If your child struggles with anxiety and avoids everyday activities, the Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) program may be an effective option.

The SPACE program is an evidence-based treatment developed at the Yale Child Study Center. SPACE is designed for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive behaviours, school avoidance, separation anxiety, social anxiety, generalized anxiety, and other anxiety-related challenges.

Unlike traditional child therapy, SPACE focuses on working with parents rather than the child. Through structured parent coaching, you will learn practical strategies to respond to your child’s anxiety in ways that build confidence, resilience, and independence. Together, we identify and gradually reduce the accommodations that family members often make to help a child avoid distress. Although these accommodations are made with the best of intentions, they can unintentionally reinforce anxiety over time.

SPACE is particularly helpful when:

• Anxiety is affecting school attendance, friendships, extracurricular activities, or family life.
• You feel as though your family is “walking on eggshells” to prevent your child’s anxiety from escalating.
• You would like practical, evidence-based strategies to support your child at home.

Research has shown that when parents change the way they respond to anxiety, children often become more confident, more independent, and less anxious. Because parents attend the sessions, children do not need to be present for the treatment to be effective.

Whether SPACE is used as a stand-alone intervention or alongside individual therapy, the goal is to help your child gain the confidence to face anxiety rather than avoid it.

If you would like to learn whether the SPACE program is a good fit for your family, please contact us to arrange a consultation.