SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) Treatment

BCSC offers SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) treatment in the form of one-on-one caregiver coaching and caregiver groups. SPACE is a unique evidence-based treatment approach developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center, which has proven efficacy in reducing a broad range of child anxiety disorders, including OCD, and related problems.

The SPACE approach focuses specifically on teaching parents new skills and strategies to more effectively support children with anxiety or OCD while working to reduce parent behaviors that may be inadvertently worsening child anxiety symptoms. This approach focuses on changing the caregiver’s behaviors instead of working directly with children. SPACE has shown to be effective in reducing child anxiety/OCD symptoms and improving functioning in cases where the child is unwilling or unable to engage directly in treatment. Parent SPACE coaching can also be an effective adjunct to a child’s individual therapy for anxiety/OCD symptoms.

Our SPACE providers have been formally trained by Dr. Eli Lebowitz and support parents and caregivers in learning and effectively applying SPACE principles with their children via both individual coaching sessions and SPACE groups.

Boston families: To get started with scheduling an intake, contact Ashley Flynn at aflynn@bostonchildstudycenter.com or (617) 398-0383.