STARVING S T A R V I THEm Stress N a x G E T H Gremlin E ‘Meets a very real need given the increasing academic pressures on young people today.’ E X – Claire Tasker, Headteacher, High Storrs School, Sheffield A M ‘In today’s exam-led system, teaching the content of this unique book is, in my opinion, as important as teaching the subject content of the exam itself in order to create the positive S conditions needed for mental wellbeing andacademic success.’ T R – Vanaensdsa A Lrabnogulertyh, oErxneec uPtriivme aHrye aFdetdeearcahtieorn, ,G Slheeafdfileelsds E A COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY WORKBOOK S S ‘Another fantastic addition to the Starving the Gremlinseries.’ ON MANAGING EXAM STRESS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE G – Rob Barraclough, Headteacher, St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Dewsbury R E M Stressed out by exams? Then the Exam Stress Gremlin is in town! Exam fears and worries are his favourite foods, and the more of these you feed him, the bigger he gets and the L I more stressed you become. But he can be stopped! Starve him of stress-related thoughts, N feelings and behaviours and feel him and your stress fade away. Part of the award-winning Starving the Gremlinseries and full of engaging activities, this self-help workbook explains what exam stress is, how it develops and the impact it can have – providing the reader with an understanding of their own exam stress. Rooted in cognitive behavioural therapy, it is also bursting with strategies to help young people aged 10+ manage K their exam stress by changing how they think and act. A T E C Kate Collins-Donnellyis the author of several inspirational workbooks for young children O with experience as a therapist, psychologist and criminologist. Kate runs a successful L L independent consultancy practice which provides cognitive behavioural therapy, counselling I N and coaching. S - D O N Jessica Kingsley Publishers N E L L Y KATE COLLINS-DONNELLY www.jkp.com Cover design: Black Dog Design ‘Starving the Exam Stress Gremlin meets a very real need given the increasing academic pressures on young people today. While there is plenty of advice out there about revision techniques, in my opinion, there is nothing so accessible, clear and well-researched about exam stress, its causes and ways to tackle it as this innovative workbook. My favourite thing is that Starving the Exam Stress Gremlin hands control back to young people – control over their own response to their exams – taking them on a journey from understanding to action. Unique, practical, humorous and warm; I would certainly recommend it to anyone whose exam stress is a barrier to success.’ – Claire Tasker, Headteacher, High Storrs School, Sheffield ‘Another fantastic addition to the ‘Starving the Gremlin’ series. This series has been truly transformational – both for our young people and the adults who work with them. Kate has a way of making the most complex concepts of cognitive behavioural therapy understandable to all through a mix of written explanation, examples and creative illustration. Instantly usable, this latest workbook will be an invaluable resource for young people facing exams and for the adults helping them to prepare. A must read for anyone facing this situation or for those wanting to learn more about cognitive behavioural therapy in general and its impact on our emotions and behaviours.’ – Rob Barraclough, Headteacher, St. Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Dewsbury ‘In today’s exam-led system, teaching the content of this unique book is, in my opinion, as important as teaching the subject content of the exam itself in order to create the positive conditions needed for mental wellbeing and academic success. Parents and professionals can also use the book’s supportive techniques and reassuring phrases to encourage resilience, determination and a positive ‘can do’ approach from their child. As an emergency go-to or a step by step guide delivered over a period of time, this highly interactive workbook provides strategies to empower and take back control of the feelings which can challenge our ability to shine under test conditions. This book’s accessible format transforms the science behind our ‘Exam Stress Gremlins’ into simple ‘so what can I do about it?’ guidance for lifelong success! Combining this with its easy to read style and use of stories and cartoons makes Starving the Exam Stress Gremlin a vital and memorable read!’ – Vanessa Langley, Executive Headteacher, Gleadless and Arbourthorne Primary Federation, Sheffield by the same author Starving the Anxiety Gremlin A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook on Anxiety Management for Young People Kate Collins-Donnelly ISBN 978 1 84905 341 9 eISBN 978 0 85700 673 8 Starving the Stress Gremlin A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook on Stress Management for Young People Kate Collins-Donnelly ISBN 978 1 84905 340 2 eISBN 978 0 85700 672 1 Starving the Anger Gremlin A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook on Anger Management for Young People Kate Collins-Donnelly ISBN 978 1 84905 286 3 eISBN 978 0 85700 621 9 Banish Your Body Image Thief A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook on Building Positive Body Image for Young People Kate Collins-Donnelly ISBN 978 1 84905 463 8 eISBN 978 0 85700 842 8 Banish Your Self-Esteem Thief A Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Workbook on Building Positive Self-Esteem for Young People Kate Collins-Donnelly ISBN 978 1 84905 462 1 eISBN 978 0 85700 841 1 of related interest The Healthy Coping Colouring Book and Journal Creative Activities to Help Manage Stress, Anxiety and Other Big Feelings Pooky Knightsmith Illustrated by Emily Hamilton ISBN 978 1 78592 139 1 eISBN 978 1 78450 405 2 Set for Success Activities for Teaching Emotional, Social and Organisational Skills Josie Santomauro and Margaret Anne Carter Illustrated by Carla Marino ISBN 978 1 84905 058 6 eISBN 978 0 85700 244 0 STARVING THE EXAM STRESS GREMLIN A COGNITIVE BEHAVIOURAL THERAPY WORKBOOK ON MANAGING EXAM STRESS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Kate Collins-Donnelly Jessica Kingsley Publishers London and Philadelphia First published in 2018 by Jessica Kingsley Publishers 73 Collier Street London N1 9BE, UK and 400 Market Street, Suite 400 Philadelphia, PA 19106, USA www.jkp.com Copyright © Kate Collins-Donnelly 2018 Exam Stress Gremlin illustrations copyright © Tina Gothard 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any material form (including photocopying, storing in any medium by electronic means or transmitting) without the written permission of the copyright owner except in accordance with the provisions of the law or under terms of a licence issued in the UK by the Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd. www.cla.co.uk or in overseas territories by the relevant reproduction rights organisation, for details see www.ifrro.org. Applications for the copyright owner’s written permission to reproduce any part of this publication should be addressed to the publisher. Warning: The doing of an unauthorised act in relation to a copyright work may result in both a civil claim for damages and criminal prosecution. Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library ISBN 978 1 84905 698 4 eISBN 978 1 78450 214 0 Acknowledgements First, I would like to thank all the young people who had the confidence and courage to share their stories in this book in order to help others, as well as the young people who have given me their thoughts and feedback on drafts of this book. I would also like to thank professionals from the education sector who have provided me with their valuable input. A special thank you goes to my wonderful family, Maria, Nya and Finny, who have kept me going with their support, laughter, fun and love. It has certainly been a very different kind of experience writing a book while being a new mum of twins! And finally, a massive thank you to Jessica Kingsley Publishers, as always! Contents ABOUT THE AUTHOR..................................... 9 1. WHY READ THIS BOOK? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 2. WHAT IS EXAM STRESS AND WHO IS THE EXAM STRESS GREMLIN? . . . 17 3. OUR STRESSED MINDS: WHY SOME PEOPLE EXPERIENCE EXAM STRESS AND OTHERS DON’T . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 4. OUR STRESSED BODIES, EMOTIONS AND BEHAVIOURS: WHAT KEEPS EXAM STRESS GOING? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 5. IMPACTS OF EXAM STRESS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 6. YOU’RE NOT ON YOUR OWN IN EXPERIENCING EXAM STRESS . . . . . 67 7. STARVING THE EXAM STRESS GREMLIN: THINKING DIFFERENTLY! . . . 81 8. STARVING THE EXAM STRESS GREMLIN: ACTING DIFFERENTLY! . . . . 105 9. SUMMING UP!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135 INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND PROFESSIONALS........... 144 REFERENCES .......................................... 153