Frequently Asked Questions

For children, teens, and young adults we will typically meet once a week for 53 minutes. When doing exposure therapy for anxiety or OCD, sometimes it is helpful to meet twice a week. This option will be customized to best support treatment goals. For example, a client may choose to have one in-person session per week in the office and one telehealth or phone session per week to support exposures and progress at home.

When working with children and teens, occasional parent-only sessions will also be scheduled. The frequency of these sessions will depend on the age of the child and the treatment support needs.

For parents doing SPACE treatment, we will meet weekly for 53-minute sessions.

When working with children, we are committed to providing the most effective, short-term, evidence-based interventions available to help children and families reach their treatment goals. As such, we reduce the frequency of therapy sessions and “graduate” children from therapy when treatment goals are met.

Most families can expect their child to engage in weekly therapy sessions for about four to six months, though this estimate may vary based on the child’s age and severity of symptoms. After a child graduates from therapy we are always available to welcome families back for more support or treatment should new challenges arise.

For older teens and young adults, therapy can be more flexible. Some choose to continue beyond initial treatment goals for ongoing support with anxiety or OCD, help during stressful times or life transitions, or maintaining progress. In these cases we regularly revisit the purpose and frequency of therapy to ensure it remains helpful, intentional, and aligned with each person’s needs.

Yes! When children or teens with anxiety or OCD are unwilling to attend therapy, meaningful help is still available.

In these situations, we begin by working directly with parents using SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), a well‑researched, parent‑based approach for treating child anxiety and OCD. SPACE focuses on helping you respond differently to anxiety or OCD symptoms, gradually reduce accommodations that may be maintaining your child’s anxiety or OCD, and support your child in building confidence and independence—without requiring your child to attend individual therapy sessions.

Many parents find that as they make these changes, their child’s anxiety decreases and openness to support increases over time. If and when individual therapy becomes appropriate, we’ll revisit that together. Our approach is flexible and designed to support your child and family where you are right now.

Read more about SPACE here.

We regularly check in on how therapy is going and look at progress in several ways. This includes changes in anxiety or OCD symptoms, how your child is functioning at home, school, and with peers, and how confident your child—and your family—feels managing challenges. We also use brief, age‑appropriate measures at regular intervals to help assess symptoms and track progress over time.

Just as importantly, we’ll talk openly with you about what you’re noticing and what feels harder or easier in daily life. Keep in mind that progress is usually not linear, and it can look different for each child. If we’re not seeing meaningful improvement, we’ll review the plan together and discuss adjustments or additional support to make sure your child is getting the care they need.

Outpatient therapy isn’t the right level of care for every situation. If your child isn’t making meaningful progress, or if symptoms are significantly interfering with daily life or safety, we’ll talk openly with you about what we’re seeing and review options together.

When needed, we will provide referrals to a higher level of care—such as intensive outpatient, partial hospitalization, or other specialized programs—and help guide you through next steps. Our goal is always to ensure your child receives the level of support that best meets their needs.