Helping Young People Navigate Intense Fear and Anxiety: A Strengths-Based, Trauma-Informed Approach

Fear and anxiety are natural, adaptive responses designed to keep us safe. However, when fear becomes overwhelming or persistent, it can disrupt a young person’s ability to learn, connect, and thrive. With rising levels of anxiety among youth, caregivers, educators, and mental health professionals must be equipped with practical, evidence-based strategies to support them. Rather than focusing solely on reducing anxiety, we must help young people build self-awareness, resilience, and self-regulation skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

The Science of Fear and Anxiety

When a young person experiences fear or anxiety, their nervous system shifts into a heightened state of arousal—often referred to as “fight, flight, or freeze.” This reaction is orchestrated by the amygdala, the brain’s alarm system, which triggers stress hormones to prepare the body to respond to perceived threats. While this response is helpful in truly dangerous situations, chronic activation can lead to difficulties in emotional regulation, concentration, and relationships.

Research shows that chronic stress and trauma can lead to an overactive amygdala and an underactive prefrontal cortex, the area responsible for reasoning and impulse control (McLaughlin et al., 2015). The good news? Neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change and adapt—means that with the right support, young people can develop strategies to calm their nervous systems, regain a sense of control, and build resilience.

Mind-Body Skills for Self-Regulation

Mind-body skills offer young people the opportunity to practice recognizing their physiological responses to stress and learn techniques to regulate them. These evidence-based strategies help shift the nervous system from a state of hyperarousal to one of safety and connection.

1. Breathwork: The Power of Breath

One of the simplest and most effective ways to calm the nervous system is through intentional breathing. Techniques like diaphragmatic breathing (deep belly breathing) and box breathing (inhaling for four counts, holding for four, exhaling for four, and holding again for four) can help reset the body’s stress response and promote a sense of safety. Studies have found that slow, deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing anxiety and increasing emotional regulation (Zaccaro et al., 2018).

2. Mindfulness and Meditation: Awareness as a Superpower

Mindfulness teaches young people to observe their thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without judgment. Even a simple practice of noticing five things in the room or engaging in a short guided meditation can help a child shift from a reactive state to a reflective one. Research supports mindfulness as an effective tool for reducing anxiety, improving concentration, and enhancing emotional resilience (Zenner et al., 2014).

Sensory Interventions: Engaging the Body to Calm the Mind

Children process stress through their bodies, making sensory-based strategies essential for self-regulation. Sensory interventions help engage the nervous system in a way that supports emotional balance.

3. Grounding Techniques: Finding Safety in the Present

Grounding exercises help young people shift their focus from anxious thoughts to their immediate surroundings. One effective method is the “5-4-3-2-1” technique: naming five things they see, four things they touch, three things they hear, two things they smell, and one thing they taste. This engages multiple senses, bringing the brain back to the present moment.

4. Weighted and Deep Pressure Tools: The Power of Touch

Deep pressure stimulation, such as weighted blankets, compression vests, or even firm hugs, can activate the parasympathetic nervous system and promote relaxation. Studies suggest that deep pressure input can significantly reduce physiological symptoms of anxiety (Grandin, 1992).

5. Movement-Based Regulation: Releasing Stress Through Action

For some young people, movement is the most effective way to regulate their nervous system. Activities like yoga, dance, walking, or even jumping jacks can help discharge built-up stress and restore a sense of balance. Research has shown that physical activity reduces anxiety and boosts mood-regulating neurotransmitters (Mikkelsen et al., 2017).

Building Emotional Literacy and Self-Awareness

Beyond immediate regulation strategies, young people need tools to recognize and express their emotions in healthy ways. Encouraging emotional literacy helps them articulate their fears and seek support before reaching a crisis point.

6. Feelings Check-Ins and Journaling

Regular check-ins where young people name their emotions and identify where they feel them in their bodies can increase self-awareness. Journaling provides another powerful outlet for processing thoughts and feelings. Research shows that expressive writing can help reduce anxiety and improve overall emotional well-being (Smyth & Pennebaker, 2008).

7. Co-Regulation: The Role of Safe, Supportive Relationships

Before children can effectively regulate their own emotions, they need to experience co-regulation—having a trusted adult help them navigate intense feelings. Simple gestures like validating their experiences, using a calm tone, and modeling self-regulation can provide a foundation for young people to internalize these skills over time.

Moving from Fear to Empowerment

When we help young people understand that anxiety is not a flaw but rather a message from their nervous system, we empower them to take control of their emotional well-being. By integrating mind-body skills, sensory interventions, and emotional literacy into their daily lives, they can develop lifelong tools to navigate fear and uncertainty with confidence.

Supporting young people through anxiety requires patience, curiosity, and a belief in their innate capacity for resilience. When we approach them with warmth and understanding, we create a space where they can not only manage their fears but thrive despite them. As caregivers, educators, and professionals, we have the opportunity to be the calm presence that helps them build the skills they need—not just to cope but to flourish.

Mind Body Skills Workbook

The Heart of Change: Turning Resistance Into Opportunity

Resistance Is Not the Enemy—It’s Part of the Journey 

Change is rarely easy, and when it comes to reimagining how we support students, families, and colleagues through a trauma-informed lens, resistance is inevitable. But resistance is not a wall blocking progress—it’s a door waiting to be opened. It is the quiet voice of those who have seen initiatives come and go, who have given their all to systems that have often given little back. It is the understandable hesitation of those who have been told to do more with less, who carry their own unspoken burdens, and who wonder if this “new approach” will truly make a difference. 

The truth is, the path to a trauma-informed culture is not paved with perfect buy-in from the start. It’s built in the messy, vulnerable, and deeply human spaces of change. And it is precisely in those spaces where real transformation takes root. 

Understanding Resistance as a Signal, Not a Barrier 

In Implementation Science, we learn that change happens in stages—awareness, exploration, preparation, and eventually, full implementation. But too often, leaders mistake resistance as refusal rather than what it truly is: a critical part of the learning process. Prochaska and DiClemente’s Stages of Change Model reminds us that people move through readiness at different speeds, influenced by personal experiences, professional demands, and the culture they work within. 

Some will jump in with both feet, eager to reshape the way they engage with students and peers. Others will hesitate, needing proof that this is not just another passing trend, but a shift that will be supported, reinforced, and sustained. And some may push back, not because they reject the idea of trauma-informed care, but because they are protecting themselves from yet another promise that might not hold. 

But here’s the beauty of change—there is no singular right way to navigate it. Every perspective, every moment of doubt, every cautious step forward is part of the larger journey. Our role as leaders is not to dictate a perfect path but to model curiosity, to hold space for truth, and to remind one another that this work is something we do with each other, not to each other. When we embrace change with open minds and a willingness to listen, we create a culture where transformation is not just possible—it is inevitable. 

Leading with Trust, Not Force 

Systemic change is not about demanding compliance—it is about building belief. We cannot lecture or mandate our way into cultural transformation. Change happens in relationships, not in directives. The foundation of a trauma-informed workplace is the same as the foundation of trauma-informed practice itself: safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. These are not just words on a framework—they are the very essence of how we must lead change. 

Instead of asking, “Why are they resisting?” we must ask, “What do they need to feel safe enough to engage?” Instead of frustration, we must meet hesitancy with curiosity. Instead of pushing harder, we must pause and listen. Trust is built when people feel seen, heard, and valued. 

The Power of Small, Meaningful Shifts 

Change does not begin with grand gestures. It begins with moments—moments where a teacher tries something different in their classroom, where a school leader models vulnerability, where a staff meeting shifts from business-as-usual to a space of true connection. Small shifts lead to cultural change, and cultural change leads to transformation. 

Implementation Science teaches us that sustainable change requires ongoing support, adaptability, and shared leadership. It is not a one-time training, a checklist, or a policy—it is a living, breathing movement that must be nurtured over time. It is why Starr Commonwealth’s approach to trauma-informed care is not about quick fixes, but about building capacity, deepening understanding, and reinforcing change through continuous learning and reflection. 

A Call to Lead with Heart and Courage 

If we are serious about becoming trauma-informed communities, then we must also be serious about how we lead. We must recognize that resistance is not an obstacle, but an opportunity. We must be patient in the process, acknowledging that trust is earned, not assumed. We must be unwavering in our commitment to equity, belonging, and authenticity, understanding that trauma-informed care is not just about how we support others—it is about how we show up for one another. 

This is the work of transformation. It is slow. It is nonlinear. It requires courage, humility, and an unshakable belief in the possibility of something better. But make no mistake—it is possible. And it is happening. Every conversation, every shift, every effort to center humanity in our work brings us closer to the future we envision. 

So, to the leaders, the educators, the changemakers—hold steady. Your work matters. Your presence matters. And together, we are not just implementing change; we are building a movement that will last. 

Join the Movement 

At Starr Commonwealth, we are committed to walking alongside leaders in this journey, providing the resources, training, and support needed to make trauma-informed care more than just an initiative—but a way of being. Because when we invest in the well-being of our educators and organizations, we invest in the future of every child and community we serve. 

Learn more about Starr Commonwealth’s trauma-informed resources at www.starr.org and take the next step in building a resilient, connected, and empowered culture of care.