SPACE
SPACE Therapy is for Parents Supporting Their Children with Anxiety
Is Your Child's Anxiety Affecting Daily Life?
Does your child struggle with separation anxiety, school refusal, excessive reassurance-seeking, fears about sleeping alone, social anxiety, or constant worries? Have you found yourself changing family routines, providing repeated reassurance, or avoiding situations that make them anxious?
As parents, these accommodations often come from a place of love and a desire to reduce distress. However, over time, these well-intentioned responses can unintentionally reinforce anxiety and make it harder for children to develop confidence in managing difficult situations and emotions.
At Upper East Side Psychology, we offer Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE), an evidence-based treatment that empowers parents to help their children overcome anxiety while strengthening resilience, independence, and coping skills.
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What Is SPACE Therapy?
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is a parent-based treatment developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center. Unlike traditional child therapy, SPACE focuses on working directly with parents rather than requiring the child to participate in treatment. SPACE was specifically designed for children and adolescents experiencing anxiety disorders, OCD, and related emotional challenges.
The foundation of SPACE is the understanding that parents play a powerful role in helping children manage anxiety. By learning new ways to respond to anxious behaviors and gradually reducing accommodations, parents can help their children build confidence and develop greater resilience.
What Is Family Accommodation?
Family accommodation occurs when parents allow or support their child in avoiding anxiety-provoking situations.
Examples may include:
Repeatedly reassuring a child about fears or worries
Sleeping with a child due to separation anxiety
Speaking for a child in social situations
Allowing avoidance of school, activities, or social events
Participating in rituals related to OCD
Rearranging family schedules to reduce a child's distress
While these responses often reduce anxiety in the short term, they can unintentionally maintain anxiety over time. SPACE helps parents identify accommodations and learn how to reduce them in a supportive, gradual, and compassionate way.
How Does SPACE Work?
SPACE focuses on two primary goals:
Reducing Accommodation
Parents learn to identify the ways they may be accommodating anxiety and gradually reduce those behaviors in a structured and supportive manner.
Increasing Support
As accommodations are reduced, parents learn how to communicate confidence, validation, and support. Children receive the message that their feelings are understood while also learning that they are capable of managing difficult situations.
This balance of support and independence helps children develop confidence and resilience without feeling abandoned or overwhelmed.
What Conditions Can SPACE Help Treat?
SPACE has been shown to be effective for children and adolescents experiencing:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
Separation Anxiety Disorder
Social Anxiety Disorder
School Avoidance or School Refusal
Specific Phobias
Panic Symptoms
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Excessive Reassurance-Seeking
Anxiety related to Autism Spectrum Disorder
Anxiety-related behavioral challenges
Research continues to support the effectiveness of SPACE across a variety of childhood anxiety presentations.
What Does the Research Say About SPACE?
SPACE is one of the most researched parent-based interventions for childhood anxiety.
In a randomized controlled trial, SPACE was found to be as effective as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in treating childhood anxiety disorders. Notably, children improved even when they did not directly participate in therapy sessions. Researchers concluded that SPACE is an effective treatment option and provides an alternative approach for families seeking support.
Research has demonstrated that reducing family accommodation is associated with significant reductions in childhood anxiety symptoms. Parental support and behavioral modification is a critical for the overall adherence to treatment for anxiety in children. By having parents engage in therapy in order to best support their child through reducing their anxiety and increasing their tolerance for situations or experiences they avoid, children are continuously supported in their goal of reducing anxiety long-term.
Is SPACE Right for My Family?
SPACE may be particularly helpful if:
Your child refuses therapy or is reluctant to participate
Anxiety is significantly impacting daily life
You find yourself constantly reassuring or accommodating your child’s anxiety
Family routines revolve around your child's anxiety
Previous treatment has not been fully effective
Your child struggles with OCD-related behaviors
You want practical tools to support your child at home
Because SPACE works directly with parents, it can often be implemented even when a child is unwilling or unable to engage in therapy.
What to Expect at Upper East Side Psychology
Our SPACE-trained therapist work collaboratively with parents to:
Understand how anxiety impacts family functioning
Identify patterns of accommodation
Develop personalized plans for reducing accommodations
Build supportive communication strategies
Strengthen parental confidence
Foster resilience and independence in children and adolescents
Treatment is tailored to each family's unique circumstances and can be integrated with other evidence-based treatments when appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions About SPACE Therapy
Does my child need to attend therapy sessions?
No, one of the unique aspects of SPACE is that treatment primarily involves working with parents. Children do not need to attend sessions for parents to begin making meaningful changes that support anxiety reduction.
Is SPACE only for young children?
No, SPACE can be effective for children, adolescents, and even young adults who continue to struggle with anxiety-related dependence or avoidance behaviors.
Is SPACE the same as parenting coaching?
No, SPACE is a structured, evidence-based treatment developed specifically to address childhood anxiety and family accommodation. It is grounded in clinical research and differs from general parenting advice or coaching.
Can SPACE be combined with CBT or ERP?
Yes, SPACE can be used as a standalone treatment or alongside Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), medication management, or family therapy depending on the child's needs.
What if my child has OCD?
SPACE has been adapted and studied for children and adolescents with OCD and can be particularly helpful in reducing family accommodation of OCD-related behaviors and rituals.
How long does SPACE therapy take?
Treatment length varies based on individual family needs. Many SPACE programs are delivered over approximately 10-12 sessions, though treatment can be adjusted depending on the severity and complexity of concerns.
Why Choose Upper East Side Psychology?
At Upper East Side Psychology, our clinicians utilize evidence-based treatments to help children, adolescents, and families navigate anxiety and related concerns. We understand how overwhelming childhood anxiety can feel—not only for children, but for parents as well.
Our team works collaboratively with families to develop practical strategies that reduce anxiety, improve family functioning, and help children build lasting confidence and resilience.
Whether your child is struggling with separation anxiety, school refusal, social anxiety, OCD, or excessive worries, we are here to help.
Schedule a Free Consultation
If your child's anxiety is affecting daily life, support is available. Contact Upper East Side Psychology today to schedule a free consultation and learn whether SPACE therapy may be a good fit for your family.
You can schedule your consultation here.
You may also be interested in:
Child & Adolescent Therapy
Anxiety Therapy
OCD Treatment
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)
Family Therapy
References
Lebowitz, E. R., Marin, C., Martino, A., Shimshoni, Y., & Silverman, W. K. (2020). Parent-Based Treatment as Efficacious as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Anxiety. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry.
Lebowitz, E. R. (2014). Parent Training for Childhood Anxiety Disorders: The SPACE Program.
Yale Child Study Center. Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE).
International OCD Foundation. SPACE: Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions.