SPACE Group Details

Session 1: The group will get to know one another and the group facilitators will begin introducing SPACE concepts, describing how the treatment model works and what parents can expect throughout the treatment process.

Session 2: Parents or caregivers will discuss and identify the things they are currently doing when their child becomes anxious, as well as the things they may be doing to prevent their child from experiencing anxiety. These behaviors may be potential areas of focus later on in treatment when parents begin to gradually remove accommodation.

Session 3: In conjunction with group leaders, parents will choose a specific focus area in which they would like to reduce the amount of accommodation they are providing for their child.  For example, a parent might choose to refrain from reassuring a child multiple times per day that the parent is unlikely to get into a car accident on the way home from work. We'll guide parents through crafting a letter to your child, detailing plans for reducing the amount of help or reassurance that you are offering your child. This is done in a loving and supportive manner. Parents may be surprised to find that children actually tend to become less anxious over time as accommodations from parents are removed and families can regain a sense of freedom.

Session 4: Group leaders will collaborate with parents to come up with an individual plan for each family in the group to help reduce parental accommodations. No parent will ever be asked to do anything he or she is not comfortable with. The child will be informed of the parent's plan, though notably, nothing will be asked of your child in this plan — behavioral change is strictly focused on parental behavior.  Parents will provide loving support to the child as they pull back on accommodations, helping your child to develop greater confidence in handling his or her own emotions.

Session 5: If the child is experiencing success in learning to manage more situations independently, parents may choose to target additional areas for reducing accommodation. Therapists will guide and direct parents on how to accomplish this and other parents in the group will provide support and encouragement.

Session 6: We will review what we have learned and accomplished.  Parents will share what has worked well in their families, as well as areas they would still like to work on. The group will conclude. Parents who would like additional support may choose to continue working on SPACE skills and target behaviors with an individual therapist at our practice or elsewhere.

For additional information about SPACE, please see: 

1) https://iocdf.org/ocd-treatment-guide/space/

2) Breaking Free of Child Anxiety & OCD: A Scientifically Proven Program for Parents by Eli Lebowitz, Ph.D.