Anxiety Activities for Teens: Anxiety 101
This session includes anxiety activities for teens, helping older students understand what anxiety feels like and how positive self-talk can shift a stressful moment. They explore the guiding question of how anxiety shows up in the body and mind, discuss how two students facing the same wait might think very differently, and play a quick game where they weigh a situation and a possible response. The goal is a practical set of tools for managing stress.
Extension activity
- Skill
- Self-Regulation
- Goal
- Managing Stress
- Grade level
- Middle & High School
Get everything you need to teach the skill
These materials are part of a no-prep session designed by our clinical team, with all the structure, scaffolding, and support you need to teach included.
Engaging materials
Video lessonAnxiety 101
In this video lesson, students learn how to cope with anxious feelings by noticing physical signs, labeling their feelings, and using positive self-talk, deep breathing, and self-compassion.
- Extension activity
Anxiety 101
In this interactive dice-roll activity, students reveal everyday scenarios, like the night before a big test or missing the bus, and come up with positive self-talk to help reduce anxious feelings.
Plus everything you need to teach them
Warm-up
- Video: 4-7-8 Breathing2:13
- Video: Obstacles into Opportunities Visualization1:19
- Video: Yoga Pose Library
Session Opener
Guiding Question: What does anxiety feel like?
Practice
- Discussion Question
- Role-Play Activity
- Mini Game
How to use it with your students
- 1Watch Play the video lesson so students see the skill in action.
- 2Practice Try the skill together with a discussion prompt, role-play, or mini game.
- 3Extend Use the extension activity to help students carry the skill further.
What's Covered
In this lesson, students learned that anxiety is a common feeling of worry or dread about something that might happen, and that it can show up in the body as a racing heart or an upset stomach. They explored how the fight or flight response works and practiced self-management strategies like positive self-talk and deep breathing, along with reaching out to a trusted adult. Students also worked through realistic situations where anxious feelings come up and practiced choosing a strategy that fit the moment.
Key Terms
- Anxiety
- Anxiety is a feeling of worry or fear about something that may happen. It can affect thoughts, emotions, and the body, and there are strategies that can help manage it.
- Positive Self-Talk
- Positive self-talk means intentionally using kind and encouraging thoughts when you’re dealing with a frustrating or stressful situation. It helps you respond more thoughtfully instead of reacting right away.
Sample IEP Goal This Session Supports
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Managing Stress
Learner will recognize signs of stress in their own body or thinking (e.g., tight chest, racing thoughts, feeling overwhelmed) and apply a self-selected strategy (e.g., deep breathing, positive self-talk, taking a break) to manage the feeling in 4 out of 5 opportunities independently/given X prompt(s).
Send this tip home to support generalization
Next time the student mentions feeling nervous about something coming up at home or at school, try asking what their body noticed first. Anxiety often shows up physically before they have words for it.
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More Self-Regulation Activities
Frequently asked questions
Is this intervention free?
Yes, this ready-to-teach session on Anxiety 101 is free. You can access this intervention free for 14 days through the Everyday Speech Session Library. Every user gets three free sessions, but you can get more or extend your access by sharing the Session Library with friends and colleagues.
What ages is this for?
These materials are designed for middle and high school students.
What's included?
You'll get access to your choice of warm-up videos, a session opener, a core material on Anxiety 101, three practice prompts, and an extension activity, Anxiety 101.
What skill does this intervention teach?
This ready-to-teach session is on self-regulation - more specifically, managing stress.
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