Author Address Anxiety in Presentation at Fontbonne Academy

Erin Munroe, author of "The Everything Guide to Stepparenting," spoke at a Fontbonne Academy event on Wednesday May 12 at 7 p.m. about her newest, soon to be published book entitled "The Anxiety Workbook for Girls."

Munroe started off the evening by having the audience participate in a quick, two-minute relaxation exercise. "First, clench and unclench your hands," Munroe told her audience. She then had participants roll their shoulders forward and backwards, after which 30 seconds of silence followed while the audience concentrated solely on their breathing.

Once the exercise was complete, Munroe looked out at the rows of chairs occupied for the most part by mothers and said, "Felt a lot longer than 30 seconds didn't it?" Then, knowing how beneficial the exercise had been to everyone in the room including herself, the author segued smoothly into the main discussion topic.

As a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and School Guidance Counselor, Munroe works with adolescents often and has seen the effects that anxiety can have on that age group first hand. The subject of bullying, which has been prevalent in recent media reports, was brought up as one of many sources of anxiety in adolescents. Munroe emphasized that bullying doesn't just always happen in schools, but outside school boundaries as well.

"It's worse now because of social media," said Munroe. "Adults see bullying happening in schools, but outside of school it might not be so obvious." With this eye-opening revelation, Munroe continued by indicating some signs that might indicate the occurrence of bullying. The author also stressed that as a parent or someone who knows the child in question, "you are the expert."

According to Munroe, sleep among other factors such as caffeine intake can drastically influence anxiety. She explained to the audience that younger girls think mostly, if not entirely, with their emotions which makes it important for parents to monitor with and teach them executive function – the cognitive ability that controls and regulates other abilities and behaviors.

"Teaching them time management is important" said Munroe, adding to her list of helpful tips. She then continued by sharing some more helpful advice about test taking.

Munroe concluded her presentation by taking questions from the audience. After the event she said, "I hope that 'The Anxiety Workbook for Girls' will help girls cope with anxiety and prepare them for the future."