The Coping Cat Program for Anxious Youth: The FEAR Plan Comes to Life Original Research Article

Manual-based treatments (therapist manuals, child workbooks) exist for the treatment of anxiety disorders in youth. The current article describes a cognitive-behavioral treatment program, Coping Cat, for childhood anxiety, with an emphasis on its flexible application and implementation as well as video components to demonstrate aspects of the program. The Coping Cat program, in the context of a favorable working relationship, uses relaxation, cognitive restructuring, problem-solving, and exposure tasks to help youth learn to identify and cope with their anxious arousal. Video components and case vignettes are used to bring life to the organizational framework used in the program: the FEAR plan. The FEAR plan, which provides youth with an acronym to recall their acquired skills, is defined and illustrated. Recommendations for the flexible application of the manual-based treatment of anxious youth are provided.