ADAO Programs

ADAO Programs

14-Week Anxiety Management Workshop
14-Week Poster
14-Week Frequently Asked Questions
Toll-Free Information Line
Community Presentations

14-Week Anxiety Management Workshop (Ottawa)

The 14-Week Anxiety Management Workshop is offered several times throughout the year in Ottawa, Ontario. The workshop runs for 2 and a 1/ 2 hours on a weekly basis and is facilitated by professionals.

Research has shown that cognitive-behavioural groups are an effective means of treating anxiety conditions. Some of the benefits include:

A safe environment in which to practice new skills
Observational learning
Social support when you experience setbacks and challenges
The opportunity to learn and practice new social skills and ways of relating to others
Overcoming feelings of isolation
Receiving feedback from others who experience similar challenges
Progress often occurs more rapidly in groups because they are time-limited and structured.

programs

The 14-Week Anxiety Management Workshop is a closed group, which means the same individuals meet every week. The group is structured and follows a workbook created by ADAO. The goal of the workshop is to help participants develop:

Knowledge about anxiety conditions
An understanding of the impact of nutrition and stress on symptoms of anxiety
Self-management techniques including deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and mindfulness techniques
An understanding of how automatic thoughts, unconscious rules / beliefs, and thinking styles contribute to anxiety
Effective communication skills
The ability to use graduated exposure to reduce symptoms of anxiety
Goal setting and follow-through
Positive coping strategies to replace negative coping strategies
Assertiveness skills (e.g., setting boundaries, constructive criticism)
Anger management techniques

The ADAO 14-Week Anxiety Management Workshop is a structured educational workshop, the focus of which is on providing participants with tools and information to assist them in managing their symptoms of anxiety. Each week, following a check-in activity, facilitators will guide participants through a relaxation exercise. The focus of each session will be on information-sharing; however, the format will vary from week (e.g., group/individual activities, mini-lectures, role play exercises).

Each session ends with a grounding exercise as well as a check-out activity. Facilitators are provided with session agendas, background reading material, presentation material, relaxation/grounding exercises, as well as participant handouts for each session. Each session is also supplemented with a gratitude journal exercise, resource-sharing, as well as a focus on connecting participants to the community.

During the first session, participants are introduced to anxiety, the different types, and its causes. Subsequent sessions focus on relaxation and related techniques; nutrition and physical exercise; mindfulness; and an introduction to the process of identifying and distinguishing between thoughts and feelings. Over the course of four weeks, participants are introduced to cognitive-behaviour theory and techniques (e.g., automatic thoughts, Socratic method, cognitive distortions, assumptions and core beliefs) as well as graduated exposure, introducing participants to both the theory behind these ideas as well as the tools used to manage related symptoms of anxiety.

Sessions are also dedicated to providing participants with information and strategies to manage feelings and emotions and two weeks of classes are dedicated to issues related to anger and assertiveness. The two final classes focus on anxiety and spirituality as well as a celebration of the progress made over the course of the 14 weeks.

Participants are provided with a copy of “The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, 4th Edition” (Edmund J. Bourne), a copy of "Mind Over Mood" (Christine Padesky with Dennis Greenberger) as well as a Participant manual, which is produced by ADAO. The manual contains additional reading material as well as an agenda and outline for each session.

The cost for participating in the workshop is $425. Subsidized spaces are available.

Please see the Upcoming Events page for program dates.

View Poster for the 14-Week Anxiety Management Workshop
(The poster can be e-mailed and/or printed)

View Frequently Asked Questions for the 14-Week Anxiety Management Workshop
(The document can be e-mailed and/or printed)

Toll-Free Information Line

1-877-308-3843

ADAO can provide callers with:

Information about anxiety conditions
Information about programs and services in their area
Information about mental health crisis support

Community Presentations

In an effort to promote a better understanding of anxiety as well as to reduce stigma, ADAO offers a presentation, “About Anxiety”, to community organizations, corporations, and educational institutions in the City of Ottawa. The presentation has been created to provide audiences with relevant, up-to-date information about anxiety in Canada, including what the different types of anxiety look like, how anxiety can be treated, and how family and friends can support a loved one who experiences anxiety. This presentation is particularly relevant for: Community organization clients ' Employees; and “Lunch and learn” sessions

ADAO also offers a presentation on our 14-Week Anxiety Management Workshop. This presentation provides an overview of our structured educational workshop, offered for 2 and a ½ hours each week, the focus of which is on providing participants with tools and information to assist them in managing their symptoms of anxiety. This presentation is particularly relevant for: Social workers, counsellors, EAP staff, and helping professionals; Community groups and organizations; Hospital staff; Human resources personnel; and Corporations.

If you are interested in one of ADAO’s presentations, please contact us at (613) 729-6761.