The Take Action Practitioner Guidebook is a user-friendly guide to the Take Action Program, detailing the assessment and treatment of child anxiety. It is designed to be used with two companion workbooks: the Take Action Child Handout Workbook and Take Action Parent Handout Workbook. This practitioner guide uses an easy-to-read standardised layout of content to guide you through the steps covered in each treatment module as well as including child and parent handouts which may be photocopied. It also includes an assessment module providing useful information on a range of assessment measures for those practitioners wanting to use pre and post intervention outcome measures. The six treatment modules can be used sequentially across eight to ten weeks to provide an individual or group intervention. Clients can be provided with a professional and permanent record of therapy via the handouts and worksheets from the guide being purchased separately as the accompanying Take Action Child Handout Workbook and Take Action Parent Handout Workbook. The program teaches children aged 4-12 years helpful ways to cope with and manage anxiety. I t is an evidence-based intervention combining recent research on threat-based cognitive biases and maladaptive thinking styles in childhood anxiety disorders with the well-established principles of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT). Designed for easy use by mental health and educational professionals trained in CBT, Take Action allows flexible delivery by practitioners to individuals and groups of children with anxiety. The word ACTION is a coping-oriented acronym used throughout the program. Children are encouraged to take action against their anxiety. This means children approach their fears and worries using strategies learnt during the program.

Author Biography

Dr Allison Waters is Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at Griffith University, Australia. She completed a Bachelor of Social Science (Psychology) at The Queensland University of Technology, a Bachelor of Arts and a PhD in Clinical Psychology at The University of Queensland, and a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship at the University of California, Los Angeles. Dr Waters runs the Childhood Anxiety Disorders Research Program at Griffith University through which more than 450 children have been assessed and treated. She has published over 75 peer-reviewed book chapters and journal articles, and her research is funded by national grant funding organisations. She serves as an Associate Editor of national and international psychology journals, resides on the research advisory committees of local research institutes, and has received several awards in recognition of her research. Dr Waters supervises the research projects and clinical work of postgraduate students in clinical psychology, and teaches at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels at Griffith University. She maintains a small private practice and is a member of the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists and the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy. Dr Trisha Groth is a clinical psychologist who specialises in the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. She received First Class Honours in Psychology at Griffith University in 2002. She completed her Doctorate of Clinical Psychology at Griffith University, Australia in 2006. Dr Groth has practiced for ten years on the Gold Coast, working with children individually and in groups across a variety of educational, government and community settings. She is the Clinic Director of Take Action Psychology on the Gold Coast. She primarily works with children experiencing separation or generalised anxiety, social worries, and specific fears/phobias. She provides individual and group treatment to children, adolescents and their families. Dr Groth is a member of the Australian Psychological Society College of Clinical Psychologists, and the Australian Association for Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy.