Courage is not the absence of fear, but the decision to move forward despite it. It means acknowledging fear or anxiety — naming it, feeling it — and still choosing to take action. One helpful way to think about courage is as a ladder, where each rung represents a small, manageable step outside your comfort zone.
The Courage Ladder handout shows clients how they can face their fears or anxieties step by step. It guides them in building a personal courage ladder by identifying something that makes them feel nervous and breaking it into smaller challenges. The handout also explains why this approach works.
Using the Courage Ladder, kids and teens will learn to build confidence and feel more capable. To support them while reading the handout, caring adults can share age-appropriate stories of times they felt afraid but took a small step forward anyway.
Another idea is to pair this handout with real-life activities where kids can practice courage, such as trying a new hobby or speaking up in class.
This handout nicely complements our My Courage Ladder worksheet.
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References:
- Norton, P. J., & Weiss, B. J. (2008). The Role of Courage on Behavioral Approach in a Fear-Eliciting Situation: A Proof-of-Concept Pilot Study. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23(2), 212. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.07.002
- Hodgkins, J. (2017, June 1). Climbing the Courage ladder. Darden Report Online. https://news.darden.virginia.edu/2017/05/30/courage-ladder-jim-detert/
