Practical Strategies for Reducing Anxiety and Challenging Behavior in the Classroom

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports that 33.9% of students have had an anxiety disorder in their lifetime. Heroic teachers are facing this challenge with virtually no training in mental health and behavioral principles. Administrators often find themselves in a difficult position, mentoring a distressed teacher who is struggling to support an anxious student.  It is optimal for administrators to be able to identify and suggest practical and effective interventions that enable students to develop competency and reduce inappropriate behavior. With these skills, schools may be able to avoid punitive measures or restrictive settings by supporting their teachers to respond in more effective ways. Through case studies, humorous stories, and common challenging situations, this workshop will translate clinical information into easy-to-implement strategies for reducing student anxiety and negative thinking, while increasing self-regulation skills. By empowering teachers with effective, clinically sound strategies, administrators can help build school and district capacity for this ever-increasing population of students.

Jessica Minahan, PhD, BCBA, is a licensed and board-certified behavior analyst, special educator, international consultant, and best-selling author. With over seventeen years of experience partnering with school systems worldwide, she is renowned for her expertise in the intersection of behavior, mental health, and learning, particularly in supporting students with trauma histories, anxiety-related difficulties, and challenging behaviors. Jessica is the co-author of the best-selling book The Behavior Code: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Teaching the Most Challenging Students (Harvard Education Press, 2012) and author of The Behavior Code Companion: Strategies, Tools, and Interventions for Supporting Students with Anxiety-Related or Oppositional Behaviors (Harvard Education Press, 2014). Her work is sought after by schools and organizations globally. Learn more at www.jessicaminahan.com.