The Teen Run Group Therapy A creative

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The Teen Run Group Therapy A creative health
based approach to treating adolescent
depression/anxiety and low self esteem

• Dan McGann, Social Worker
• Child Family Services
• The Credit Valley Hospital

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MY RUNNING FRIEND (Unique bonding)We talk about
everything under the sun . . . and I don't even
know her last nameBy Michele Bender Runners
World Magazine, Aug 2007
What is said on the road, stays on the road.
"When you run sometimes hundreds or thousands of
miles together, you trust each other, bare your
souls to each other, and help each other
heal."Dr."Ozzie" Gontang, Ph.D.,
Numerous studies have shown that exercise
stimulates the neurotransmitters serotonin,
dopamine, epinephrine, and beta-endorphin, all of
which elevate mood and reduce depression and
anxiety.
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Run Dan Run!!

• My own depression
• Started to run
• Training for 10 years
• Completing my first Marathon
• - May 2006
• Created a Program

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Adolescence Depression

• Major Public Health Issue
• 10-20 Depressive Disorder
• 25-50 Associated Anxiety Disorder
• 20 Associated Substance Use Disorder

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• 70 of depressed adolescents will have a 2nd
  episode within 5 years
• 10-20 - ultimate diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder
• 80 of Suicidal Adolescents suffer with
  depression
• Suicide is the 2rd leading cause of death in
  Adolescents

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• Small minority of Adolescents receive treatment
• Minority complete treatment
• Traditional treatments such as medication and
  psychotherapy have limited efficacy.

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Psychological Treatments

• Modest Benefit
• I.P.T.
• C.B.T.

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Biological

• TADS combination of Fluoxetine therapy
• Handful of drug trials demonstrating
  effectiveness
• Many drug trials showing no benefit
• High drop out from medication

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Compliance Issues

• Side effects
• Recent concerns regarding increase in suicidal
  ideation

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Conventional Psychotherapy

• Requires Face to face communication of thoughts
  and feelings
• Focus on painful and emotional issues
• Office based sessions reinforce the sick-role

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The Running Group

• Group support
• Out of the office
• Mastering a skill
• Integration of mind Body
• Indirect learning (less threatening)

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• Control Predictability
• Structure Routine
• Audio, visual, kinesthetic learning

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• Action vs. Passivity
• Mastery vs. Victimization
• Changes the internal narrative
• Endorphin release
• Runners High

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Proposal

• Adolescent group 14 19 years
• Depression/Anxiety
• Pre-test for Baseline
• Teach them to run 3X/wk/12 wks
• Community Race 5K/10K
• Post-test for comparison
• All teens are medically cleared by their family
  Doc and waiver signed by parents

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THIS IS A TEAM EFFORT!
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Our Sponsors
Personal donations from Dr. David Rosen
Dr. Marino
Battigelli
Tina Triano
Stan and Jessie Solarski
Dan McGann Youth Branch
CVH Volunteer Services

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Volunteer Coaches
Impact on coaching staff is amazing the power
of giving back
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Program Format

• A gradual skill/endurance building
• 11 -----------------------? 101
• 30 minutes
• 12 Weeks

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Frequency

• Tuesday evenings from 630 - 745
• Guest speaker and short run
• Saturday at 830 - 930 am longer runs
• Each teen was also asked to run one more time
  through the week independently and record on
  their log sheet.

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Our Speakers

• Jeff Stapleton, Running Coach
• Dr. Ian MacIntyre sports physician
• Sandy Beckett, Physiotherapist
• Heidi Nixdorf Sandra Gabriel Dieticians
• Dan McGann, Psychology of Running
• Detective Sean Sullivan (Capt Peel Police Run
  team)
• John Knox core training
• Rick Ball - Paralympics -Team Canada
• Tom Lettner, Senior Runner/Ironman

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Group Characteristics

• Age range 14 to 19 years
• Gender 22 males 21 females 11 are parents
• Diagnosis 2/3rds anxiety 1/3rd depression
• 43 participants in total

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Teen Run Log

• Scale mood pre run?/10
• Scale mood post run ?/10
• Note conditions, distance and time
• Space also provided for comments

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What they Learn

• How to take a goal, break it down, and achieve
  through small steps.
• Impact of mood on performance
• Importance of structure routine
• Being supportive of others - being supported by
  others (looping)
• Influence of diet on energy
• Increased self awareness through use of your
  running log book

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• Learning skills in developing mental toughness
  the ability to keep going and stay positive and
  focused when faced with challenges (long runs,
  hills)
• Learn from their mistakes (lessons/opportunities
  for new learning) - not to over-react
• Learn form others - from their mistakes
• Learn to run softy and silently (no drama)
• Learn how to talk and breathe as they run
• Developing positive cognitive skills (positive
  thinking, focus, etc)

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This is my hill

• How to look at challenges and obstacles (hills)
  as good teachers and skill builders

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• Learn to pace themselves - when to hold back and
  when to push in order to complete a run well and
  in a good time.
• That action (running) in the face of adversity is
  much better than standing still or retreating
• Run towards your fears not away from them.
• How to celebrate their achievements and meet
  their goals! (end run cheer/grad party with
  personalized certificates)

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Teen Comments

• I cant believe I ran that far!
• Running for me is better than making out with
  boys I dont know or cutting myself.
• Headache, legs hurt never felt better!
• I liked running in the rain today.
• The run helped me to feel relaxed and de
  stressed ?

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Parent Comments

• My son seems more relaxed after each run very
  satisfied with what hes accomplished.
• I found that her confidence level increased as
  the time went on. I think that it has made such a
  difference to her to actually see tangible
  results.
• His mood and anxiety levels seem improved.
• She said that she could actually feel her
  spirits lift after each run.

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New Research

• MSW Thesis Evaluation of Running Group Therapy
  with Youth qualitative
• Family Run Program The value of running to
  improve the quality of the parent- teen
  relationship pre and post scale
• Continued pre and post test using the RCMAS
• Revised Childrens Manifest Anxiety Scale
• Collaborative Research with University of Toronto
  Department of Psychiatry
• Pre and post run log recording

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Lesleigh's Story
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Lesleigh completes her 1st Half Marathon
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