01
Social pressure
Friendships, fitting in, and the low hum of being watched and judged by people their own age.
Anxiety support for teenagers · Delivered in schools and for whānau
Every teen deserves to know how anxiety works.
Social pressure, life online, big fast emotions, an uncertain future. Yet most teenagers reach high school never taught what anxiety actually is, or what helps. We change that.
What we are seeing
Today’s teenagers are carrying a lot.
Young people today are carrying real pressure, often without the words for it. It tends to show up in four places.
02
Life online
Group chats that never switch off, a feed built for comparison, and the work of managing how they look around the clock.
03
Strong emotions
Feelings that arrive fast and big, sometimes before the thinking part of the brain has caught up.
04
An uncertain world
Climate, AI, and a future they can see clearly but cannot control.
1 in 5
young New Zealanders now experience high or very high psychological distress. The pressure is real, and for most of them it is invisible.
Source: New Zealand Health Survey 2024/25, Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health (ages 15–24).
None of this means something is wrong with them. What is usually missing is being taught how anxiety works, and what genuinely helps when worry shows up. That is a skill, and it can be learned.
How it works
Two skills every young person can carry for life.
The programme is built around two things every young person can carry for life.
Understanding anxiety in mind and body
What the body’s alarm system is, why the brain responds the way it does, and the practical tools that settle it. Anxiety stops being frightening once you understand what it’s doing and why.
Supporting a friend
How to notice when a friend is struggling, what to say, and, just as importantly, when to bring in a trusted adult. Young people are often the first to know something is wrong. This gives them a way to help without carrying it alone.
Alongside these, students learn to tell everyday stress from anxiety that needs support, and exactly how and where to ask for more help.
Free for all school students
Start with Learning What Helps, then go as deep as your community needs.
Free for every student
Learning What Helps, free online
Five short modules, about 10 to 15 minutes each, made for 11 to 16 year olds as a guide. Students build their own plan, and your school sees only how many are using it.
Go deeper — choose what fits
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The programme, in person
A seven-theme workshop and follow-up session, with a workbook for every student.
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A webinar or event
A one-off session for students, staff or parents.
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Training for parents and staff
So the adults around a young person share the same language.
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One-to-one support
Individual sessions with a trained psychologist, with the workbook included.
For parents and whānau
You don’t need to wait for your school.
If your teen is struggling now, you don’t need your school. They can join Learning What Helps, our free online programme, by choosing “Sign up as a family”. If you’d like more, get in touch and we’ll arrange one-to-one support with the workbook.
What students learn
Seven things every teen should understand about anxiety.
The in-person programme teaches seven themes, sequenced so each one builds on the last. Together they cover understanding anxiety in mind and body, supporting a friend, and knowing how to ask for help. Learning What Helps, the free online programme, draws on the same ideas in five short modules.
01
Understanding anxiety
What the body’s alarm system is, and why it’s not a sign that something is wrong with you.
02
Stress or anxiety
Telling the difference between everyday stress and anxiety that needs support.
03
Brain science
Fight, flight and freeze in plain language, the Guard Dog and the Thinking Brain.
04
Skills that work
Practical tools drawn from ACT, CBT and DBT that students take into their week.
05
Wellbeing foundations
Sleep, movement, connection and time in nature, the daily heavy lifting.
06
Supporting friends
How to recognise when a friend is struggling, and when to bring in an adult.
07
Asking for help
Knowing when to ask for more help, and exactly who to talk to.
Safe, and built on evidence
Designed and delivered by registered psychologists.
The programme is built on CBT, ACT and DBT, three of the most researched approaches in adolescent mental health. It aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum key competencies, ERO wellbeing expectations and Te Whare Tapa Whā. It’s psychoeducational, and doesn’t replace counselling. In schools, pastoral staff are present throughout, and safeguarding is agreed with your team before delivery.
Take this to your next meeting
A short brief for boards, principals and pastoral teams.
You probably need to talk this through with someone before booking a call. The brief is written for that conversation: three pages you can email to your principal, take to a board meeting, or share with your pastoral team.
What the brief covers
- The case for action, with New Zealand evidence
- What the programme teaches, including the seven themes
- How it aligns with the New Zealand Curriculum, ERO wellbeing, Te Whare Tapa Whā and HSWA 2015
- How it runs, the timeframe, and what schools commit to
- The safeguarding approach and pastoral integration
What Helps — board brief
Send me the brief
PDF · 3 pages · for boards & schools. Downloads straight to your device.
No follow-up unless you ask for one. Your details aren’t shared.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from schools and families.
What are the signs of anxiety in teenagers?
Signs of anxiety in a teenager can include constant worry, irritability, trouble sleeping, avoiding school or social situations, physical complaints like headaches or a sore stomach, and pulling away from things they used to enjoy. Some anxiety is normal in adolescence; it’s worth getting support when it starts getting in the way of everyday life.
What does it cost?
Learning What Helps, our online programme, is free. The in-person programme, webinars and events, training, and one-to-one sessions are paid. Families who come to us directly pay only for the support they choose.
Is the programme a replacement for counselling or therapy?
No. The programme is psychoeducational and skills-based. It complements clinical services, and it makes it easier for a young person to ask for more help when they need it.
Can families get help without the school being involved?
Yes. Your teen can join Learning What Helps directly by choosing “Sign up as a family” when they sign up, with no school code needed. See what the programme covers. If you’d like more, get in touch and we’ll arrange one-to-one support.
Who can see what my teen does in Learning What Helps?
Nobody else. Schools see only how many students are using it, with small groups shown as “fewer than 10”. If your teen is under 14, you’ll get one email asking you to tap approve before their account starts. That approval covers taking part only; it doesn’t let you see what they do.
What does the in-person programme involve?
A workshop covering all seven themes and a follow-up session, with a workbook for every student, a session for parents, a staff briefing, and pastoral staff present throughout.
Who delivers the in-person programme for students?
A registered psychologist with specialist expertise in adolescent mental health, holding a current police vet under the Children’s Act 2014.
How do schools and families get started?
Schools register and we send a school code and poster pack; students then sign in with any email address and enter the code. See how Learning What Helps works for schools. Families can join directly by choosing “Sign up as a family”, and schools wanting deeper support can get in touch.
Get started
One simple first step, with as much support behind it as you want.
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