When a teenager is anxious about a test, a presentation or walking into school, the cards give adults clear questions to ask without turning the conversation into a lecture. Each card starts with a familiar scenario and then offers prompts that invite the young person to name their thoughts, identify worries, consider what might realistically happen and think about what could help.
The pages shown include four cards per printable sheet, with simple illustrations and short, direct questions. Topics include before a test, speaking in class, presentation day, meeting new people, being judged, social media posts, waiting for a reply, going to school, change of plans, trying something new, making a mistake and being late. The cover also shows sample cards on sleep worries, worrying about the future, comparing yourself and being left out.
Many of the prompts gently support cognitive reframing and problem-solving, for example asking how certain a feared thought is, what a more balanced thought could be, what is in the young person’s control, or what they might say to a friend in the same situation. Other questions focus on noticing physical signs of anxiety, calming the body, stepping away from checking behaviour and taking one small brave step.
The cards could be used in therapy sessions, school pastoral work, mentoring, group discussions or conversations at home. Counsellors, social workers, teachers and youth workers may find them useful for opening up discussion with children who find it easier to respond to a specific situation than to talk about anxiety in general.
The format makes it easy to choose one card that matches what is happening for a young person that day, or to use several cards to explore common patterns across different settings. The printable was created by Edita Stiborova and is marked for free use by individuals and not-for-profit organisations, with the stated sharing restrictions left in place.
