10 Powerful Ways the STILL Method Helps Children Overcome Anxiety Naturally
Anxiety among children is one of the defining challenges of modern life. Parents, teachers and carers across the UK are searching for approaches that go beyond slogans and offer genuine, lasting change. The STILL Method stands out as one such approach — structured, practical, evidence-informed and proven in real settings with children, families and schools.
This article explores ten powerful ways the STILL Method supports children to overcome anxiety naturally, helping them find clarity, calm and confidence in a world that often feels overwhelming.
Introduction
Over the past decade, the number of children experiencing anxiety, school refusal, panic episodes or emotional shutdowns has risen significantly. Many well-meaning interventions rely on short-term distraction techniques or vague reassurance. The STILL Method, created by therapist Stuart Thompson, takes a very different view.
It offers a clear, five-step framework — STOP, TALK, IMAGINE, LISTEN, LEARN — that teaches children and adults to respond to anxiety as it happens. It is trauma-informed, neurodivergent-aware and designed to build practical tools for resilience.
To learn more about the philosophy behind the method, visit the About Page.
1. Calming the Nervous System: ‘STOP’ in Action
The first step, STOP, teaches a child to pause and recognise what’s happening inside the body. When fear surges, the nervous system automatically shifts into “fight, flight or freeze”. The STILL Method gives children grounding techniques — slowing the breath, noticing sensations, feeling their feet on the floor — to bring the body back to calm.
By intervening early, children interrupt the anxiety spiral before it gains momentum. It’s a simple, structured act of reclaiming control, one that can be practised anywhere — at home, at school, or during a stressful moment in class.
Discover how this approach is introduced to young learners through the Children and Teens Programme.
2. Naming and Understanding Fear: The ‘TALK’ Step
The second step, TALK, invites the child to put words to their experience. “My chest feels tight,” or “I’m scared I might get it wrong,” are phrases that help externalise anxiety. Language gives shape to emotion; once named, fear becomes something that can be addressed, rather than something that silently controls behaviour.
Parents and teachers are encouraged to use the same vocabulary at home or in the classroom. The STILL Method trains families and professionals to share a common, gentle language for emotional understanding — reinforcing progress beyond each session.
You can read more about how the method works with families on the Workshop Page.
3. Visualising Safe Outcomes: The ‘IMAGINE’ Phase
Once calm and communication are established, the IMAGINE step helps children focus on what safety and success look like. Instead of dwelling on worst-case scenarios, they are encouraged to imagine a positive outcome — attending school confidently, speaking in class, or managing a difficult situation with ease.
This isn’t idle day-dreaming. Visualisation activates new neural pathways, helping the brain rehearse calm responses to previously stressful triggers. Over time, the imagined response becomes the real one.
4. Listening to the Body: ‘LISTEN’ as Self-Regulation
The LISTEN stage develops awareness of bodily signals that precede anxiety — shallow breathing, racing thoughts, or tension in the chest. By noticing early cues, children can apply the right tool before panic fully develops.
This step is particularly valuable for neurodivergent children, who may experience anxiety differently or struggle to recognise subtle bodily changes. The STILL Method’s trauma-informed and inclusive design means every child is supported to find their own way to self-regulate.
Learn how these principles are embedded across all courses on the Coach Page.
5. Building Confidence and Reflection: ‘LEARN’ for Lasting Change
The final step, LEARN, is about reflection and growth. After each experience, children look back on what worked, what didn’t, and how they can apply their tools next time. This process of conscious reflection turns a moment of anxiety into a lesson in mastery.
The STILL Method’s motto — “not about coping, but about clarity” — captures this perfectly. Through repetition, children see tangible progress. They begin to trust their ability to handle uncertainty, which is the foundation of lifelong confidence.
6. Age-Flexible and Accessible for Diverse Needs
The STILL Method is intentionally designed to be flexible across ages and abilities. It is used with children as young as three, with teenagers, and with adults seeking to improve self-regulation and emotional balance. It is also neurodivergent-aware, providing a framework that meets a wide range of sensory and communication needs.
For families, the Children and Teens Programme offers six weekly sessions of one hour each — engaging, interactive and grounded in everyday life. The same principles can then be reinforced at home and in school, ensuring continuity and consistency.
7. A Framework Grounded in Real Practice
Every element of the STILL Method has been tested in real classrooms, families and coaching sessions. It draws from positive psychology, cognitive behavioural and neuro-linguistic approaches, yet remains simple enough for a child to use independently.
Its structure ensures that no technique stands alone — each one “earns its place” by working reliably under stress. This level of practical grounding is why many schools and local authorities now integrate the STILL Method into their emotional wellbeing strategies.
8. Embedding in Schools and Family Life
Because anxiety doesn’t disappear when a child leaves a session, the STILL Method is designed to travel with them. It fits naturally into school wellbeing programmes, family routines, and even individual coaching.
Parents are encouraged to take part in the process, ensuring that what a child learns during a session can be mirrored at home. The Free Workshop offers parents and teachers practical insight into recognising anxiety and responding calmly and effectively.
9. Tools Children Actually Enjoy Using
Children learn best when they feel safe, engaged and understood. The STILL Method’s tools are presented through games, stories, visual exercises and sensory techniques that appeal to curiosity rather than compliance.
As confidence grows, many children begin to share what they’ve learned with friends or classmates — turning emotional regulation into a shared language rather than a solitary struggle.
10. Building Lifelong Resilience
Where many programmes focus on temporary relief, the STILL Method builds skills that last. Through regular reflection, practice and guided support, children learn to handle anxiety independently.
Whether the trigger is school pressure, social worry or bedtime fears, the same method can be applied again and again — empowering the child to transform anxiety into awareness, and fear into focus.
Parents, educators and professionals can explore options for children and adults through the Find a Coach page.
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Conclusion
Anxiety in childhood need not define a child’s life. With the right tools, it becomes a teacher — one that helps them understand themselves, adapt, and grow. The STILL Method offers those tools in a structured, compassionate and proven way.
If your child is struggling with anxiety or you work with children who are, visit thestillmethod.co.uk to discover how this unique approach can help build lasting calm and confidence.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. At what age can a child start the STILL Method?
Children as young as three can begin using its simple, practical tools. The full structured programme is suitable for ages eight to eighteen.
2. Does my child need a formal diagnosis to take part?
No. The STILL Method is a coaching framework, not a therapy. It’s open to any child who experiences anxiety, stress, or emotional overwhelm.
3. How long is the Children’s Programme?
The standard programme runs for six weeks, with one-hour sessions that combine fun, discussion and guided practice.
4. Is the STILL Method suitable for neurodivergent children?
Yes. It is designed to be neurodivergent-aware and trauma-informed, ensuring that every child can engage at their own pace.
5. How is it different from traditional mindfulness or CBT?
The STILL Method combines body awareness, language, visualisation, listening and learning in a single, repeatable structure. It is less theoretical and more focused on immediate, practical action.
6. How can parents support progress at home?
By using the same language — STOP, TALK, IMAGINE, LISTEN, LEARN — and practising short exercises regularly. Parents can attend a Free Workshop to learn how best to reinforce progress.
