Therapists work to 'Turnaround' childhood anxiety

Over the course of his 25-year career as a professional counselor, psychologist David Russ, Ph.D., worked extensively with clients suffering from anxiety.

But when his daughter began experiencing significant anxiety and panic attacks five years ago at age 12, he discovered he couldn't be her therapist.

"I brought all kinds of expectations to my child's anxiety that I realized I would never have with patients," said Russ, 53. "It is like a doctor trying to operate on a family member. All the emotions that come with caring for a child interfere with your ability to help."

Russ began looking for resources to help his daughter and was stunned to discover there weren't many helpful media products available for children.

"Most everything I could find to help her understand anxiety was written for adults," said Russ. "It was either directed to adults with anxiety or written for parents."

After discussing this dilemma with colleague Christopher McCarthy, a licensed professional counselor, the two decided to create their own product to help kids with this widespread issue, which researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health say may affect as many as one in five children in the U.S.

The two men, both therapists at Carolinas Counseling Group in Pineville, wanted to provide a program that spoke directly to kids in a manner they would enjoy and benefit from.

"We wanted to create a resource where kids learned from other kids and really wanted to complete the material," said McCarthy, 47, a Ph.D. candidate.

After two years of research, writing and editing, the two launched Turnaround: Turning Fear Into Freedom, in April 2010. The audio treatment program teaches children ages 5-12 how to stop anxious thoughts, calm uncomfortable feelings, and uses proven strategies to overcome anxiety.

Turnaround utilizes a story to invite a child to join six other anxious children on an imaginary 10-day camping adventure that teaches them how to break free from their fears.

Turnaround uses cognitive behavioral therapy, an approach to psychotherapy that offers new thinking skills to modify negative behaviors. The comprehensive program covers the essential elements to help ease a range of disorders including general worry and fear, separation anxiety, school phobias, social anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic attacks.

To develop a unique product, Russ and McCarthy realized they would have to create a narrative kids could relate to and enjoy, while teaching the information and techniques needed to overcome anxiety. They emulated what kids respond to best: short dialogue, action, humor, funny characters and music.

"Chris and I would send the script back and forth and we would respond to each other's ideas, and it just evolved," said Russ. "We wanted kids to understand their very complicated nervous system, so I had the idea of creating personified characters."

Krank the Samurai warrior and Chill the laid-back surfer dude are two characters that capture children's attention and help them psychologically bond with the group.

Russ and McCarthy also developed a vocabulary modeling the slang and wording used by children that translated the complex treatment into language kids would understand.

"The narrative format speaks to both the right and left hemispheres of the brain, thus increasing the retention rate and effectiveness of the material," said McCarthy. "Kids really bond with the characters and the material stays with them long after they've listened."

Turnaround costs about $168 on www.myanxiouschild.com and also is available from Amazon. The kit includes 10 lesson CDs, a workbook, a Chill Kit containing relaxation exercises and music, and a parent guide. Reviews have been impressive.

Dr. Kerry Van Voorhis, Inpatient Medical Director at Levine Children's Hospital, calls the kit, "the best tool available for children with anxiety of any type."

One satisfied mother says Turnaround has helped relieve her 8-year-old daughter's chronic insomnia.

"She would lay in bed worrying about everything from the dog dying to getting school work done properly. Thanks to the relaxation exercises included in the program, she now falls asleep within 20 minutes of getting in bed.

"We have noticed that her improved sleep has helped her to better cope with her stress throughout the day and has improved her emotional stability overall."

Russ and McCarthy hope to create an animated DVD version of the program, a faith-based version, and a teen version.

"It is thrilling to hear stories from families about its impact," said Russ. "The thought of a child and family being free from anxiety is incredibly meaningful to me."