• Introduction
• Extra Support
• Diving Deeper
• Research Invitation

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Dear Parents, Caregivers, Step-parents and Grandparents
Although anxiety does not necessarily impact a child’s academic abilities, it can affect their ability to learn. The Worry Bug series helps children to identify their feelings of anxiety, how anxiety affects their behaviour and learning, and to recognise the effects in their peers and family members.  We have designed these resources to make use of the  trusted attachment relationships children have within their homes and communities to support them to develop their emotional intelligence. The activities have been informed by evidence-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Narrative Therapy, and by the objectives of the New Zealand Curriculum. ​
Year 1-4
While designing Maia & the Worry Bug and Wishes & Worries we had children between five and nine in mind. They are able to think logically about concrete events and objects that are in front of them, but have a harder time thinking in abstract ways when they cannot relate their thoughts to the concrete situation.  The strategies offered in the activities support the child to visibly sees the free floating worry get written down on a piece of paper and then see this piece of paper transferred to a caretaker who will look after it.  
Maia & the Worry Bug contains suggested activities to do as a family. The lesson plans in the back of Wishes & Worries can be easily adapted for use at home. We recommend you use Wishes & Worries first.
The activities are short and are designed to stand alone, or completed altogether in one or two afternoon sessions using simple resources.  You may choose to begin the activities and then use a period of observation before continuing.   When the children have identified useful strategies, including the ones suggested in the story you may wish to use them within your reflections and conversations with your family.  

Introduction to The Worry Bug Project

Useful Links
Maia & the Worry Bug-Family Info
Rising Tide-Family Info
Rising Tide Support Resources
Rising Tide e-book-Te Reo and English
Rising Tide Audio Book-Te Reo and English
​Family Anxiety Assessment Tool
​Information about Sarina Dickson & Julie Burgess-Manning
Contact Us
The Worry Bug Facebook page
​

Year 5-8
Rising Tide was designed for children in years 5-8. Children in this age group are moving towards independence and are continuing to develop skills in making decisions as they become more independent. They are beginning to look to peers and media for information and advice. They are also developing an increased capability for social conscience and for abstract thought, including understanding complex issues such as poverty, war and natural disasters.
The suggested activities are designed to be worked through from beginning to end, or for you to adapt, add or omit activities to fit the needs and abilities of your children. 
We’d love to receive any feedback about how you used the resources and the suggested activities.  Massey University will be in touch in 2019 to formally invite you to participate in their research using The Worry Bug Project resources.
Warmest regards
Sarina Dickson and Julie Burgess-Manning 

The Worry Bug Project has been providing book-based resources for ECE, schools and homes since 2015. During that time we've also produced some short videos to support schools, families and communities in times of change and stress. We hope you share these videos with your families and community. It may be that you, or someone close to you is still finding life since the earthquakes really difficult and you may wish to access help for yourself or someone you care about. Below is a list of relevant support agencies in your area.

Children, parents and teachers share how they support good mental health in their families and classes, and the lessons they've taken about managing anxiety through the the last 5 years in Canterbury.

The second film looks at using spiritual and self-care techniques as part of your everyday life in order to promote mental health. Julie Burgess-Manning interviews Neave Ross-Wallace

This first film in the series of three is directed at families or professionals working with families, and looks at psychological ways to manage the two main types of anxiety responses that have shown up in post-disaster populations.

The third film examines how community on a wider scale can affect mental health post-disaster. Julie Burgess-Manning interviews Sue Turner, Manager All Right? Social Marketing Wellbeing Campaign, Otautahi.

SUPPORT AGENCIES MARLBOROUGH
Everyone need support sometimes, especially when it comes to parenting. We can often feel like every other parent has a handle on this child rearing lark while we flounder about hopelessly. All parents want the best for their children, and all parents worry that they're getting it wrong. In times of extreme trauma or stress it can feel like an impossible task just to get meals on the table, let alone be emotionally available. Below are list of agencies that can offer you support if you need it. Please be in touch if you'd like your agency included.
Anxiety New Zealand Trust
For the specialist assessment, management and treatment of anxiety, phobic and obsessive compulsive disorders. Providing education around these disorders and providing research into the cause and management. We also provide Family support groups, community education and workshops.
Phone: 0800 269 4389
Email: clinic@anxiety.org.nz
Website: www.anxiety.org.nz
CARE Marlborough
Open to those who have had, or are having involvement with a mental health service. They offer an informal, comfortable and warm environment that provides opportunities for recreation, socialisation and a meeting place to share common experiences. They embrace and promote the principles of recovery and work from a strengths model. Open daily from 9am – 3pm.
Phone: 03 578 0302
Email: caremarlb@xtra.co.nz
Compass Peer Support and Advocacy Service (Health Action Trust)
Community Mental Health peer advocacy and support service aiming to empower tangata whai ora/mental health service users/caregivers to receive the best possible service in a culture of respect and recovery, by ensuring their voice is heard and their rights upheld.
Phone: 0800 212798
Email: compass@healthaction.org.nz
Website: www.healthaction.org.nz/index.php/what-we-do/compass    
Mental Health Consumer Advocacy Service
Offering peer-led advocacy and support to tangata whaiora/mental health services users within the Marlborough community. We walk with you, giving the support and information needed to ensure your voice is heard, and you are able to understand all aspects that relate to your recovery.
Phone: 03 579 5304
Email: mhconsumeradvocacy.co.nz
Website: www.mentalhealthadvocacy.org.nz/
Supporting Families MarlboroughSupporting Families Marlborough provides holistic, family-centred, strength-based services for families on the journey to mental wellbeing. They offer free mental health and addiction support to family / whānau supporting a loved one. Our service provides education, information, advocacy, face to face / telephone support, a website, as well as supporting workforce development.
Phone: 035775491
Email: sfmarlb@xtra.co.nz
Website: www.supportingfamilies.org.nz
Barnardos – Marlborough
Social work support for children, young people, and their families through our LEAP Service offering real solutions to real problems. Programmes covering parent education, including Quality Connections, Parent in Charge, Incredible Years and Ministry of Justice Parenting Through Separation.
Phone: 0800 227 627
Email: blenheim.office@barnardos.org.nz
Website: http://www.barnardos.org.nz/Bread of LifeCommunity Social Work, Advocacy, Counselling services, Earthquake support, Self Esteem Courses, Crafting, Low cost linen shop, 8 OSCAR approved Programmes, Depression Support Group, Cafe & Craft Shop.
Phone: 03 578 1355
Email: oscars@breadoflife.org.nz
Website: http://breadoflife.org.nz
C.A.M.H.S. (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service)Providing specialist assessment and treatment services for children and youth with serious mental health needs e.g. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression, Anxiety.
Phone: 03 520 9905
Email: fiona.york@nmhs.govt.nz
Website: www.mhaids.health.nz/our-services/child-and-adolescent-mental-health-services/
Maataa Waka Ki Te Tau Ihu Trust
A Kaupapa Maori Social Service provider for whanau living in Marlborough. We support whanau to realise their strengths and reach their potential through providing services based on Kaupapa Maori values and principles.
Phone: 03 577 9256
Email: gail@maataawaka.co.nz
Website: http://www.maataawaka.co.nz/
 1737, Need to Talk?
We’re here. Free call or text 1737 any time, 24 hours a day. You’ll get to talk to (or text with) a trained counsellor. Our service is completely free.

• Are you feeling anxious or just need someone to talk to? 
• Are you feeling down or a bit overwhelmed?
•  Do you know someone who is feeling out-of-sorts or depressed? Let them know they can call or text 1737

Phone: 1737
Email: feedback@nationaltelehealthservice.co.nz
Website: www.1737.org.nz

KAIKOURA/HURUNUI SUPPORT AGENCIES
Everyone need support sometimes, especially when it comes to parenting. We can often feel like every other parent has a handle on this child rearing lark while we flounder about hopelessly. All parents want the best for their children, and all parents worry that they're getting it wrong. In times of extreme trauma or stress it can feel like an impossible task just to get meals on the table, let alone be emotionally available. Below are list of agencies that can offer you support if you need it. Please be in touch if you'd like your agency included.
Canterbury Support line
Our call centre team can help connect you with the services you need. These include queries related: • General Health • Mental health and Addictions • Social support services • Earthquake related services
Phone: 0800 777 846
Community Wellbeing – North Canterbury Trust
Our support for families focuses on enhancing strengths, removing barriers and helping people meet life’s challenges. We also look for opportunities to build on the good work being done by groups in our local community.
Phone: 03 394 9115
Email: tl.clinical@wellbeingnc.org.nz
Website: www.wellbeingnc.org.nz
Family Works – Upper South Island
We deliver social services to support children and families to learn, grow and thrive. We offer counselling and social work support for children and families, along with a range of group programmes. We also partner with others to prevent family violence and strengthen communities.
Phone: 03 366 5472
Email: ps@psusi.org.nz
Website: www.familyworksuppersouth.org.nz
Supporting Families in Mental Illness
We support families and whānau to provide the best possible quality of life and recovery to their loved one who has a mental illness and to their own self care.
We do this by free support, education and information for family and whānau.  Mutual support, the sharing of experiences and gaining strength and skills to cope better through participation in support groups.  Promoting the rights and needs of individuals and families affected by mental illness.
Phone: 03 366 9284 
Email: sfpb@xtra.co.nz
Website: www.supportingfamilies.org.nz
Anxiety New Zealand Trust
For the specialist assessment, management and treatment of anxiety, phobic and obsessive compulsive disorders. Providing education around these disorders and providing research into the cause and management. We also provide Family support groups, community education and workshops.
Phone: 0800 269 4389
Email: clinic@anxiety.org.nz
Website: www.anxiety.org.nz
1737, Need to Talk?
We’re here. Free call or text 1737 any time, 24 hours a day. You’ll get to talk to (or text with) a trained counsellor. Our service is completely free.

• Are you feeling anxious or just need someone to talk to? 
• Are you feeling down or a bit overwhelmed?
•  Do you know someone who is feeling out-of-sorts or depressed? Let them know they can call or text 1737

Phone: 1737
Email: feedback@nationaltelehealthservice.co.nz
Website: www.1737.org.nz/
Emerge Aotearoa
Emerge Aotearoa provides a wide range of community-based mental health, addiction, disability support and social housing services nationwide. We believe that everyone is capable of living full and rich lives in their communities of choice. In every aspect of our work we are committed to helping our service users be the best they can be.
Phone: 03 371 5599
Email: info@emergeaotearoa.org.nz
Website: www.emergeaotearoa.org.nz/
 
 

Magical thinking, mind reading, catastrophising, dominant vs subjugated stories and avoidance
The ideas below, with the supporting videos, may help in understanding some of the psychological issues that come up when you are working with your children. It is important that, when you consider the ideas, you realise that children do not work as individuals, but in a system – that is, as part of a system with their family or their friends and their class. We cannot expect children to change by themselves. They need help to understand their worries and to understand how they might change. Then, they need adults to guide the change and help them to be consistent with it. Further, they often need the adults in their lives to change as well. Some of these ideas may apply equally to you as to your children. 

Magical thinking and Mind reading
Many children believe in things that we as adults would not.  For instance, if there is a noise from under the bed at night, children are more likely to think that there is a monster there. Or they might think that, because something bad happened last time they did a particular thing, they shouldn’t do that thing again. We call this ‘magical thinking’. The term covers a multitude of things and of course adults do it too, for instance, avoiding walking under ladders, or counting up to 10 and expecting a parking space to become free.
Ari worries that his teacher can read his mind and see all his secrets. He avoids meeting her gaze and has to change his behaviour so that she doesn’t challenge him. He has a belief that she can see into his mind and know his thoughts. As children learn empathy and develop an ability to distinguish themselves as separate to others, they are more able to resist this mind-reading mistake. 

Catastrophising
When we have any kind of thought, we can respond to it in different ways. For example, you might be thinking about going to a wildlife park on your birthday with your best friend. You feel excited about this because you want to get to the lion cage and see those big cats close up. But your friend says that he is afraid to come because the lion might reach through the cage and get him. These are two different responses to the same situation. One of them is an example of catastrophising.
Ari makes a catastrophe out of not being able to spell “Theodore Street”. It links to his belief that his trouble with reading, writing and spelling means that he is stupid and he makes this an even bigger catastrophe by thinking his family will be angry about it. That means he can’t talk to anyone he trusts about his problems, and he has to find ways to hide them. This in turn leads to the situation with the boat, and nearly drowning: a real catastrophe.
Managing catastrophising requires a calm head. Using clear, logical thinking is one way. Testing the logic of thoughts by comparing them to other people’s experiences can be helpful. For instance: “Has anyone else I know ever been bitten by a lion at that park? What kind of precautions do they take to stop the lions getting people?” Or: “Do other people have trouble with spelling? Do my parents often get angry with me when I am having trouble with something?”

Dominant vs subjugated stories
As we experience events in our lives, we interpret them according to our own set of beliefs. The same event happening to two different people can be interpreted in opposite ways. One reason for this is that we have each internalised “stories” about ourselves that we fit our experiences into. For example, if we are used to being told and responded to as if we are an academic failure, a one-off experience of succeeding will be “subjugated” or minimised by our pre-dominant story (of being a failure) and interpreted as a fluke. Our dominant story will dominate when we interpret events. If we want to reinvent ourselves, or develop a new dominant story, we must pay attention to our subjugated stories – those which we dismiss easily because they do not fit into our current way of thinking about ourselves. An example of this could be: Sarah was always a little scared of using the telephone as she couldn’t see the reactions of the person she was speaking to. She called herself shy and developed a story about not wanting to upset people if she had to be direct in a conversation. This meant that she would get other people to make calls for her about difficult issues. It also meant that she found it difficult to face conflict in business situations. When she considered that this could be a dominant story that was making life difficult for her, she began to experiment with making phone calls herself. She decided she could experiment with being a “brave” person and someone who could discuss difficult issues well. This decision led to her making some phone calls that she wouldn’t have made before, and managing them. This in turn meant that she had some evidence for herself that she could manage difficult situations and she could make phone calls. Her dominant story was then challenged and changed.
Ari has a dominant story that influences him in many spheres of his life. He finds it difficult to see any other stories about himself as true.
Just thinking about this concept may encourage you to identify some of the dominant stories that you or people in your family live by. The key idea here is that we do not have to be defined by these things, we may challenge them and thereby change our story. They are simply ideas that have taken root and grown branches.

​Avoidance
Avoidance is one of the major factors that feeds anxiety. Whenever we face something scary or something that makes us nervous, one of our choices is to walk away – to avoid it. This is like self-sabotage: it means that we don’t do the job interview, or make the new friend, all because of the scary feeling that we have on the inside. We let the fear take control. In order to get rid of the fear, we avoid the situation. The next time we come across a similar situation we are more likely to avoid it again, thereby developing a pattern of avoidance. Ari is caught in an avoidance trap. He is desperately trying to avoid his teacher and family finding out how difficult reading and writing is for him. This leads to all sorts of avoidance behaviours, and eventually to a life-threatening situation.
Identifying what we do when we are scared can mean that we give ourselves choices about how we behave in these situations. Avoidance is a choice, but there are other choices too. You might like to think about the times people in your family avoid things and examine whether avoidance has become a way to cope with the world. Beginning to face your fears with support will mean that they decrease in intensity.

Research Collaboration Opportunity For Marlborough Schools and Families
 We need you to be a collaborator with us, Massey University, New Zealand Red Cross on the The Worry Bug Project.
Since 2015 Massey University, under the leadership of Benita Stiles-Smith, has been conducting research on The Worry Bug Project.  Over this time the researchers have been looking at the efficacy of the project, best practice for uptake of community resources and the use of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire tool for classroom assessment.

This is a way for you to contribute to disaster recovery research. With the many natural disasters that are occurring in New Zealand and globally, this research may inform how agencies and the government work with families and schools in future situations.
 
Schools, Early Childhood Education centres and families will be given the opportunity to opt-in to participating in the research in 2019.  Please consider participating and look out for more information about being a part of it.