How Can SPACE Treatment Help My Family?

If your child struggles with OCD, you already know how heavy it can feel, not just for them, but for the whole family. The rituals, the reassurance-seeking, the emotional meltdowns… it's exhausting. And as a parent, it's natural to want to fix it. To jump in and help calm the anxiety. But what if helping actually reinforces the cycle?

That’s where SPACE treatment comes in. SPACE stands for Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions, and it flips the traditional approach on its head: the child doesn’t have to go to therapy, but you do.

Now before you panic, this doesn’t mean you're to blame or expected to solve it all. Instead, SPACE teaches you how to respond differently to your child’s anxiety-driven behaviors, especially the ones tied to OCD. One key focus is reducing accommodations—those things we do (like checking, reassuring, or modifying routines) that unintentionally feed the OCD monster.

Through SPACE, you’ll learn how to set loving boundaries, offer support without enabling, and handle pushback with calm confidence. It’s not about being cold or distant. In fact, it’s the opposite: it’s about showing your child, through your actions, “I believe you can handle this.”

It’s empowering. And hard. But so worth it.

I’ve seen families go from walking on eggshells to walking in strength—together. SPACE doesn't promise overnight change, but it does offer a roadmap out of the anxiety maze. And often, just shifting your responses can create a ripple effect of healing for your child.

OCD may be loud, but with SPACE, your family can get louder—in all the best ways.

At the OCD Relief Clinic, you can join other parents and caregivers who share some of your struggles through a healing, informative, and supportive SPACE group. Our groups offer individual sessions too so you’ll get individualized planning and practicing, along with the kindness and support of your cohort. To learn more about our SPACE program, click here or contact us today to schedule your intake in Weber County, Utah.