Parent-based intervention.
Child/adolescent/dependent adult do not attend the sessions. They don’t have to agree to the treatment.
What happens in SPACE treatment?
In-person @
7 Main St. Tralee, Co. Kerry, V92 HC0H)
If you answer yes to 2 or more of these questions, then this programme will be of enormous,
benefit to you, your child and your family.
or [email protected] or subscribe to my email list.
7 Maine St. Tralee, V92HC0H
Monday to Thursday: 08:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Friday: 08:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday: 08:30 to 2 p.m.
© Copyright 2020. All Rights Reserved.
Parents who participate in SPACE will learn skills and tools to help their children overcome anxiety, OCD, address school refusal, restricted & avoidant eating (ARFID) and highly dependent adult children that have Yet to Launch (YTL) or related problems.
The treatment focuses on changes that parents can make to their own behaviour, they do not need to make their child change.
The two main changes that parents learn to make in SPACE treatment are to respond more supportively to their anxious child and to reduce the accommodations they have been making to the child’s anxiety symptoms.
Who is SPACE for? Who is the client?
SPACE aims to treat children and adolescents with anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although children do not have to attend SPACE sessions – they are the clients! Parents attend without the child. The child does not have to attend or agree to the treatment. Change is brought about with a change in parental behaviour and does not attempt to change the child. When SPACE treatment is successful children feel less anxious and function better following treatment.
or
Online via Zoom.
You can indicate your choice of venue at booking.
60-75 minute session weekly/fortnightly.
Cost €70 per session (payable at booking).
Next steps
Book a free 30 minute more information call on the link below
or
Book 1 or more SPACE appointments.
Are you ready to commit to a 10-12 week intensive programme to address
your child’s/young person’s anxiety?
Are you constantly engaging in rituals and routines to accommodate your young persons’ anxiety and alleviate their symptoms i.e., their distress?
Are your attempts to cajole, coax and explain there is no need, to be anxious, falling on deaf ears?
Are you doing all you can yet the anxiety seems to get worse and more severe?
Are you left feeling you don’t know whether you are doing right or wrong?
Are you feeling you don’t have the knowledge or skills to support your child?
Has your adult child failed to launch (FTL)? At home isolated in a room, no training or college no job, no participation in jobs around the house, no friends, occupying self on computer/games all day, totally dependent?
Do you engage in escalating arguments with your child?
Are you afraid of your child and their reactions if you don’t engage in their rituals to avoid their feared obsession?
Do you feel like you are walking on eggshells in your home?
Does your child have strict rules in the house that everyone must adhere to?
Is your child refusing to go to school?
Does he/she threaten suicide or self-harm if you refuse to do as they request to manage their symptoms?
Are all the other members of the family suffering?
Do you and your husband/partner disagree on how to manage the situation?
Are you at your wits’ end trying to manage things?
Are you feeling helpless and alone?
Is neurodiversity complicating the issue?
This will be a 30 minute no-obligation call between the two of us where we will share information in relation to your current challenges and situation. I will explain the SPACE programme program format and expected benefits and outcomes. Together we can determine if the program would benefit you at this point in time. On deciding to work together you will be informed of SPACE programme options and upcoming programs, dates, and times and you will be invited to take time to consider the options and to return if and when you are ready, to book, and commence the programme.
“Hello! On my situation with my 23-year-old daughter. So here goes. “M” is 23 and lives at home in a tiny cottage in our back yard. She was an engaging child as a youngster. No obvious problems during those early years although in hindsight and after reading Dr. Eli Lebowitz at the Yale, Child Study Center, on childhood anxiety I absolutely recognize some anxiety behaviour. Fast forward to age 12 ( onset puberty). An incident at school whereby a trio of girls called her “ annoying” and ousted her from their group and all heck broke loose for the next decade of our lives. She school refused much to our dismay and we spend the next 2 difficult years with home school teachers, counselling appointments, school time accommodations, Drs visits, antidepressants, and so many missed days they threatened jail time?….. Desperate, deflated, frustrated and weary we then performed ( unwittingly) the biggest “accommodation “of all and pulled her out of school permanently to” homeschool.”. on hindsight… ” BIGGEST MISTAKE EVER.” We just didn’t know what to do and the school was in agreement. The ensuing 4 years of self imposed isolation only served to further her propensity for avoidance. After graduation she worked several part time jobs.. attempted one semester of jr college But could never hang. “I am the best worker but no one likes me”.. “my boss doesn’t appreciate my efforts” .. her depression and anxiety worsened.. panic attacks worsened.. We waited for new Dr appointments for various physical ailments.. “hormone problems” “ stomach problems”.., new psych dr’s when she fired old ones due to ” their attention is elsewhere and they don’t seem to care”.. therapy appointments.. new Med changes with antidepressants.. 30 sessions neurofeedback….alternative treatments… to no avail. . She refused to practice CBt/Dbt.. “ doesn’t fit with me .. doesn’t help .. it’s not what I need” HERE WE ARE. At age 23. I have spent the greater part of the last 10 years advocating..researching, making calls..trying new therapies as I attempted to figure out how to help my daughter the best to move forward. I finally ended up here at SPACE after reading Dr Lebowitz research article on parental accommodation and completely identified with almost everything he had to say. A HUGE” AHA “moment underscored the “lightbulb “ and moved me forward to where we are now. I can honestly say that his words have empowered me to finally understand how accommodation is only inhibiting “M” from moving forward with the difficult work she needs to do herself. He sent me parameters for young adults via email as well as reading his book and guide.. I know I have absolutely tried as hard as I could and given my daughter every opportunity to move forward with access to health care, counseling, medication, family support. Now it’s time to let her do the work with me in the background. We made a contract of what we would pay for and time parameters for achieving goals.We both signed and it was very helpful to have that meeting so she would sense our commitment. I can live with it. I have reached my end game where I feel that I am “Ok” with whatever happens. I imagine that it is a very personal parental gut feeling and will be different for each person. There is no magic age..For my family 10 years has been long enough for her avoidance to affect 4 other people in the manner that it has. Everyone suffers. Anyway… the changes.. have been met with very strong emotional resistance by my daughter. I was prepared for this after being warned by the book. We have given “M” several chances and warnings over the past 6 weeks. Unfortunately last week we had to ask her to leave and not return until she had made some positive changes toward her attitude, expectations and attempts at self sufficiency. So hard to be objective about your own kid..but when your entire village is looking at you dumbfounded like “ DUH”.. what took you so long.. you feel pretty darned good about the decision.. I feel like a weight has been lifted. Is that horrible?? She is an adult with many resources at her fingertips..I absolve myself of being responsible as to whether she uses them or not. And I feel happy and ok with that! It’s nice to rediscover the relationship with my husband and oldest daughter as well. Life has been “ on hold“ for a decade. I empathize and care deeply for my youngest daughters emotional difficulties but I realize that although she didn’t cause them it is her responsibility to manage them…not me. She is staying with a another family member and it is a uncomfortable environment for her. (GOOD! ).She is safe, warm and fed.We provide very a very basic allowance for her daily needs..but there is a contract and time frame for that too. I know this text is long.. but perhaps it will help another parent..I truly feel that my daughter would not be in this position if I had been aware of ” parental accommodation “ 10 years ago. All I can be is grateful that I have learned about it now. We have hope that although “late to the party “ that “M“ will step up to the plate that is now hers alone… IF a doctor tells me that there is no hope and that she will never be independent then we are here for her of course.. but we gotta let her try. Good luck to all.. I will post updates as they occur. Thanks for reading!XXOO”