SPACE Treatment for Child and Adolescent Anxiety
Looking for a research-based, parent-focused approach to treating your child or teen’s anxiety? SPACE Treatment (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) offers a powerful, evidence-backed alternative to individual therapy—without requiring child participation.
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What Is SPACE Treatment?
SPACE Treatment (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is a structured, short-term intervention that helps parents reduce their child’s anxiety by changing how they respond to distress. Developed at the Yale Child Study Center, SPACE has been shown to be as effective as individual cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for youth.
Rather than working directly with the child, SPACE works with parents to shift patterns of accommodation—those well-meaning behaviours (like offering reassurance or avoiding triggers) that unintentionally reinforce anxiety.
This approach is particularly helpful when a child or teen is not willing or ready to engage in therapy themselves. Parents learn to respond supportively without feeding the anxiety, building their child’s independence and resilience.
Why We Use SPACE at FFEW
Anxious children often seek comfort and protection from parents. While natural and loving, these protective patterns can lock families into a cycle where anxiety grows stronger over time. SPACE breaks that cycle by:
- Teaching parents to respond in calm, confident, and supportive ways
- Reducing accommodations that maintain anxiety
- Supporting long-term emotional growth for both the parent and the child
We’ve found SPACE to be especially helpful for families navigating selective mutism, social anxiety, separation anxiety, and generalized anxiety—including cases where traditional child therapy in Toronto or online has stalled or isn’t an option.
How the SPACE Program Treats Anxiety and OCD in Children
SPACE treatment is designed to address a range of childhood and adolescent anxiety disorders:
- Social anxiety in children and teens
- Separation anxiety in children
- Panic disorder and agoraphobia
- Selective mutism
- Generalized anxiety disorder
- Specific phobias
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
It can also benefit families navigating trauma-informed parenting support or looking for an alternative to exposure therapy for anxiety.
Our SPACE Treatment Options
SPACE Parenting Group
Option 1:Our Parenting Your Anxious Child group is a structured SPACE parenting program offered virtually. This group includes:
- Eight weekly one-hour sessions
- Small group format for personal attention
- Two sessions on Exposure and Response Prevention
- Tools for reducing accommodations and building confidence in your child
The group is open to parents of children and teens (typically under 16). Sessions are facilitated by clinicians trained in the SPACE method.
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Individual SPACE Therapy for Parents
Option 2:If group work isn’t possible or you prefer more tailored guidance, we also offer one-on-one SPACE therapy. In individual SPACE sessions, we:
- Analyze current patterns of accommodation
- Teach supportive, non-accommodating responses
- Co-create plans for real-life challenges
- Offer psychoeducation for parents that supports confidence and clarity
This format is especially useful for families with complex dynamics or scheduling constraints.
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Why Parents Choose SPACE Treatment
Parent-Based Treatment
SPACE stands for Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions—designed to treat anxiety without the child needing to attend sessions.
Backed by Research
Developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center, this evidence-based treatment has been proven effective for childhood anxiety and OCD.
Targets the System
SPACE addresses anxiety as a systemic phenomenon, shifting how the whole family responds.
Real-Life Tools
You’ll gain concrete strategies to reduce accommodation of anxiety and support your child’s long-term resilience.
What to Expect From SPACE Treatment Sessions
- Psychoeducation about anxiety and parenting stress
- Parent coaching and collaborative goal setting
- Tools for reducing family accommodation
- Scripts to help respond to your child’s anxiety
- Weekly check-ins and practical home-based strategies
You’ll participate in SPACE sessions without your child present. These structured treatment sessions guide you in responding to anxiety symptoms with calm, clarity, and confidence.
Is SPACE Treatment Right for You?
This is for you if:
- Your child refuses or struggles to participate in therapy
- You want an evidence-based approach rooted in parental action
- You feel stuck in a cycle of protecting or over-accommodating your child’s anxiety
- You value parenting support that fosters long-term resilience
This may not be right if:
- Your child requires crisis-level intervention or immediate psychiatric care
About Cassandra Harmsen & the FFEW Team
Cassandra Harmsen specializes in helping families navigate overwhelming emotions and challenging behaviours through evidence-based, client-centred therapy that empowers both parents and children. As an aspiring child psychologist with 10 years of experience working with families and training at leading institutions like CAMH, she creates safe, non-judgmental environments where families can build stronger relationships and develop effective strategies to meet their shared goals.
Meet Our Team
How SPACE Helps Families
SPACE has been shown to improve not only the child’s symptoms of anxiety, but also the parent’s confidence, emotional well-being, and clarity. Parents often report:
- Feeling more empowered and less helpless
- Having clearer strategies and language to support their child
- Reduced stress around daily anxiety-triggering events
- Stronger, more connected relationships with their children
SPACE therapy for parents is a proactive step that nurtures the entire family system—even if your child never attends a single session.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to common questions parents ask about this service—so you can feel more confident about what to expect.
Will this work even if my child doesn’t attend therapy?
Yes. SPACE was designed as a parent-only treatment. Your child never needs to attend, and many families see strong results.
Can SPACE be used alongside child therapy or CBT?
Absolutely. SPACE complements individual child therapy by addressing the caregiver’s role. It often accelerates progress.
What if my child’s anxiety seems too severe or unique?
Our clinicians are trained to tailor SPACE to complex cases, including trauma-related anxiety and co-occurring conditions.
I worry that reducing accommodations will harm my child.
This is a common fear. SPACE teaches you to remain warm and supportive while setting boundaries that build resilience.
Is SPACE only for moms or can both parents join?
SPACE is effective for any caregiver. When possible, we support both parents in building a united front.