Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions
Introducing SPACE to Middle Path Counseling.
A parent-focused program designed to help children overcome anxiety by empowering the people who matter most, their parents.
Now more than ever, children and teens are facing overwhelming pressures and fears that can interfere with their daily lives. The SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) approach teaches parents practical and proven strategies to reduce their child’s anxiety, not by pushing the child, but by changing how parents respond.
Why SPACE?
When a child struggles with anxiety, the whole family often feels its weight. Parents naturally want to protect and comfort their child, but sometimes the very things we do to help can unintentionally keep the cycle of anxiety going.
SPACE was developed at Yale University and is backed by strong research showing that when parents make small but powerful changes, children’s anxiety symptoms decrease, even without the child being directly involved in therapy.
With SPACE, parents will learn how to:
Respond supportively without accommodating anxiety
Help their child face fears step by step, with confidence
Break out of cycles of avoidance that fuel anxiety
Strengthen the parent-child relationship through warmth and understanding
What Makes SPACE Different?
Unlike traditional child therapy, SPACE focuses entirely on the parent’s role. This means:
Your child does not need to attend sessions
You gain tools that last a lifetime
Research shows SPACE is as effective as individual child therapy for anxiety
Who Is This For?
SPACE is designed for parents of children and teens who struggle with:
Generalized anxiety
Social anxiety
Separation anxiety
School avoidance
Obsessive-compulsive symptoms or related worries
Join Us This Fall!
This program is more than just a 6-week workshop; it is led by Jackie Pollner, LCMHC, who brings over 16 years of experience in the mental health field specializing in the treatment of childhood and adolescent anxiety. Jackie is trained in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), a groundbreaking, research-backed program developed at Yale University. In addition to her clinical expertise, Jackie is also a parent to two children, giving her both a professional and personal understanding of the challenges families face when navigating anxiety.
Through SPACE, parents will learn step-by-step strategies to reduce their child’s anxiety, not by pushing the child, but by changing how they as parents respond. This workshop empowers caregivers with time-tested tools to support their child’s independence, resilience, and confidence for years to come.
What You’ll Learn
How to respond supportively without reinforcing anxiety
Ways to reduce accommodation patterns that keep children stuck
Strategies to help your child face fears with confidence
How to strengthen the parent-child relationship through warmth and encouragement
Program Details:
Duration: 6 weeks, plus one individual parent/family session with Jackie Pollner, LCMHC
Who it’s for: Parents of children and teens struggling with anxiety (generalized anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety, school avoidance, or related concerns)
Location: Middle Path Counseling – Amherst, NH OR Zoom
Tuesday Mornings via Zoom 10:00AM to 11:15AM
November 4 – December 16 (No group the week of Thanksgiving)Wednesday Evenings in person at Middle Path Counseling – Amherst, NH
5:30PM to 6:45PM
November 5 – December 17 (No group the week of Thanksgiving)
Cost: $420 for six group sessions and one family session with Jackie Pollner, LCMHC. Eligible for out-of-network reimbursement with most PPO plans. Cost of the program is due in full before sessions begin.
