A world renowned anxiety management program suite

Cool Kids is a cognitive-behavioural skills-based program that teaches children, teenagers and their caregivers how to better manage anxiety. The suite also contains an adaptation for young people on the autistic spectrum.

We have been running the program at Macquarie University since 1993, and numerous research studies have found that most young people who complete our programs show significant improvement.

The Cool Kids suite of programs target all the types of anxiety. Topics covered in the Cool Kids programs include:

  • learning about feelings and anxiety
  • learning to think realistically
  • fighting fear by facing fear
  • parenting an anxious child
  • learning coping skills such as building confidence, relaxation or problem solving.

The Emotional Health Clinic offers the Cool Kids Suite through our clinic at Macquarie University as outlined below. The programs can be run:

  • with individual families
  • for a group of families
  • in community, clinic and school settings.

Search for a Cool Kids provider in your local area.

View and download the Cool Kids program worksheets.

Learn more about the Cool Kids Suite, including the research behind it and how to gain professional accreditation in the program.

The original Cool Kids program

The original Cool Kids Program aims to provide children and caregivers with skills and strategies to help them better manage anxiety.

  • Cool Kids is designed for children aged 7 to 12 year old (primary school)
  • Chilled is designed for teenagers aged 12 to 17 (high school).

Our face-to-face service involves sessions at our North Ryde clinic. Our online programs are completed at home with telephone support from our team.

The face-to-face program is a 10-session program that runs over a minimum of 10 weeks. It involves participation of the child or teen and their caregiver. The sessions are provided by a provisional, registered or clinical psychologist who works with an individual family.

Cool Kids and Chilled are offered through our research and training service, which allows the costs of assessment and treatment to be subsidised. Families attending these services participate in our research.

If you would like your child assessed for the face-to-face Cool Kids program at our North Ryde clinic, call us on +61 (2) 9850 8711 to discuss suitable times and the current waitlist. After a time is confirmed, a link to register will be sent to you.

More information

Download the Cool Kids flyer for more information.

Cool Kids Online and Chilled Out Online are offered to families who are residents in Australia.

Each program consists of eight online lessons to complete at home over 10 weeks.

Following registration, an online assessment is completed by the child/teen and their caregiver to ensure that the online program is likely to be suitable and beneficial for the child’s needs. Families are then invited to participate in the online program.

If you would like your child assessed for Cool Kids Online or Chilled Out Online, complete the online registration form.

More information

Cool Kids Autism program

Our highly successful Cool Kids Program has been adapted for autistic children. The program is family-based and aims to provide children and caregivers with skills and strategies to help them better manage anxiety.

The adapted program uses the same principles as the standard Cool Kids program, but:

  • the presentation of the skills is adjusted to better suit the learning styles that are common for autistic children
  • the examples and discussions have been developed to focus on common challenges that they face in daily life.

Cool Kids Autism can be accessed at the Emotional Health Clinic. The program is delivered over 10 sessions and can be run with individuals or in a group.

More information

Download the Cool Kids Autism flyer for more information.

Cool Little Kids program

The Cool Little Kids program is an early intervention program targeted at caregivers of three to six year old children who exhibit excessive shyness, separation anxiety and lack of confidence.

The program equips caregivers with both knowledge and practical skills for how to help their child manage and overcome anxiety.

Topics in the program include:

  • understanding anxiety and shyness in preschool children
  • helpful and unhelpful ways of responding to anxiety in children
  • how to gradually and gently teach your child to face their fears
  • skills and strategies to help your child build brave behaviour
  • dealing with setbacks and difficulties
  • how to maintain progress after the program ends.

Cool Little Kids is offered in both individual and group sessions and through an online self-help program.

Find out more about the online version of Cool Little Kids.

The Cool Little Kids face-to-face program is designed to be completed over six sessions, attended by caregivers only.

Sessions take place over six to eight weeks and there are tasks for caregivers to implement at home with their child between sessions.

You can choose to complete Cool Little Kids through individual or group sessions.

  • Our group program takes place over telehealth, with calls held at the same time each week. In addition, each family has two short telephone consultations to assist with troubleshooting and skill application during the program. Complete the Cool Little Kids Group Registration form.
  • If you are interested in individual sessions at the North Ryde clinic, call the clinic on +61 (2) 9850 8711 to complete an intake and discuss the current waitlist.
More information

Download the Cool Little Kids flyer for more information about the program, including costs.

Cool Little Kids Online is a self-help program designed to increase your knowledge and build practical skills in managing and responding to your child’s fears and worries.

The program contains eight modules with easy to read information, practical skills, videos and stories from other caregivers who have done the program. Each module takes about thirty to sixty minutes to complete.

Participate in Cool Little Kids Online

As this is an early intervention, education program no assessment is required to participate.

If you would like to sign up to Cool Little Kids Online, complete the online registration form. When your enrolment is received and payment processed, a login for the program will be sent to you within three business days.

More information

Download the Cool Little Kids Online flyer for more information, including costs.