Anxiety and OCD treatment for children, teens and adults

What it can look like

Every child worries sometimes. Anxiety becomes a problem when it starts to shrink a child's world: skipping school, avoiding friends or activities, or needing constant reassurance before they can move on.

• Persistent worry about school, health, family or the future
• Stomachaches, headaches or trouble sleeping before school or events
• Panic attacks, or fear of having one
• Separation anxiety, social anxiety, or refusing to go to school
• Intrusive, unwanted thoughts, and rituals such as checking, washing, counting or asking the same question again and again

OCD in particular is often missed. Children may hide their rituals, and parents may be drawn into them without realizing it, such as answering the same question repeatedly or changing routines to avoid a trigger.

How I treat it

For both anxiety and OCD, the first-line treatment is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). For OCD, that means a specific form of CBT called exposure and response prevention (ERP). In ERP, we gradually and deliberately face feared situations while resisting the ritual, at a pace your child agrees to. Over time the brain learns that the fear passes on its own. Depending on what your child needs, ERP can be part of our visits or done with a dedicated ERP therapist I coordinate with.

I also draw on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), which helps young people make room for uncomfortable thoughts and feelings while still doing what matters to them.

Medication can help, especially when symptoms are severe or therapy alone isn't enough. When we consider a medication, I explain the options, the expected benefits and side effects, and how we will monitor progress.

Parents are part of the work

Children do best when parents know how to respond to anxiety in ways that build confidence instead of avoidance. I'll give you concrete strategies for home and work with your child's school when needed.

Adults

I treat anxiety and OCD in adults with the same approach. Many adults I see have lived with symptoms since childhood and are ready for treatment that works.