Parent Education & Coaching Group: Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions - S.P.A.C.E.

Our parent education group is grounded in evidence-based treatments, including the principles of SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions). This is a short-term, parent-focused intervention developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center.

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How It Works

Children with anxiety often rely on parents for reassurance or avoidance of stressful situations. While well-intentioned, these “accommodating” responses can unintentionally reinforce anxiety and keep the cycle going. SPACE guides parents in identifying these patterns and provides step-by-step strategies to reduce accommodating behaviors—without ignoring a child’s distress. Parents learn to communicate calm confidence and set loving, consistent limits that help their child feel supported while gradually confronting fears.

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What Parents Can Expect

Through weekly sessions, parents will:

• Gain confidence in supporting an anxious child, even during difficult moments.

• Develop practical tools to respond effectively to anxious thoughts and behaviors.

• Reduce accommodating habits—such as offering constant reassurance or helping a child avoid anxiety-provoking situations—while maintaining a nurturing relationship.

• Model resilience, showing their child that anxiety can be faced and managed.

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SPACE does not require a child’s direct participation, making it ideal when a child is very young, reluctant to attend therapy, or when scheduling conflicts or telehealth needs arise.

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Join us to empower yourself and your child, fostering an environment where anxious thoughts and feelings are managed constructively, leading to a more confident and resilient family dynamic.​​​