When Anxiety Starts to Take Over Family Life

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Does your child need constant reassurance? Avoid situations because they feel scary? Struggle with worries, fears, OCD rituals, or intense distress when things feel uncertain? When a child is anxious, parents naturally want to help. You might answer repeated questions, stay close at bedtime, help your child avoid upsetting situations, or adjust family routines to reduce their distress. These responses come from a place of love and protection—but over time, they can unintentionally strengthen anxiety's hold. SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is an evidence-based treatment that helps parents support their child while reducing the accommodations that keep anxiety going.

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What Is SPACE?

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Developed at the Yale Child Study Center, SPACE is a parent-based treatment for childhood anxiety, OCD, and related fears. Unlike traditional therapy, the treatment focuses on helping parents make changes in how they respond to anxiety.

The child does not need to attend sessions for SPACE to be effective.

Instead, parents learn practical strategies to:

• Respond supportively to anxiety without reinforcing it

• Reduce accommodations that keep anxiety going

• Communicate confidence in their child's ability to cope

• Help their child build resilience, independence, and courage

• Create a calmer home environment

 

Signs Anxiety May Be Affecting Your Family

Your child may:

• Seek frequent reassurance

• Avoid school, social situations, sleeping alone, or other feared activities

• Become distressed when separated from parents

• Struggle with OCD rituals or compulsions

• Need parents to participate in routines that reduce anxiety

• Experience intense fears, worries, or panic

You may find yourself:

• Constantly reassuring your child

• Changing family plans to prevent distress

• Sleeping with your child or staying nearby until they fall asleep

• Helping them avoid feared situations

• Feeling exhausted by anxiety's impact on family life

 

How SPACE Helps

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SPACE helps parents learn a different way of responding to anxiety. Rather than trying to eliminate anxiety, parents learn how to provide support while encouraging their child to face challenges and build confidence. Parents will learn concrete practical steps to take to support their child. Research has shown that SPACE is highly effective for childhood anxiety and has outcomes comparable to individual therapy for many children.

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Helping Your Child Grow More Confident​

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