From Fear to Confidence

As a 4th grader at an Indianapolis parochial school, "Paul" should have been enjoying just being a kid. Sadly, his life was ruled by an anxiety disorder and he coped by avoiding any situation that made him feel anxious. Afraid of almost everything, Paul was missing out on activities he used to enjoy and rarely tried anything new.

One of Paul's classmates also struggled with anxiety and had made significant progress with the help of a social worker from the Catholic Charities School Social Work Program in Indianapolis during the previous school year. The classmate's mother suggested to Paul's parents that this program might also be able to help their son, and they were eager to give it a try.   

The social worker came alongside Paul throughout the whole first semester - helping him understand anxiety and how his mind and body respond to stressors. They made a "worry workbook" together, listing all of Paul's worries from the smallest to the biggest. Then they developed positive ways for Paul to respond to those worries and started adding those coping skills to his "tool box." Paul was learning how to manage his stress so that he felt calm and in control.

The social worker also spent time with Paul's parents, helping them develop communication skills to effectively help their son. By God's grace and the help of Catholic Charities School Social Work Program, Paul has successfully tackled several of the worries on his list and now responds with healthy coping skills. Paul has developed an increased level of confidence in his abilities and is doing better academically, as well as socially.

For more information about this program, please call 317-236-1523.