SPACE stands for
Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood EmotionsIn Arlington, VA
Watching your child struggle with anxiety, OCD, avoidance, or emotional distress can feel exhausting and heartbreaking. Many parents find themselves constantly reassuring, adjusting routines, or trying to prevent distress, only to feel like the anxiety continues to grow.
SPACE is an evidence-based treatment that helps parents make targeted changes to better support children, adolescents, and young adults struggling with anxiety-related challenges. Sessions are conducted with parents or caregivers rather than the child, making SPACE effective even when a child or young adult is resistant to therapy or isn’t ready to participate.
SPACE for Anxiety and OCD
SPACE is commonly used to treat childhood anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Instead of focusing on changing the child directly, SPACE helps parents shift the ways they respond to anxiety in everyday life.
Parents often provide reassurance, help a child avoid distress, or change routines to keep things manageable. These responses are understandable and come from a place of care, but over time they can unintentionally strengthen anxiety. SPACE helps parents reduce accommodations while responding in ways that communicate both support and confidence in their child’s ability to cope.
SPACE can help with:
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Separation anxiety
Social anxiety
Generalized anxiety
Panic and phobias
Selective mutism
SPACE can be especially helpful when traditional therapy hasn’t worked or when a child is unwilling to participate in treatment.
SPACE for ARFID
SPACE can also support children and adolescents struggling with Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), especially when anxiety and avoidance are playing a major role in eating difficulties.
Children with ARFID may avoid foods because of fears related to choking, vomiting, contamination, or sensory sensitivities. Over time, families often find themselves making more and more accommodations around meals, food preparation, and routines in an effort to reduce distress and keep the peace.
SPACE helps parents respond in ways that support flexibility, confidence, and progress while gradually reducing patterns that maintain avoidance.
Common ARFID-related concerns include:
Fear of choking or vomiting
Sensory-based food avoidance
Extremely limited food variety
Anxiety around meals or eating in public
Increasing rigidity around food routines
When appropriate, I also coordinate with physicians, dietitians, occupational therapists, or other providers involved in treatment.
SPACE for Failure to Launch
SPACE principles can also help families when a young adult feels stuck, withdrawn, or unable to move toward greater independence.
Many young adults struggle with patterns of avoidance related to anxiety, fear of failure, OCD, depression, executive functioning difficulties, or low confidence. Parents often feel trapped between wanting to help and worrying that their support may unintentionally keep the cycle going.
Treatment focuses on helping parents shift patterns that may be maintaining avoidance while strengthening supportive communication, healthy expectations, and gradual movement toward independence. The goal isn’t punishment or pressure, but helping young adults build confidence and tolerate the discomfort that comes with growth and change
SPACE may be helpful when a young adult is struggling with:
Severe avoidance
Dependence on parents
Anxiety about work, school, or independence
Social withdrawal
Resistance to therapy or change
