Let’s help our children navigate feelings of anxiety.
Chillax®️ is an effective programme teachers can use to support children aged 8-12 develop skills and strategies to manage anxiety. Together, we can help children manage their worries so they can do the things they love in life.
What is anxiety?
More and more Kiwi children are experiencing anxiety, which can include feelings of fear, worry, and dread.
Anxiety can also be our body telling us we’re about to do something brave, or it can improve our performance by keeping us alert.
While anxiety is a normal part of life, it can become a problem if it’s intense and overwhelming, happens a lot, or stops us doing what we love.
We developed Chillax®️ to normalise anxiety and support children’s mental health in a fun, engaging, and effective way.
How does Chillax help?
Chillax®️ aims to ditch the myth that anxiety is something to be scared of.
Developed by clinical psychologists and supported by Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour, Tauranga Moana, we train and empower teachers to guide children to manage their anxiety, in an open, supportive way.
The 8-session education and skills-based program aims to boost children’s confidence in dealing with anxiety with tried-and-tested tools.
Chillax®️ also gives teachers powerful techniques so they can role model healthy ways to respond to emotions.
The Chillax®️ Story
In 2015, four New Zealand clinical psychologists, experienced in working with children and their families, ran a series of psycho-education based group sessions called ‘Chillax’ in the community to support young people with mild to moderate anxiety difficulties.
2015
A few years later, Chillax®️ was adapted for high school students needing extra anxiety support, with funding support from the Primary Health Organisation.
2017
Alongside a passionate group of Resource Teachers of Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) from Tauranga Moana, clinical psychologist
Tanzi Bennison developed Chillax®️ as an anxiety program for classrooms.
2020
Chillax®️ is now an 8-session education and skills-based anxiety program for the classroom with worksheets, video links, and a host of helpful resources. While it's best suited for children aged 8-12 years, plans are underway to expand it for younger and older students.
2021
Ode to Amygdala
O’ amygdala,
Thank you, my mighty warrior
You protected me and my ancestors
From all sorts of dangers
Be it lions, or crocs,
Tigers, or even a giant stingray
You always appear
Whenever you smell fear
Without a moment of delay
You circulate my blood
Strengthen my muscle,
You send tiny signals
To the Hypothalamus,
Getting me ready
To fight, flight or freeze
But the world is now changing
And dangers are diminishing
You’re overprotective
And not as effective
It’s time to change
I want to be in charge
I want to make good decisions
To de-escalating bad situations
So in the nicest possible way
Perhaps you could go on holiday?
By Darian - Yr 8
Meet Tanzi Bennison
Tanzi, the clinical psychologist who developed Chillax®️, is 110% dedicated to helping children and adults navigate anxiety. She has worked with adults, adolescents, children, and their families in a range of mental health settings in New Zealand and the UK for close to 20 years.
Tanzi has delivered numerous group programs for anxiety in primary and secondary schools. She also runs seminars and training days for professionals working with children and young people struggling with anxiety.
Get in touch
If you’re a New Zealand teacher who wants to help children manage anxiety with confidence, please send us an email or give us a call. We can answer any questions or book you in for the next Chillax®️ teacher training.
Keen to get started?
If you’re a teacher working with children aged 8-12 years, we’d love to hear from you.
To become “Chillax®️ qualified”, you’ll need to participate in a two hour training session, that promises to be informative and inspiring. Then you can buy a one-year license to access all of the online resources needed to run the program.
After that, you’ll only need an annual refresher session before renewing your license. This will keep you up to date with program developments.
If you’re an adult looking to support children in your community to manage anxiety effectively, tell your local school about Chillax®️ !
“I used to get really anxious when I had to dive off the block at swimming, but since my class started the Chillax program, and I worked on milkshake breathing, I’m able to calm myself and dive in.”
- Annabelle, 11-years-old, Tauranga Intermediate School
“The breathing strategies helped me feel calm instead of panicking.”
12-year-old student
“Thank you for the high-quality professional support, educational knowledge, and skills you shared with our students, our staff, and our parents. All the feedback has been highly positive, appreciated, and valued.”
- Lisa, College Guidance Counsellor
Testimonials
Resources
For Teachers:
-
The Happiness Trap by Russ Harris (2013)
-
Smiling Mind mindfulness app
-
Free guided mindfulness meditations here
-
Spotify for mindfulness meditations for all ages.
For Families:
-
Beautiful Oops! By Barney Saltzberg
-
When I’m Feeling… series by Trace Moroney
-
Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by Joann Deak
-
Hey Warrior by Karen Young
-
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett
-
Mr. Jelly by Roger Hargreaves
-
What Do You Do With a Problem? By Kobi Yamada
-
All Birds Have Anxiety by Kathy Hoopmann
-
Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda by Kerry Lee MacLean
-
Sitting Still Like a Frog by Eline Snel (includes a CD)
-
Breathe Like a Bear by Kira Willey
Program training will be delivered by Tanzi Bennison onsite at your school, online or at the Tauranga moana RTLB offices. Schools will only need to cover the cost of teacher release to attend the training. Training will otherwise be free to all interested participants in 2023.
The annual license costs $200 + GST per teacher or $1000 + GST for 5 or more teachers from the same school. This provides one year’s access to all online resources and session plans needed to run the program. Participants will need to renew their license agreement after one year for continued access to the Chillax program resources.
Ongoing annual costs
Brief refresher training covering program updates delivered by RTLB, supervised by Tanzi Bennison. RTLB will provide the venue and catering for the refresher session and ongoing teacher coaching during program delivery in classrooms as needed.
$150+gst per teacher or $750+gst for 5 or more teachers from the same school
This includes the annual licensing fee allowing access to all up-to-date online resources for teachers who have attended the refresher
All participants will need to renew their license agreement at the beginning of the school year for continued access to the Chillax resources.
Chillax®️ Program Cost
