Anxiety is a common issue that many children face, and it can have a serious impact on their daily lives. One effective approach to managing childhood anxiety is through a treatment known as Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions, or SPACE. Let’s explore what SPACE treatment is, and how it can be used to help manage anxiety in children and adolescents.
Understanding SPACE Treatment
SPACE is a parent-based intervention that aims to treat childhood and adolescent anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Unlike other forms of therapy that require the child to participate in weekly sessions, SPACE relies primarily on parent participation and gives parents the tools to support their anxious child. Parents are guided by a therapist to change their own behaviors in response to their child’s anxiety in ways that will increase their child’s confidence and independence.
How SPACE Treatment Works
In SPACE treatment, the therapist works with parents to identify and reduce accommodations, defined as the changes parents make in their own behavior to help their child avoid or decrease anxiety. For example, a parent might speak on behalf of their child with social anxiety to avoid causing the child distress. While this may provide immediate relief, it also reinforces the child’s avoidance of anxiety-provoking situations, preventing them from learning how to cope with anxiety independently, and can inadvertently maintain, or even increase, anxious symptoms over time.
The Benefits of SPACE Treatment
Research has shown that SPACE treatment can be as effective as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in reducing childhood and adolescent anxiety. By targeting the parents’ responses to the child’s anxiety, progress can be made even when the child has been unwilling or unable to engage in CBT or other types of therapies. It also empowers parents, giving them the tools and strategies they need to support their child effectively.
How We Incorporate SPACE Treatment at Positive Development Psychology
At Positive Development Psychology, we recognize the value of SPACE treatment to address childhood and adolescent anxiety. SPACE can be used in conjunction with CBT or as a standalone intervention. Our therapists are trained in SPACE and work closely with parents to help them learn and implement the principles of this approach. We believe that parents are a crucial part of the therapeutic process, and we strive to empower them in supporting their child’s journey towards managing anxiety.
If you are the parent of an anxious child or teen and want to learn more about how SPACE can help, don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your situation. We are here to support you and your child in managing anxiety and creating a better tomorrow.