Social Support in Psychotherapy of Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia in School Setting

This case study explores the treatment related issues of a 9 year old boy, who presented with symptoms of Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, School Refusal and depressive symptoms, in a school counseling setting. To cope with anxiety and reintegrate the child within school. Initial three sessions focused on rapport building and exploring the problem using narrative therapy. Next three sessions included narrative therapy techniques and cognitive behaviour therapy including behaviour experiments and graded exposure was carried out to gain confidence over his anxieties and reintegrate him to school environment. Simultaneously family, teachers and peers were counselled to maintain the gains in therapy. At termination the child presented marked decrease in anxiety symptoms, willingness to attend school and engage with classmates, and improvements in self-confidence. The Narrative and Cognitive Behavioural Techniques were found to be effective in treatment of panic disorder with agoraphobia. Family and school support is essential and the treatment gains its effectiveness when all stakeholders come to support especially in a child case.