What is “Coping Cat” treatment?
“Coping Cat” is an evidence-based, cognitive behavioral treatment specifically designed for children and adolescents with mild to moderate levels of anxiety. Treatment includes education, coping skills training, and gradual exposure to anxiety inducing scenarios, as well as homework assignments. During treatment, children and adolescents learn to recognize and analyze anxious feelings and develop strategies to cope with anxiety-provoking situations.
There are four components to treatment:
- Recognizing anxious feelings and physical reactions to anxiety
- Clarifying thoughts and feelings in anxious situations
- Developing a coping plan
- Evaluating performance and giving self-reinforcement
Who can benefit from “Coping Cat?”
“Coping Cat” is tailored for children ages 7-14. This program is specifically designed for children and adolescents dealing with anxiety who may have a diagnosis of:
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Social phobia
- Separation anxiety disorder
How long does “Coping Cat” last?
The Coping Cat program is typically administered over 8-16 weeks.
In the first 8 sessions, children and teens are trained on specific concepts, and then practice and reinforce those concepts from the session. After learning concepts and strategies, children and teens practice the new skills in both imaginary and real life situations varying from low stress/low anxiety to high stress/high anxiety scenarios. Therapists may use modeling of real-life situations, role-playing, relaxation training, and contingent reinforcement during treatment.
After treatment, children and teens report significant reductions in anxiety, fear, and frequency of negative thoughts, as well as an increase in the ability to cope with dreaded situations. For some children, the “Coping Cat” program helped significantly, to the point where they no longer met the criteria for an anxiety disorder, even one year after treatment.
Group Schedule
Ages: 7-14: 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, and 13-14
Group Size: 3-6 participants
Times: 10 am, 11 am, 12 pm, and 1 pm (Specific age ranges and times will be determined based on enrollment)
Group Dates:
Session 1- 10/15
Session 2- 10/22
Session 3- 10/29
Session 4- 11/5 *Parent Session
Session 5- 11/12
Session 6- 11/19
Session 7- 12/3
Session 8- 12/10
Make up day (if a session is cancelled by MPG)- 12/17
Price: $850. The fee is paid upfront, and includes intake, 7 Child/Adolescent sessions, and 1 Parent session. Intake will include a comprehensive intake packet with a brief (approximately 30 minutes) in-person interview with the parent(s) and child. The purpose of the intake is to assess appropriate fit for the group, gain a more comprehensive understanding of the behaviors of the child, and identify the challenges and goals of the parent(s) and child for the group. The intake can provide a diagnosis for qualified children to use for out-of-network reimbursement from insurance for the group fee.
Facilitated by graduate interns/postdoctoral fellows under the supervision of Francyne Zeltster, PsyD.
To sign up, please complete this form or contact us for more information.
This group is designed for children with at-risk, mild, or moderate anxiety only. For children with more severe anxiety conditions, please contact us regarding individual treatment options.
