09/26/2025
Ever feel like you’re walking a tightrope with your child’s anxiety? 🤔 You’re not alone.
In his book, Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD, Dr. Eli Lebowitz explains that parents often fall into two traps: being either too demanding or too protective.
➡️ The demanding trap sends a message that your child’s feelings don’t matter.
➡️ The protective trap sends a message that the world is too scary for them to handle.
The most effective approach is a supportive middle ground. This involves two things:
Validating their emotions: “I hear you. That sounds really scary.”
Expressing confidence: “I know you can do this, and I’ll be here to support you.”
This powerful combination is at the core of SPACE, a proven, parent-based approach to helping children and teens manage their anxiety. If you’re ready to learn how to parent with both acceptance and confidence, we can help. At Integrated Behavioral Health, we have several psychologists trained in SPACE.
Ready to get started? The link to book a complimentary consult is in my bio!
