Child Anxiety Treatment in New York City & Westchester

Compassionate Care that Goes Beyond Symptoms to Understand Your Whole Child

When your child struggles with anxiety, it affects your entire family. You've likely tried reassurance, rewards, and maybe even punishment, but the worry persists.

 You see your bright, capable child held back by fears that seem overwhelming to them, and to you. The constant battles over school attendance, social activities, or bedtime routines leave everyone exhausted and frustrated.

At Everyday Parenting, we understand that childhood anxiety isn't just a phase to outgrow or symptoms to suppress. Our experienced team of clinicians recognizes that anxious children are whole, complex individuals whose fears make perfect sense within their unique experience. We don't just treat anxiety, we help your child develop lasting skills for managing big emotions while supporting your entire family through the process.

Located in the heart of Manhattan and Westchester County, our practice has been serving New York families since 2018. We know the unique pressures facing children and families in our fast-paced metropolitan area, from academic competition to social dynamics, and we tailor our approach to address these local realities while building your child's inner resilience.

Our child anxiety treatment goes far beyond traditional symptom management to address the whole child within their family system.

We understand that anxiety in children often stems from a complex interplay of temperament, environment, family dynamics, and developmental factors.

Rather than simply teaching coping strategies, we work to understand what your child's anxiety is communicating and help them develop authentic confidence.

Our comprehensive approach begins with a thorough assessment and evaluation, where we take time to understand your child's unique triggers, strengths, and family context. We utilize evidence-based therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness-based approaches, and family therapy techniques. For children who think differently, we offer neurodiversity-affirming care that honors their unique processing styles while building emotional regulation skills.

What sets our practice apart is our commitment to family-centered care. We recognize that when a child struggles with anxiety, parents often feel helpless, confused, or blamed. Our parent support services provide you with practical strategies and emotional support, helping you understand how to respond to your child's anxiety in ways that build connection rather than resistance. We teach collaborative problem-solving techniques that reduce family conflict and strengthen bonds.

Throughout treatment, we maintain our intellectually rigorous approach that our discerning New York families expect. Our team of experienced clinicians brings deep expertise in childhood anxiety, ensuring your family receives care that meets the highest clinical standards while remaining warm, respectful, and individually tailored to your child's needs and your family's goals.

Help Your Anxious Child Thrive Today

Key Benefits

  • Every anxious child has their own signature worry style, and understanding this pattern is crucial for effective treatment. Some children are perfectionists who fear making mistakes, while others worry about separation or social situations. At Everyday Parenting, we take time during our comprehensive assessment to map your child's specific anxiety triggers, physical sensations, thought patterns, and avoidance behaviors.

    This detailed understanding allows us to create a truly personalized treatment plan. In New York's competitive academic and social environment, children face unique pressures that can fuel anxiety. We're familiar with the specific challenges facing families in Manhattan and Westchester, from elite school environments to overscheduled lifestyles.

    Our clinicians help you understand how these local factors may be contributing to your child's anxiety while identifying your child's inherent strengths and resilience. This foundation of understanding becomes the roadmap for building lasting confidence and emotional regulation skills that will serve your child throughout their development.

  • Childhood anxiety doesn't exist in isolation; it impacts every family member and relationship dynamic. Our family-centered approach recognizes that healing happens within the context of secure, understanding relationships. We work with parents to understand how anxiety shows up in daily family life, from morning routines to bedtime struggles, and provide concrete strategies that reduce conflict while building connection.

    Many New York parents come to us feeling frustrated after trying various approaches that seemed to make things worse. We help you understand the difference between accommodating anxiety (which can inadvertently reinforce fears) and supporting your child with compassion.

    Through parent coaching and family therapy sessions, we teach collaborative problem-solving techniques that honor your child's feelings while gradually expanding their comfort zone. Our approach strengthens family bonds while building your child's confidence in their ability to handle difficult emotions.

  • We utilize proven therapeutic approaches specifically adapted for children's developmental needs and learning styles. Our toolkit includes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help children recognize the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors; mindfulness-based therapy to build present-moment awareness and emotional regulation; and play-based interventions for younger children who process experiences through activity and imagination.

    For the intellectually curious families we serve throughout New York, we provide psychoeducation that helps both children and parents understand the neuroscience of anxiety in age-appropriate ways. Children learn that their brains are trying to protect them, but sometimes get overly cautious.

    This knowledge reduces shame and builds self-compassion while empowering children to work with their anxiety rather than against it. We also integrate neurodiversity-affirming approaches for children who think differently, recognizing that sensitive, creative, or intense children may need specialized support for managing big emotions.

  • Our goal isn't just to reduce anxiety symptoms; it's to help your child develop lasting emotional resilience that will serve them throughout their life. We teach practical skills for managing worry, but more importantly, we help children develop a secure sense of self and confidence in their ability to handle life's challenges.

    This includes building distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and self-advocacy skills. New York children face ongoing pressures from academic demands, social complexity, and fast-paced urban living. We prepare children not just for immediate anxiety relief, but for navigating future stressors with confidence.

    Our approach includes helping children understand their own emotional patterns, develop personalized coping strategies, and build a toolkit of skills they can use independently. We also work with families to create supportive home environments that continue to nurture emotional growth long after therapy ends.

  • Many anxious children are also neurodivergent, and we provide specialized, affirming care for children with ADHD, autism, or twice-exceptional profiles. These children often experience anxiety differently; they may be overwhelmed by sensory input, struggle with transitions, or worry about social misunderstandings.

    Our neurodiversity-affirming approach honors these differences while building practical skills for managing anxiety. We understand that neurodivergent children in New York's demanding academic environment face unique challenges. Our clinicians are trained in recognizing how anxiety intersects with different neurotypes and adapt their approaches accordingly. For children with ADHD, we might focus on executive functioning support and mindfulness techniques.

    For autistic children, we emphasize sensory regulation and social-emotional skill building. For twice-exceptional children, we address the complex intersection of giftedness and learning differences that can fuel perfectionism and social anxiety.

  • Anxiety looks different at every developmental stage, and our team has expertise in supporting children from early childhood through adolescence. We understand that a preschooler's separation anxiety requires different approaches than a teenager's social anxiety or academic perfectionism.

    Our clinicians adapt their techniques, language, and expectations to match your child's developmental needs while keeping families engaged throughout the process. As children grow and develop in New York's complex social and academic environment, new anxiety triggers may emerge. We provide ongoing support that evolves with your child's changing needs, offering booster sessions, family check-ins, and developmental guidance as needed.

    Our comprehensive approach means we can support your family through various transitions, starting school, changing schools, entering adolescence, or facing other life changes that might trigger anxiety. This continuity of care ensures that your child continues to thrive as they grow.

Service Catagories

Child-Focused Anxiety Therapy

Individual therapy sessions are designed specifically for your child's developmental level and anxiety presentation. We use play therapy for younger children, talk therapy for older children and teens, and creative approaches that engage each child's natural learning style. Sessions focus on building emotional regulation skills, challenging anxious thoughts, and gradually facing fears in a supportive environment.

Family Therapy for Anxiety

Whole-family sessions that address how anxiety impacts family relationships and daily functioning. We work on communication patterns, problem-solving strategies, and creating family environments that support emotional growth. These sessions help parents understand how to respond helpfully to anxiety while strengthening family bonds and reducing conflict around anxious behaviors.

Neurodiversity-Affirming Anxiety Support

Specialized care for neurodivergent children whose anxiety intersects with ADHD, autism, or other neurological differences. Our approach honors neurodivergent strengths while addressing the unique ways anxiety shows up for children who think differently. We focus on sensory regulation, executive functioning support, and building self-advocacy skills.

Parent Coaching and Support

Specialized support for parents navigating the challenges of raising an anxious child. We provide psychoeducation about childhood anxiety, practical strategies for daily situations, and emotional support for the stress that parents experience. Parent coaching helps you become your child's most effective support person while taking care of your own well-being.

Group Support and Skills Building

Small group programs that help anxious children practice social skills and emotional regulation with peers who understand their experiences. Groups are carefully formed based on age, developmental level, and specific anxiety concerns, providing a supportive environment for practicing new skills and building confidence in social situations.

Our Process

1. Initial Consultation and Assessment

Your journey begins with a comprehensive consultation where we take time to understand your child's unique anxiety presentation, family dynamics, and treatment goals. This 90-minute session includes meeting with parents, spending time with your child, and gathering detailed information about how anxiety shows up in daily life. We explore triggers, family history, school experiences, and your child's strengths and interests. This thorough assessment allows us to create a truly personalized treatment plan that addresses your family's specific needs and circumstances.

2. Personalized Treatment Planning

Based on our assessment, we collaborate with your family to create a treatment plan that aligns with your goals and your child's needs. This plan outlines specific therapeutic approaches, an expected timeline, and concrete goals for therapy. We ensure that both parents and children (when age-appropriate) understand the process and feel excited about the journey ahead. Treatment plans are flexible and evolve as your child grows and develops new skills.

3. Regular Therapy Sessions

Therapy sessions are scheduled based on your child's needs and your family's availability, typically weekly or bi-weekly. Sessions include individual work with your child, parent consultation, and periodic family sessions as needed. We maintain regular communication with parents about progress and provide ongoing support for implementing strategies at home. Our approach is collaborative, ensuring that therapy integrates seamlessly with your child's daily life and family routines.

4. Progress Review and Follow-Up

We conduct regular progress reviews to assess how your child is responding to treatment and make any needed adjustments to the therapeutic approach. As your child develops new skills and confidence, we gradually reduce session frequency while maintaining supportive check-ins. We prepare families for therapy completion by ensuring you have the tools and knowledge to support your child's continued emotional growth independently.

Our Approach

At Everyday Parenting, our approach to childhood anxiety is rooted in understanding, compassion, and respect for each child's unique experience.

We believe that anxiety is not a character flaw or weakness, but rather a signal that a child's emotional system is working hard to keep them safe. Our clinicians take time to understand what each child's anxiety is communicating, helping both children and families develop a more compassionate relationship with these difficult emotions.

Our treatment philosophy emphasizes building on existing strengths rather than focusing solely on deficits or symptoms. We recognize that many anxious children are also highly sensitive, creative, empathetic, and intelligent, qualities that bring gifts along with challenges. By honoring these strengths while building emotional regulation skills, we help children develop authentic confidence that isn't dependent on avoiding all discomfort, but rather on knowing they can handle whatever comes their way.

We integrate evidence-based practices with a deep understanding of child development, family systems, and the unique pressures facing New York families. Our collaborative approach means that parents are true partners in the therapeutic process, not passive observers. We provide extensive psychoeducation and support, ensuring that therapeutic progress extends beyond our office walls into daily family life.

Throughout treatment, we maintain our commitment to intellectual rigor and clinical excellence while creating a warm, accepting environment where children feel truly seen and understood. Our goal is not just symptom reduction, but the development of lasting emotional resilience, strong family relationships, and the confidence that comes from knowing you can face life's challenges with support and skill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everyday Parenting Psychology has been serving New York families since 2018, founded by Dr. Layne Raskin and Dr. Jeanette Sawyer Cohen. Our team of experienced clinicians specializes in comprehensive family mental health care, with particular expertise in childhood anxiety, development, and family therapy. We maintain offices in Manhattan and Westchester County, providing both in-person and online services to meet diverse family needs.

  • Consider seeking professional support if your child's anxiety interferes with daily activities like school attendance, friendships, or family functioning, or if you notice persistent physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches. Other signs include excessive reassurance-seeking, avoidance of age-appropriate activities, or if anxiety has persisted for several weeks despite your support. In New York's demanding environment, it's also worth seeking help if anxiety seems related to academic or social pressures that are impacting your child's well-being.

  • We provide anxiety treatment for children from preschool age through adolescence, with specialized approaches for each developmental stage. Our clinicians are trained in age-appropriate techniques, from play therapy for young children to cognitive-behavioral approaches for teens. We adapt our methods to match your child's developmental level, communication style, and specific anxiety presentation.

  • Treatment length varies based on your child's specific needs, the severity of anxiety, and family goals. Some families see significant improvement in 8-12 sessions, while others benefit from longer-term support. We regularly review progress and adjust treatment plans accordingly, always working toward the goal of helping your child develop independent emotional regulation skills and family confidence in managing anxiety.

  • Absolutely. We believe that parents are essential partners in their child's anxiety treatment. We provide regular parent consultation, teach specific strategies for supporting your child at home, and offer family therapy sessions when beneficial. Our parent coaching helps you understand childhood anxiety and respond in ways that build your child's confidence while strengthening your relationship.

  • Our comprehensive, family-centered approach goes beyond symptom management to understand your whole child within their family system. We combine evidence-based therapies with deep respect for each child's unique strengths and challenges. Our neurodiversity-affirming care, extensive parent support, and understanding of New York family pressures allow us to provide truly personalized treatment that builds lasting resilience rather than quick fixes.

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