convinced the interaction would boost their confidence. Her latest contribution is the prevention program. There are two FRIENDS courses in schools, one aimed at children aged 10-12, the other at 15- and 16-year-olds. Run by teachers in 10 sessions over as many weeks, they introduce children to “thought terminators” to fight negative thinking and six-step plans to beat problems that may seem insurmountable.

Apart from draining joy from young lives, untreated childhood anxiety tends to morph into adolescent depression, a strong risk factor for suicide. Living with fear wears down the will to live, and constantly avoiding unpleasant things-while it offers short-term relief-eventually makes the sufferer feel isolated and useless. Katherine, 18, of Brisbane, recalls a childhood spent in her  “own little world,” not feeling close to either parent, hung up on doing everything perfectly and racked by the fear of getting into trouble. By her final year of high school, she was so filled with despair that she resolved to kill herself. “I had it all planned out.” she says. But with just days to spare, Katherine’s concerned ancient history teacher steered her toward Barrett. “When I was talking to Paula and doing the program, nothing else mattered,” says Katherine. “Compared to how I, was, I’m 500% better.”

FRIENDS isn’t a panacea. Katherine’s treatment included antidepressant drugs, which Barrett says are an important aid to treatment when the anxiety or depression is severe. She dismisses any suggestion that treating childhood anxiety-even with cognitive behavior therapy alone-is an example of medicalizing normal human variation.

Some kids are always going to be scared of the dark or socially awkward, and FRIENDS doesn’t expect to change that. The beauty of presenting the program in schools, Barrett argues, is that it keeps non-anxious kids non-anxious, leads the somewhat anxious toward normality, and helps teachers to identify those whose anxiety may need one-on-one clinical attention. This last group’s anxiety isn’t part of the normal range of variation, she stresses: “Internally, they are suffering.”

The saddest news on anxiety is that it is showing up in younger and younger children, and Barrett is now working on a FRIENDS course aimed at pre-schoolers. Even the child playing quietly with her blocks may be thinking thoughts no one would have imagined.”

[friendsresilience]

That’s what friends are for

By Dr Paula Barrett

Have you ever wanted to be a fly on the school wall – to see how your child copes in the rough and tumble of the playground?

Are they popular? Do they get bullied? Do they “play nice” with the other kids?

It’s natural for parents to want their children to socialise well and to be anxious if they think their child is struggling. But even though you can’t be there to guide your kids through the social minefield of the lunch break, you can still prepare them to form strong, positive relationships with others.

A good way to start is by praising your child for being a good friend to someone. Be specific. For example, say: “I really liked the way you asked Jessica to join you in the playground when you noticed she had nobody to play with. You are a good friend.”

Encourage your child to discuss ways they think they could be a good friend and share stories about your own friendships throughout your childhood and adult life. Explain why you consider someone a good friend. When you were little, they may have been a good listener or shared their toys. As an adult, there may a workmate who helps you use the computer or smiles when they we you. Also, give examples of things that create a bond with your friends. Do you share your recipes or make someone laugh?

When you hear your child talk about different situations from school, initiate discussions that explore how a good friend would react. For example, if your son tells you that he saw Jeremy fall over in the playground, ask how he reacted. Did he help Jeremy up? Or did he laugh?

It’s really important to help your child develop empathy and be more aware of how others are feeling. A child needs to be equipped to read the social cues that will make them sensitive to other people’s needs. Try to encourage your child to develop their empathy by suggesting courses of action. For example: “Your brother looks like he is feeling stressed about his exam tomorrow. Perhaps you could offer to get him a nice, cold drink”.

With support and encouragement, your child can learn how to make — and more importantly keep good friends.

[friendsresilience]

Busy Bodies Need to Rest

By Dr Paula Barrett

When your child wakes up in the morning, the noise starts.

The alarm goes off and the radio goes on. There’s breakfast television, car radios, peak hour traffic, construction sites and mobile phones ringing. Soon, teachers are talking, schoolmates are squealing, keyboards are tapping and bells are peeling.

It’s a lot of stimulation. So it’s no wonder some children find it difficult to be calm or concentrate. for long periods of time. And it’s hardly surprising many children become agitated or anxious.

That’s why rest is so important in the daily routine. A little peace and quiet gives the child’s mind and body time to recover and recharge.

For a start, don’t expect your child to start their homework when they first get home from school. They’ll need at least an hour to eat, relax and calm down. They’ll be more productive and will make fewer mistakes when they’re not overtired.

It’s also not a great idea to take your child to a shopping centre after school. If your car is overheating you wouldn’t speed down the highway. You would pull over, add some water and wait until it cools down before you take off again. You need to do the same thing with children. Let them refuel before they start up again!

Once they’re home from school, there are plenty of ways for a child to relax that doesn’t involve a TV or a computer.

Encourage your child to engage in the kinds of activities that are self-soothing. This could be reading a book, running or walking. Perhaps they could try cooking, looking after a garden, playing a musical instrument or cuddling a pet. Water is also soothing, so a relaxing bath or shower or a swim is a good idea.

Simple relaxation activities also include slow, deep breathing from the stomach, simple muscle relaxation or even just spending a few minutes thinking about a special or happy place.

When a child is feeling very intense emotions, they may need to calm themselves down. Any of the activities discussed can help them deal with those emotions and prevent them reacting badly and may stop them hurting themselves or others.

If children are encouraged to build in periods of quiet time without iPods or mobile phones, they’ll soon choose to do so. Because as parents, if you place importance and value in this, so will your children.

Professor Paula Barrett is (…) the author of FRIENDS FOR LIFE, a schools-based anxiety prevention and treatment program for children and youth. (…)

[friendsresilience]

UP Magazine Article

This is an article from the UP Magazine and it is about the work that Dr Paula Barrett has been doing with her programs.

“As a mother, research scholar, in demand public speaker and educationalist, Professor Paula Barrett knows how to prioritise! Paula has received international acclaim for her research into child psychology. The Fun Friends and Friends for Life Programs have been implemented throughout the world, her research has been published in some of the highest academic journals, her knowledge and joie de vivre see her flying all over the world to speak at conferences and conduct workshops and her children are testament to how inner strength and persistence create positive rewards.

Juggling home and work responsibilities over the last 26 years, Paula sill finds time to take regular breathers. Her ‘downtime’ activities include swimming, bushwalking, spending time with family and daily dog walking routine. Born in Africa and raised in Portugal, Paula moved to Australia for its leisure and professional potential. She soon became settled after falling in love with the outdoor lifestyle, and being offered a PhD scholarship with the University of Queensland. Since completing her Doctorate, (…), which aim to implement the Fun Friends and Friends for Life programs within Australian schools and communities in need.

“I love my work,” Paula declares, “It’s not just working with children, but also writing and reading, which are two of my biggest passions. I’m able to research processes of development and how to mentor young people. It’s important to instil resilience within the younger generation, to teach emotional and social skills through positive psychological education.”

As an adolescent, Paula had hoped to study philosophy. A diligent student, she enjoyed the challenge of learning new things and always aimed for the highest marks. Throughout her early teenage years, Paula’s schedule also incorporated a rigorous swimming routine. Preparing to represent Portugal, Paula trained up to five hours a day. However, it was her passion to excel academically that led her to leave professional swimming behind.

With her parents’ encouragement to study medicine, Paula followed a path of science before finding her calling in child psychology. “I decided early on I was not going to have an average life,” Paula explains. “Self belief and resilience helped me achieve my goals. Talent plays a very small part of success. The majority comes from persistence.”

Through Fun Friends and Friends for life, Paula promotes resilience from an early age. These programs are recognised by the World Health Organisation as best practice for the prevention and treatment of anxiety, depression and suicide in children and adolescents. Having been developed over 15 years, they have received great feedback. “I often meet people I helped as children. My programs helped them overcome obstacles when they were little and built their confidence – this literally turned their lives around. They have grown to become engineers, doctors and teachers. One man is now a successful dancer in New York.” The head of psychological services in Iceland said that he can’t imagine any other intervention having a more profound impact, and representatives from Harvard University consider Paula and the work she has done brilliant. Paula was warm, funny, engaging and genuine throughout the photo shoot and interview, these sentiments are echoed on the (…) website testimonials.

Despite having chosen a scholarly, rather than sporting path, Paula still maintains an active lifestyle. Incorporating her passions for exercise and nature, she says bushwalking provides the ultimate form of relaxation. Beginning and ending each day by walking her Labradoodles, Paula has a real zest for life. In the case of Professor Paula Barrett, resilience is the key to success. ”

[friendsresilience]

Our great Aussies

From Courier Mail

This is an article from Courier Mail and it is about when Dr Paula Barrett was nominated as Queensland Australian of the Year.

“If Paula Barrett wins the Australian of the Year award she will be thrilled, but not just for the personal honour it would bring.

For the Portuguese-born Brisbane psychologist, who specialises in helping children and teenagers develop social and emotional skills, her time in the spotlight presents an opportunity to spread the word about her work.

“I hope my finalist nomination helps more people find out about our service and makes people aware that there are people who can help them with their problems,” she said.

“One in five children and adults suffer anxiety problems and one in 10 people suffer depression.”

Professor Barrett has developed life-changing programs to help children and families suffering from problems including anxiety and depression.

Her programs are available in countries including Canada, New Zealand, The Netherlands, Britain, Spain, Greece and Iceland.

“I feel very privileged that people think my work (…) and our programs are helping many kids and families in Australia and overseas,” Professor Barrett said.

“I am very honoured people have considered my work.”

Professor Barrett, a mother of two, is a finalist in the Queensland Australian of the Year category, alongside country musician Lee Kernaghan, indigenous leader Noel Pearson and Special Olympics volunteer Anna-Louise Kassulke.

Australian of the Year Awards national manager Tam Johnston said the nominations were a strong reflection of Australia’s diverse population.

“We received more than 3000 nominations for people who are contributing to the community, who are taking a leadership role in our society and whose achievements are an inspiration,” Ms Johnston said.

From the state finalists a winner will be announced at the Queensland Australian of the Year Awards ceremony later this month.

The winner will join finalists from other states and territories in vying for the overall Australian of the Year Award in January.”

[friendsresilience]

Style Chat Interview

From Courier Mail

This is an interview from the Style Chat section and it is about getting to know Dr Paula Barrett a little bit more.

“What do you do? Professor of Education, University of Queensland; director, Pathways Health and Research Centre, West End. We develop and research programs to promote life-skills, resilience and social and emotional skills for children and families.

Was 2007 what you expected? It turned out to be very challenging! We learnt a lot.

Highlights? Receiving an Achievement Award from the Lord Mayor for our outstanding services; being a keynote speaker at the World Health Organisation conference in Barcelona; and being a finalist for the Queensland Australian of the Year award.

Lowlights? The hard work and deadlines.

Any big surprises? The wide uptake of our programs by government departments overseas. My daughter turned 24, and five days later was officially admitted to the Supreme Court of Queensland, followed by her surprise wedding to her long-term partner. My son finished Grade 12 and received his school’s Academic Excellence Award. To top it all off I just got two puppies – adorable!

Plans for 2008? Ensuring our new family centre is a success; raising awareness that children don’t need to have a problem to learn social skills. As Dr James Heckman (Nobel Laureate in Economics, 2005) said: “We too often have a bias toward believing that only cognitive skills are of fundamental importance to success in life”.

What will you do differently? To spend more time fundraising and help children in drought-affected and remote areas who don’t have access to the programs.

What do you hope to keep up? Running, bike riding; going to Stradbroke Island.

To give up? Getting discouraged about the lack of awareness of our work here while countries overseas take up our programs.

How do you stay motivated? I read a lot, take on new challenges, meet new families, talk to new schools. It’s very rewarding to hear clients say we made a positive difference.

Secrets for recharging your batteries? Going to the gym, running, swimming, walking my dogs and going to North Stradbroke Island (I breathe differently when I’m there).

What’s hot in 2008? Our new centre near the Mater Hospital, our non-profit trust, and how both projects can make a difference!

Predictions for world events in 2008? If more people take on our programs we’ll have much happier people.

For Australia? Growing emphasis on the importance of our environment; increased use of water tanks and solar power; bike riding and walking more and driving less; a focus on strengthening local communities.

For Brisbane? More emphasis on the importance of education of young children – not just learning to read and write but also resilience, social and emotional skills. I will not give up until this message is widespread. ”

[friendsresilience]

closeup Interview

From Courier Mail

This is an interview from closeup and it is about the work that Dr Paula Barrett has been doing with her programs.

“A WEST End psychologist who works to prevent childhood anxiety, depression and youth suicide has been shortlisted as a finalist for the 2008 Australian of the Year Award for Queensland.

Dr Paula Barrett (…) started the Friends for Life, Fun Friends and Youth Friends programs to reduce anxiety and behaviour problems for children and adolescents from the age of four and up. She said she aimed to let people know there were interventions which worked.

“It (the nomination) feels wonderful. I just hope I can make more of a difference now I’m nominated,” Dr Barrett said.

The 45-year-old studied a Masters in clinical psychology and a PhD in child anxiety.

She said the Fun Friends program was aimed at building social, emotional and coping skills in children.

“We have to fight this stigma it’s embarrassing to learn these coping skills,” Dr Barrett said.

“We need to catch any little signs of stress or bullying before it gets worse.”

Her message is it is better to prevent mental health problems rather than fix them.

The Friends for Life program is used in countries including Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Norway, Portugal and Mexico.

The winner of the 2008 Australian of the Year Award for Queensland will be announced next month. ”

[friendsresilience]

Wednesday Feature

From Courier Mail

This is an article from the Wednesday Feature section and it is about how Dr Paula Barrett managed to develop the successful FRIENDS programs.

“Paula Barrett’s distinctive accent can be heard all over the world.

In the past 12 months, the Portuguese-horn Brisbane psychologist has spoken in Norway, the United Kingdom, Portugal. Canada and the US.

This month she’s off to Barcelona.

Her subject is a program she developed to teach children and teenagers social and emotional skills that will help prevent anxiety and depression.

Sitting in Mondo Organics restaurant in Brisbane’s West End, on a blustery cold day, Barrett explains that the program, called Friends, is the only anxiety prevention program recognised by the World Health Organisation.

“We know one in five kids is going to be prone to anxiety and by mid-primary school a percentage of these will show signs: social anxiety, separation anxiety, generalised anxiety, stomach aches, headaches all the time,” she says. “If these kids don’t get help, almost surely in Years 11 and 12, or the beginning of university, they are going to be depressed because we know that anxiety in primary school is the greatest risk factor for depression in late adolescence.”

It is this blunt message that has led to the Friends program to be adopted around the world for late primary and early high school. It has been implemented by schools across the Western world and elsewhere. It is also in the process of being translated into Russian and Arabic.

By the end of this year, more than 500,000 children worldwide will have completed the program.

So you would think Barrett, (…) would be happy. Instead, she is frustrated. While the rest of the world has leapt at news of the resilience program with long-term positive effects, very few people in Australia appear to be listening.

Ordering a glass of shiraz (…) to keep out the cold, Barrett says Friends is “hardly used” here.

“Only 300 to 400 schools are using it in Australia, more private schools than public,” she says.

“In Queensland there would be 50 if we’re lucky.” None are state schools.

Barrett, an adjunct professor of education at Queensland University, attributes the lack of take-up to her own lack of marketing skills and an apparent reluctance by government to introduce a program targeted at long-term, rather than overnight, benefits.

“Friends teaches emotional resilience that will stay with children for life, as well as practical strategies for coping with stress,” she says.

She pre-emptively dismisses any concern that the Friends program would crowd an already cluttered curriculum.

“The version for primary schools, for Years 5, 6 and 7, only takes 90 minutes a week in terms two and three,” she says.

“Teachers get trained in the program and then they can implement it in their own school. The cost to the school is just one day’s training. The Fun Friends book costs $15 to $20.”

Barrett, a mother of two, says some children are more at risk than others.

“Anxious kids are in general much more physiologically sensitive at birth,” she explains. “One in five is born like that so anything that hap-pens throughout their lives they are going to feel really intensely. The other risk factor is life events, whether they have been traumatic or not. The most traumatic things are repetitive incidents of low intensity, like having a parent or sibling with a chronic life-threatening illness.

“Chronic emotional or sexual abuse or severe bullying is very traumatic because it happens over a period of time for a long time so anything of a chronic nature has a greater psycho-logical impact than anything of a single incidence.”

Barrett says she was born with an “anxious temperament”.

Her father was a diplomat posted to Portugal’s African colonies, where Barrett was born in Angola. Her father received a new posting every three to four years, meaning many goodbyes to friends for Barrett and her brother.

There were no big traumas in her childhood, “just lots of moves”. “But with my children — Ana, 23, and Tomas, 17 — who were not born with an anxious temperament, 1 was determined to stay in one place. I have had lots of offers to go and work in overseas universities. But I didn’t want my kids to go through what I went through.”

Barrett completed high school in Portugal and graduated from university there with a masters degree.

She and her then husband headed to Australia, where Barrett completed a ground-breaking PhD in child anxiety at Queensland University, against the advice of her supervisor. “My supervisor said: ‘You will only have 20 children. You can’t do a PhD on 20 children. There’s sunshine; there’s no anxious children in Australia.”

But Barrett wrote a newspaper article advertising the symptoms of child anxiety: worry, difficulty sleeping, psychosomatic symptoms, perfectionism and difficulty making friends.

“Within three weeks we had 320 people on a list waiting to be treated.”

She later moved to Griffith University to carry out child anxiety therapy and research but left to start her own therapy and research centre at West End, where the Friends programs, and now Fun Friends, are offered in group sessions.

“Canadian research showed the earlier we intervene the better so we developed Fun Friends for four to six year-olds.

“Fun Friends is play based and inquiry based, with games and fun activities. It will reduce behaviour problems and maximise learning.”

The program, which was trialled in 28 state and private schools in 2005 with excellent results, will be officially launched in Brisbane on August 10.

From there, Barrett would like state and federal governments to step up to the plate.”

“The question is not how we fix the behaviour problems … but how do we stop them happening

Psychologist Paula Barrett “

[friendsresilience]

QWeekend 2008 – Dr Paula Barrett

From QWeekend – Courier Mail (2008)

This is an extract from QWeekend magazine and it is about getting to know a little more about Dr Paula Barrett and how she is a model in Queensland.

“PROFESSOR PAULA BARRETT, 46, child psychologist

Barrett has unlocked some of the mysteries of childhood and adolescent anxiety through two decades of research and has developed intervention strategies that have earned international recognition. Her Friends for Life prevention program, created in the early 1990s is used in schools and clinics in 15 countries. The global dissemination of the program is managed (…) in inner Brisbane, while a new Woolloongabba clinic also specialises autistic spectrum disorders, educational psychology, sports psychology and services for adults, including martial counselling. This week Barrett was named Telstra Queensland Woman of the Year

Year ahead: Keynote addresses at international conferences; planning for a national summit on childhood resilience.”

[friendsresilience]

QWeekend 2009 – Dr Paula Barrett

From QWeekend – Courier Mail (2009)

This is an extract from QWeekend magazine and it is about getting to know a little more about Dr Paula Barrett and the idea behind her programs.

“Professor Paula Barrett is on the phone to her son Tom. As she speaks, this diminutive powerhouse of a woman has one foot tucked up on her chair in a Brisbane restaurant. She is toying with a dish of green beans.

“Hello my love,” she says in her still resonant Portuguese accent. “Could I offer to pay you double if you take the puppies for a walk? Go to Slaughter Falls … please … Tom? … pleeeease … Please go now … promise? Okay, so where are you going … okay, that’s good, okay, thank you Tom, and you’ll leave in 15 minutes? Bye, darling.”

She crunches a bean. “He’s studying for his uni exams,” she says. “It’s good he has a break. To give his brain an airing. Every time you have a break it’s shown the productivity in terms of retention doubles.”

She’s back on the phone to Tom. “Hey Tom, I forgot to tell you there’s all this research that every time you have a break from study, if you go running or swimming or walking, your ability to retain information afterwards … your brain is much more ready to comprehend … so you should be paying me.”

From this verbal exchange we learn a lot about Barrett, a world-renowned expert in childhood stress and anxiety. She has encouraged her 20-year-old son to perform a responsible duty; she has got him away from his desk and into nature; she has convinced him to express an act of care towards animals; and overall she has improved his learning skills. She’s also got what she wanted.

Since arriving in Brisbane in 1986, Barrett has established a globally recognised body of work on positive child psychology. Her vision has assisted tens of thousands of children – and its impact may conceivably extend for generations. (…) Her Friends for Life prevention program, which focuses on childhood anxiety and depression with an emphasis on strengthening self-esteem and social skills, has been adopted by dozens of countries around the world (but not so much in her adopted state of Queensland). Her successful Fun Friends program is tailored to children aged four to seven, arming them to deal with stress, bullying and the rigours of our modern world.

So how did this peripatetic woman, born in Angola to Portuguese parents and spending much of her early life living in various parts of the world as the daughter of a diplomat, come ashore in Brisbane?

“I finished some studies in Portugal and I wanted to have an adventure before I settled and was stuck in a job,” she says. “I already had a fascination with a guy who lived in Australia called Sam Neill. There was this television series in Portugal at that time that I always loved. Reilly: Ace of Spies. Ohhh, I loved that. I did some research in the library and found out he was from New Zealand but lived in Australia, so there was this fascination. Then there was A Town Called Alice or something like that. I wanted to live in the Outback.”

Instead, she settled in West End and suffered the taunts of a migrant who spoke little English. “I found everything a bit stifling,” she recalls. “It was really hard for me to make it happen for myself professionally. It was tough. But whatever I do I try to do well. I love Brisbane. I love the heat. And it doesn’t matter where you live these days if you want to succeed.

“It is tough for a woman to achieve. But I think I can do anything I want anywhere I am in the world. It would be better elsewhere, the government and grant support, but apart from that I think if people are good at what they do and are genuinely passionate, you will succeed anywhere you are. I can still think the ideas and still make a difference.”

Barrett has won awards – last year she was the state’s Telstra Business Woman of the Year – and attracted nominations for Australian of the Year. But her core passion is not so much business as the mental wellbeing of children. “When I started working with children I realised there were a lot who didn’t need to become adults with difficulties and anxiety and depression,” she says. “Youth suicide is such a big problem in Australia, particularly Queensland. God, we can treat these kids so easily. It’s not true there aren’t any anxious kids – there are many more anxious kids than aggressive kids. It’s one in five for anxiety; it’s one in ten for aggression.

“No-one helps these kids, so they’re going to grow up being really talented in some area but without the ability to bounce back when there are obstacles. There’s so much we can do for these kids in terms of prevention, in terms of educational strategies we can give them when they’re really young. And the younger they are, the better. It becomes part of the second language in their brain and they know how to deal with everything that is adverse in a competent and brave way.

“Child psychology and child development has always lagged behind adult issues. Even now the adult mental health budget is more than 80 per cent of the [total] budget. It’s all about fixing big problems rather than preventing them from happening in the first place. With children, it is better to prevent, and equip them for the rest of their lives.”

Barrett’s work has been endorsed by the World Health Organisation and is being taught across the globe, from Canada to Japan to Europe. She travels the world speaking at conferences. And her daughter Ana, 27, has just had her first child, adding “grandmother” to Barrett’s impressive resume.

It’s mid-afternoon. The dogs have been walked and Tom has taken in some fresh air. The beans have been consumed. (…) It’s been a good, productive day – and for the indefatigable Barrett, it’s by no means over. “

[friendsresilience]

Accolades flow for fighting fear

From Courier Mail

This is a small newspaper article about Dr Paula Barrett and the development of her programs.

“She is the one they turn to around the world if the kids are not coping and are stressed out.

From her base in Brisbane, Dr Paula Barrett is a world leading child psychologist who teaches children, their families and adults the skills to be resilient and overcome anxiety, depression and stress.

She’s petite and softly spoken with a Portuguese accent, but Dr Barrett is a determined campaigner and eager to see more Australian children access her Friends for Life program.

Dr Barrett was yesterday named Telstra Queensland usiness Woman of the Year and her centre, (…) was a recent finalist in the Telstra Business Awards for Queensland.

The Friends course is the only one endorsed by the World Health Organisation, as well as a handful of top-ranking journals, for its treatment of anxiety in children sand adolescents.(…)

Yet education bureaucrats in Mexico, Canada, the UK, Finland, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, Iceland, Germany, Thailand, Norway, Japan and New Zealand have all embraced her skills and programs.

In British Colombia, Canada, every Year 5 student — some 65,000 children — will do Dr Barrett’s Friends for Life course this year.

Dr Barrett is among the Queenslanders named in Qweekend magazine’s 2008 Best and Brightest issue, (…)”