Parent Consultation for Your Anxious Child, Teen or Young Adult

Online Support for Parents.
Available in Massachusetts & Maine

Book a free initial call

It's so hard to see your child struggle with anxiety.

Your child refuses to go to school. Your teen calls in panic before every exam. Your young adult is still at home, paralyzed by anxiety.

You've tried everything–reassurance, logic, avoiding their triggers. Nothing helps for long. It feels like every day revolves around managing their anxiety, and you're exhausted.

If this sounds familiar, parent consultation might be exactly what you need

A man and his son sit together on a yellow couch, with the son resting his head on the dad's shoulder.

What is Parent Consultation?

Parent consultation is support and guidance for you, the parent/caregiver, without your child in the room. 

Clear ocean water with sunlight reflecting on the surface.

This approach works from elementary school through young adulthood. Together, we’ll focus on:

  • How anxiety works in kids at various ages

  • How to know when your support is helpful versus when it might actually contribute to the anxiety

  • Developing new ways to respond when anxiety shows up

  • Building your child's confidence and independence

  • Managing your own feelings when your child is struggling

Many parents find that when they change their responses, their child's anxiety decreases, even without the child being in therapy.

Lisa Listerman wearing a patterned blue shirt, with a blurred plant in the background.

The SPACE Approach

I'm trained in SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), an evidence-based approach that helps reduce anxiety and OCD symptoms by changing parent responses.

SPACE helps you:

  • Respond to anxiety (without reinforcing it)

  • Set boundaries in a loving way

  • Support your child while also encouraging independence

  • Stop structuring your lives around the anxiety.

What to Expect


Initial Sessions

We'll explore the patterns of your child's anxiety and your family's responses in a judgement-free way.

Skill Building

You'll learn new techniques to respond to anxiety, with specific scripts and strategies for your situation.

Ongoing Support

We'll troubleshoot challenges as they arise and adjust our approach as needed. Change takes time and practice.

Common Questions

  • Change rarely happens in a straight line, so  there probably will be ups and downs. We'll prepare for this together.

  • It's common for one parent to see the need for change more clearly. I can work with just you, and often the positive changes speak for themselves.

  • That's actually why parent consultation can be so helpful! When you change, your child adapts.

  • I support parents of elementary school aged students all the way up through young adulthood.

You're Not Alone in This.

Parenting an anxious child can be heartbreaking. You're doing your best, and seeking support shows wisdom, not failure.

You don't have to figure this out by yourself.

get started with a free consultation