Author's Note
The CHAIN Links Program was conceived from my experiences counseling teenage and adult clients and hearing the resounding theme of the importance of the teen years to long-term health and wellbeing.
These years are full of challenges as we grow, change rapidly, and make decisions that shape our lives. The CHAIN Links Program leverages the significant influence of peer relationships during this critical time of life. Addressing anxiety at this stage may prevent potentially serious issues, such as addiction, mental health disorders, or unhealthy and influential relationships, from developing and interfering with healthy growth and development.
The CHAIN Links Program uses relationships to teach skills in a fun, interactive, experiential, and practical way! Learning and sharing positive experiences, such as those in this workbook, teach girls and young women to love and appreciate themselves, laying the groundwork for healthy minds, bodies, spirits, and relationships. In therapy, much time is often spent teaching basic skills of healthy thinking, communicating, and navigating relationships in the new and foreign territories of the teen years.
At a time when mental health resources are stretched thin, this program prepares girls with basic skills that are often taught in therapy, leaving more time in the counseling room for professional treatment when needed. The program is designed to be completed by two friends together or one girl acting as her own best friend.
The girl who does the program as her own best friend, with her newly found confidence and the links of her personal CHAIN strengthened, is then asked to take the program and share it with someone in need. By doing so, she adds more strong links to the CHAIN and starts her own CHAIN reaction of girls and young women helping each other.
Solid research supports the premise that good communication, problem-solving, social, and coping skills learned and used during the teen years can improve the quality of life well into the future.
The foundation of this course is self-love and self-acceptance---from there, all things are possible.
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This program is an investment of time and effort, and the potential rewards are unlimited! So what are you waiting for? YOU ARE WORTH IT!
Review of The CHAIN Links Program for Young Women and Girls with Anxiety by Jamie Michele
» 3 Sept 2024,
[Following is an official Readers' Favorite review of "The CHAIN Links Program for Young Women and Girls with Anxiety" by Patricia A. Houchin.]
5 out of 5 stars
CHAIN Links Program for Young Women and Girls with Anxiety by Patricia A. Houchin is a 13-week initiative aimed at equipping girls with therapy-based skills for improved mental health. Through this workbook with a focus on self-love, self-acceptance, and protective factors, participants can share skills and create a supportive network. The CHAIN acronym—Challenging, Helping, Accepting, Influencing, Nurturing—guides exercises promoting self-discovery and positive mental attitudes. Key components include aligning personal values with goals, employing SMART objectives, and addressing negative beliefs with positive affirmations. Techniques such as belly breathing, assertive communication, problem-solving, mindfulness, and acupressure tapping are included to manage anxiety. The book leans into self-care, including gut health, and the role of relationships, boundaries, and spirituality in overall well-being, and readers are encouraged to use the acquired knowledge to enhance their lives and support others.
Patricia A. Houchin's The CHAIN Links Program for Young Women and Girls with Anxiety is a wonderfully comprehensive and practical guide for addressing anxiety through its structured 13-week approach. Instead of chapters, Houchin uses 'links.' Interaction with a reader is paramount and Houchin's prompts offer clear, accessible language and well-organized content that's tailored for young girls and women. There are two things that I loved and stood out to me about this book. The first is what I learned. I honestly didn't have any idea that there is a legitimate distinction between anxiety (anticipation of potential threats) and fear (reaction to immediate threats), and Houchin explains how these responses can lead to chronic stress. The second is the journalling aspect of the program. I cannot tell you how many books I've read for young women regarding anxiety, but this is the first using prompts that a reader can't effectively work forward through without participation. This solidifies Houchin walking the walk since being proactive in growth is crucial. Overall, this is an excellent resource. Very highly recommended.
