Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions
(SPACE)

What is SPACE?

Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions or SPACE is an evidence-based program developed by Eli Lebowitz at the Yale University Child Study Center. 

It is a unquie treatment approach in that was developed based on the philosophy that children and teens are hardwired to turn to their parents in moments of anxiety and distress. 

Most anxiety treatment for children and teens has previously responded from the philsophy that children’s anxiety is the SAME as that of adults. SPACE takes into account that childhood anxiety differs in that it is interpersonal, meaning children rely on their parents for comfort and safety and therefore needs a different approach than we utilize in treating adult anxiety.

In the cases of anxiety, many children and teens turn to their parents to protect them from things they area fearful of. This may sound like:

  • “Are you sure I won’t get sick"?”

  • “Can’t you just drive me to school?”

  • “Are you sure this text sounds okay? “

Often times parents respond from places of well-intentioned support, which may sound like:

  • “If you feel nasueous, go to the nurse and I’ll pick you up.”

  • “Of course I’ll drop you off today.”

  • “Yes, the text is fine.”

While these responses (called accomodations) feel supportive, they are insulating the child from the the things the child fears. They alleviate the child’s anxiety in the long run, but confirm that the child “needs” the support to protect them. 

SPACE is intended for children with:

⟡ Generalized Anxiety
⟡ Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

⟡ Fears & Phobias
⟡ Panic Disor

⟡ Social Anxiety
⟡ Seperation Anxiety

WHO is SPACE for?

Parents of  tweens & teens with an anxiety disorder, including OCD. While children do not participate in treatment, the treatment outcomes are related to decreasing your child’s anxiety. 

HOW long does it take?

SPACE is a sturctured approach which will include a 90 minute intake session for parents followed by 10-12 sessions.

WHAT happens in Treatment?

Parents will learn to help their child overcome anxiety.

The two main changes that parents learn to make in SPACE treatment are to respond more supportively to their anxious child and to reduce the accommodations they have been making to the child symptoms.