Almost every accommodation plan I have ever seen for an anxiety disorder actually makes the anxiety stronger

Student abilities and challenges vary widely and we thus have an important federal statute (Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act) that guarantees all children have equal access to educational opportunities. I do many trainings in Canada and they have a similar process for educational plans that are created through IPP planning. If you’ve ever heard me speak or are familiar with my approach to treating anxiety, what I’m about to say will come as no surprise: Regardless of what we call them, almost every accommodation plan I have ever seen for an anxiety disorder actually makes the anxiety stronger. I’m not exaggerating.

Why? Because schools and parents act in a loving, caring, helpful manner…and seek to provide the student with the comfort and certainty that anxiety feeds upon. Of course concerned adults want to keep anxious kids in school, but when the plan focuses on allowing a child to avoid anxiety-provoking situations, the child never learns the skills necessary to step toward challenges rather than away from them.

Think of it this way: anxious children already know how to get out of things. That’s anxiety’s main coping strategy. If the accommodation plan is based on creating escapes, avoiding challenges and keeping the classroom “safe” (which to anxiety means keeping the environment predictable and comfortable) then adults are actually making the anxiety stronger and more permanent. To manage anxiety in a new way, the child must learn how to stay in the situation and thus respond differently to the thoughts, feeling and sensations that worry and anxiety create.

When creating, updating, or reviewing an accommodation plan for anxiety, keep these
guidelines in mind:

1) All plans for anxiety should be based on teaching the skills of managing anxiety when it arrives, rather than eliminating or avoiding triggers.
2) Plans should have a “weaning off” component that moves the child toward more independence and less accommodation. And in my experience, weaning can happen quickly (weeks) once the skills are in place and everyone is working together.
3) If a plan has been in place for several months or even years with no changes in a positive direction, then the approach to the child’s anxiety disorder should be evaluated.*
4) If a plan allows a child to leave the classroom, there must be a plan for HOW the child will deal with the anxiety and return as soon as possible… and all involved adults must be aware of the plan.
5) A child will benefit greatly from an adult to coach and support her as she moves into anxiety provoking situations. That coach must be familiar with the plan that, in a nutshell, expects anxiety to arrive, externalizes it (steps back from it, talks back to it, reacts differently to it) and experiments with the anxiety by taking steps toward the anxiety rather than away from it.

I heard recently of an accommodation for a high school student with social anxiety. He was not to be called on in class and was exempt from doing presentations in front of his peers. This plan had been in place since seventh grade. This bright 17 year old was now looking ahead to college, but his plan had excused him from learning HOW to feel anxious, manage that process, and take a risk. His anxious behavior had been cemented, not challenged. I wonder how he’ll be able to get through a college course on his own.

Am I asking a lot of schools? Absolutely. I do the same of parents. But I’m only so bossy because anxiety is so treatable and I just can’t stand to watch it take charge! Everywhere I look–websites, books, internet articles, even Pinterest–I see accommodation plans that make anxiety applaud and cheer. “Make sure your anxious child has all the information ahead of time.” “Send a note home a day ahead if there’s
going to be a change in the school routine.” “Warn anxious children of fire drills and allow them to skip noisy assemblies.” “Find a safe place for the child can go until she feels comfortable and ready to return to the classroom.”Hurray! says Anxiety. Boo! says Lynn.

Please trust me when I tell you that such well-meaning and short-term solutions are the opposite of what we need to do for anxious children.

* The school, the parents, and the treating therapist must be working together with the child on the same “step into it” plan. Recommendations from a therapist or parents that accommodate the anxiety are virtually impossible for the school to contradict.

The VT-HEC is pleased to present Lynn Lyons at the Stoweflake Resort in Stowe, VT, on October 10 & 11, 2018: Interrupting the Worry Cycle: Advanced Strategies for Managing Anxious Students (& Parents!)

For more information and registration go to: vthec.org

This fall VT-HEC has lined up a varied and robust schedule of professional development opportunities focused on students with disabilities, struggling learners and learners with various other challenges & needs

• Curriculum and Instruction for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder – Kathryn Whitaker, M.Ed. -Workshops and/or Course (10/22 & 10/23 – Montpelier) Kids with ASD can be among our most challenging but Kathryn can help you design, implement and evaluate instructional systems utilizing strategies that have worked for students with these issues.
• Orientation to Special Education – Andrea Wasson, M.Ed. & Joy Wilcox, M.Ed. – Workshop (9/27 & 9/28 – Montpelier). Are you new to special education, new to Vermont, do you have to supervise or evaluate special educators or related service providers, or do you or your staff just need to review the basics to ensure you are all using you time wisely and focusing on the right stuff? If the answer to any of these is yes, this is the offering for you and yours.
• Addressing Educational Benefit through the Special Education Process – Jen Patenaude, M.A.  Workshops (10/17, 11/8, 12/12, 1/10 – Montpelier) This is a series every special educator should be taking to improve student progress by using the special education procedures in the most productive manner. Jen is a Vermont treasure and this offering should be required.
• Strategies for Sustaining the Student-Centered Classroom – Carol Tomlinson, Ed.D. & Bill Rich, M.A. – Three-part WORKshop series (10/18, 12/6 & 3/20 – Montpelier). Carol literally wrote the books on differentiated instruction and Bill has been working in VT for many years focused on using what we know about the brain and learning to make education work for all kids.
• Special Education Legal Update – Art Cernosia, Esq. – Workshop (10/25 – Montpelier) Special Education law can be deadly but Art makes it easy to take.  You’ll hear what’s new, what’s coming, what to focus on and what can take a back seat.
• Advancing and Sustaining Equity Literacy – Paul Gorski, PH.D. – Workshops (11/1 & 11/2 –
  Montpelier). Paul founded EdChange, a coalition of educators and activists providing professional development on educational equity.  This year VT-HEC is working with the VPA and other Vermont organizations to present an array of events and learning opportunities focusing on equity. These two days will focus on the foundations of Equity Literacy and how your schools can put its principals into practice. A follow-up three days is planned of the spring focusing on different equity themes – race, poverty & gender.
• Building Collaborative Teams/Effective Partnerships: Working with Tough Teams – Alicia Lyford, M.Ed. & Joy Wilcox, M.Ed. – Workshop and/or Course (11/5 & 11/6 – Montpelier) There are few more frustrating things than a dysfunctional team and few things better than an effective one – find out the ways to ensure yours are the latter.
• Lights, Camera, Action! Use Built-in Tools on Your Smartphone to Create Quick and Effective Learning Opportunities for Your Students – Patty Thomas, OT and Chris Knippenberg, M.S., OTR/L, ATP – WORKshop and/or Course (10/26 – Rutland) Chris and Patty have this offering down and will help you use the tools on your phone or tablet to create a variety of learning activities to meet the specific needs of your students.
• Tips and Tools for Early Childhood Special Educators – Judith Masson, M.Ed. -Workshops (10/4 & 11/7 – S. Burlington) Judith shares practical tools, charts, forms and practices that can be tailored to your work setting and students to help make you more efficient and effective.

Trauma, Anxiety & Behavior

• Transforming Trauma: How Schools Become Healing Communities – David Melnick, LICSW – Workshop (9/26 & 10/22 – Lake Morey) or Workshop/Course (Lake Morey days +11/15, 12/5, 1/10 in Windsor OR Lake Morey days + 11/17, 12/6, 1/11 in Windham). Dave has become one of VT’s most valued resources in the area of trauma. Two workshop days will provide a great introduction to all or kick-off two courses to be completed in Windham & Windsor counties.
• Interrupting the Worry Cycle: Advanced Strategies for Managing Anxious Students (& Parents!) -Lynn Lyons, LICSW – Workshop (10/10 & 10/11 – Stowe) For all the reasons we know well, anxiety has reached almost epidemic proportions. It can effect every facet of a student’s life and learning. Unfortunately, lots of things we adults think are good responses to address the problem can actually make things worse. Lynn shares strategies that have proven to work and will offer follow-up webinars to help with implementation.
• Power Struggles: What to Do When a Student Says, “Make Me!” – Jon Udis, M.Ed. – Workshop (11/15 – Montpelier) Jon has the answer to those problems that can leave you at your wit’s end as to what to do about challenging behavior – it may not always be easy but Jon can put you on the right track to make it better.
• Early Childhood Trauma: Causes, Impacts, and Effective Strategies for Addressing Relationships with Children and Their Families – Jennifer Auletta, MA, LCMHC, BC-DMT – Workshop (11/30 -Montpelier) An introduction to the impact of trauma and the strategies that work for young kids and their families. – Jennifer has impressive experience and lots of resources to share.

And there is more on the VT-HEC Drawing Board for the spring; check back often to see the latest news & opportunities. For more information and registration go to vthec.org.