SPACE
Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions
What is SPACE?
SPACE is an evidence based therapy program that helps parents support children and teens who struggle with anxiety or OCD. Instead of working directly with the child in therapy, the focus is on teaching parents practical ways to respond to their child's anxiety.
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Through SPACE, parents learn how to step back from behaviors that may unintentionally keep anxiety going, while responding in calmer, more supportive ways. Many parents find that this approach not only helps their child feel more independent and confident, but also gives them a sense of control and hope when anxiety has felt overwhelming.
Who is SPACE for?
What makes SPACE different?
In SPACE treatment, your child is still the focus, but they don’t need to attend therapy sessions. Parents or caregivers meet with the therapist and learn step-by-step how to make small, meaningful changes in their own responses to anxiety.
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This can be especially helpful when a child is resistant to therapy, too anxious to participate, or when traditional approaches haven’t worked. Parents often describe SPACE as empowering because it gives them something concrete they can do, while helping their child overcome anxiety.
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If your child is already participating in therapy or wants to, SPACE can be done alongside their sessions. Parents attend their own separate sessions to learn strategies, while the child continues therapy on their own. This approach allows parents to support and reinforce what their child is learning, helping the strategies take hold at home.
Learn more about SPACE
If you’d like to explore the SPACE approach further:
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Visit the official program website: www.spacetreatment.net for research, resources, and program details.
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Read Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD by Eli Lebowitz, PhD — a parent-friendly guide to the SPACE model.
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If you’d like to see whether SPACE could be a good fit for your family, Iet's talk!
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