SPACE Treatment for Child Anxiety

You can help your anxious child. We’re here to help you do it.

Parenting an Anxious Child is Exhausting. Our Maryland therapists can help.

You find yourself giving in or planning ahead so she won’t be so upset. You tell him to “calm down. It’s NOT a big deal!” But nothing works. The screaming and crying continues. Bedtime is an endless ritual. Getting out the door is a battle. You’re getting up early so there’s time for panic AND breakfast before school.

You don’t know how much longer you can keep doing this. It’s wearing you out. But how do you get it to stop?

SPACE: Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions might be the answer.

What is SPACE, you ask? It doesn’t involve sending your anxious child to the moon. (Though you may be tempted to try that some days. When bedtime takes hours. Or you can’t go to the bathroom alone.)

SPACE is a strategy for parenting anxious children, developed and tested by experts at the Yale Child Study Center. Learning SPACE typically takes 8-12 sessions of working 1 on 1 with a licensed and SPACE trained therapist, who can teach you what to do. We’ve also developed 3 levels of SPACE groups and workshops, so you can journey through SPACE at your own pace. Scroll down to learn more about our groups.

SPACE Treatment is now available in Maryland, online or in person, with our Licensed Counselors and Therapists!

The video on the right is about families getting SPACE treatment at Yale. Fortunately, you can get SPACE treatment right here in the DC metro area. We have 6 SPACE trained clinicians on our team! See below for their answers to frequently asked questions about SPACE.

We provide SPACE treatment one on one or in parenting groups and workshops. For more information on groups, click here.

Is SPACE therapy for my child’s anxiety, or for mine?

Successful SPACE treatment results in changes to your child’s anxiety. The surprising part of SPACE is that you, the parent, will be the one coming to therapy. But it isn’t treatment for you.

It’s treatment for your child, delivered through the parent-child relationship. Any improvement in your own mental health is just a bonus.

Can we do SPACE together as a couple/household/family?

YES! In fact, we encourage all adult caregivers to participate. It’s helpful to have all parents learn the skills together. Siblings are not part of SPACE treatment.

SPACE isn’t couples therapy or family therapy. It isn’t designed to solve problems between you. With that said, our SPACE therapists are also trained couple and family therapists. If you hit a snag in your teamwork while doing SPACE together, we have the tools to help you move past it.

Will my child meet with a child behavior therapist or play therapist in the process?

Maybe. SPACE treatment itself does not require the child to meet with a therapist. We do like to have an orientation session with the parents and child together to explain how the process will work.

SPACE is sometimes done as one step in a longer process of therapy. If that’s the case for your family, your child may see the therapist for a while before you start SPACE, or for a period of time after SPACE therapy is complete.

Does insurance cover SPACE treatment?

To the extent that it covers any of our services, yes. You’ll pay us directly for each session, and then submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement. Reimbursement amounts depend on your policy’s out of network benefits.

If you do plan to seek insurance reimbursement, your child may need to attend a session with the therapist first. If this is the case, your therapist will let you know.

Is my child’s anxiety my fault?

No. You didn’t cause your child’s anxiety. But you can help them learn to handle it. Just like you do with other problems you didn’t cause (like tough teachers, friendship drama, and skinned knees).

This isn’t something every parent should already know. Parenting an anxious child is different from parenting non-anxious children. And from handling anxiety as an adult.

You and your parenting team will learn exactly how. You will have the tools to treat your child’s anxiety through activities you already do together. And your child’s anxiety symptoms will improve.

Can I take a workshop or class to learn SPACE ?

Yes! We offer an introductory workshop to help families decide whether to try SPACE with their anxious children. After the workshop, families can register for Supportive Parenting for Your Anxious Child and learn SPACE in a small group of 3-4 families. Families who are already using SPACE at home can get support in our Booster Group. See below for details.