CHILDHOOD ANXIETY PARENT SUPPORT
SPACE Parenting Support in St. Thomas & Virtually Across Ontario
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is a parent-focused, evidence-based approach that helps caregivers respond to childhood anxiety in ways that build confidence, flexibility, and independence while reducing accommodation patterns linked to reassurance cycles, school avoidance, and emotional overwhelm
When Anxiety Starts Taking Over Family Life
If you are parenting a child with anxiety, you may notice that daily life can begin to revolve around their worries.
This might look like:
constant reassurance
school refusal or morning distress
emotional outbursts or shutdowns
avoidance of everyday activities
difficulty with separation or bedtime routines
Over time, many parents begin adjusting routines, expectations, and daily life in order to help their child feel calm.
While this comes from care and love, it can also leave parents feeling exhausted, stuck, and unsure of what else to try.
Many families I support describe feeling caught in these patterns.
A PARENT-FOCUSED APPROACH
What is SPACE?
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is an evidence-based parent-focused approach developed through the Yale Child Study Center to support children and teens struggling with anxiety, OCD-related anxiety, and avoidance behaviours.
Unlike traditional child-focused therapy, SPACE works primarily with parents and caregivers. This means children do not necessarily need to attend sessions for meaningful change to begin happening within the family system.
The focus of SPACE is on helping children build greater confidence, flexibility, resilience, and independence while reducing patterns that may unintentionally reinforce anxiety.
SPACE combines:
supportive parenting strategies
clear and compassionate boundaries
reduced accommodation of anxiety
nervous system awareness
connection-focused responses
gradual change over time
What is “Accommodation” in Child Anxiety?
Accommodation happens when parents naturally change routines, expectations, or responses in order to reduce a child’s anxiety or prevent distress in the moment.
This is a very common response and usually comes from care, love, and a desire to help a child feel safe.
Common examples of accommodation include:
repeated reassurance or answering the same worries over and over
staying close to a child to help them manage distress
allowing avoidance of feared situations or activities
changing family routines to prevent anxiety triggers
speaking or stepping in for a child in social situations
helping a child escape or avoid uncomfortable feelings quickly
increasing checking, monitoring, or “just in case” behaviours
In the short term, accommodation can bring relief. But over time, it may unintentionally communicate:
“This situation is too overwhelming for you to handle.”
SPACE supports parents in gradually shifting these patterns in a way that is supportive, consistent, and emotionally safe for the child.
How SPACE Support Works
Sessions are primarily with parents or caregivers and are tailored to the unique needs of each family.
Together, we may explore:
how anxiety is showing up at home
patterns of accommodation within daily life
supportive responses during moments of distress
reducing reassurance cycles
strategies for school and routine challenges
maintaining connection while holding boundaries
The approach is collaborative, compassionate, and paced carefully. Parents are never blamed for their child’s anxiety or struggles.
What Does SPACE Support Typically Look Like?
SPACE Parenting Support is typically offered through structured parent sessions over time, allowing families to make gradual and sustainable changes at a manageable pace.
SPACE is typically delivered over approximately 10–14 sessions. The exact number of sessions varies depending on your child’s anxiety patterns, family needs, and goals for treatment.
A more detailed discussion about pacing, session structure, and fit is reviewed during the consultation process.
WHO CAN SPACE HELP?
SPACE may support parents of school-aged children through teens (approximately ages 6–18) who are experiencing anxiety-related challenges at home or school.
This may include:
separation anxiety
school refusal or school avoidance
social anxiety
bedtime anxiety
emotional overwhelm or meltdowns
reassurance-seeking behaviours
OCD-related accommodation patterns
anxiety affecting daily family life
difficulty with transitions
SPACE can be helpful when anxiety is beginning to impact daily routines, relationships, school attendance, or overall family functioning.
My Approach to SPACE Support
My approach to SPACE Parenting Support is grounded in compassion, attachment, and nervous system awareness.
While SPACE provides the structure for understanding and shifting patterns of childhood anxiety, my role is to support parents through that process in a way that feels steady, collaborative, and emotionally safe.
Parents often come to this work feeling exhausted, uncertain, or stuck in cycles of reassurance and worry. My focus is on helping you feel less alone in that process and more confident in understanding what is happening within your family system.
In sessions, I aim to:
create a calm, non-judgmental space for parents to reflect and explore patterns
support you in noticing anxiety-driven cycles without blame or shame
help you respond to your child with both empathy and clear, supportive boundaries
pace changes in a way that feels realistic for your family
strengthen your confidence in responding to distress over time
This work is not about becoming stricter or pulling away emotionally. It is about helping parents stay connected to their child while shifting patterns that may be maintaining anxiety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my child need to attend sessions?
No. SPACE is designed to work primarily with parents and caregivers, so your child does not need to attend for support to begin.
Is SPACE only for severe anxiety?
No. SPACE can be helpful for a wide range of anxiety-related challenges, from ongoing worries to more significant patterns affecting daily life.
Is SPACE about being stricter or less supportive?
No. SPACE is not about being stricter. It focuses on maintaining connection while gradually reducing patterns that may be reinforcing anxiety.
How long does SPACE support last?
This varies depending on the family and the level of support needed.
Can SPACE help with school refusal?
Yes. SPACE is commonly used to support school refusal, separation anxiety, and anxiety-related avoidance.
What if my child gets upset when things begin changing?
This is a very common concern. Changes are introduced gradually and with support so families can move at a manageable pace.
Ready to Get Started?
If anxiety has begun affecting daily family life, parent-focused support can help families move toward greater calm, confidence, flexibility, and connection.
Kristi Forbes is listed in the official SPACE provider directory through the Yale Child Study Center.