SPACE empowers parents and caregivers of children with OCD to navigate the challenges of supporting their child’s recovery. With evidence-based tools, you’ll learn to effectively respond to OCD behaviors and regain balance in your family life.
Our clinicians trust our treatment practice to help our clients overcome OCD, Every. Single. Day.
Your child has more bad days than good. They’re just not themselves anymore and need your help with tasks they should be able to do independently. You’re doing your best to help, but helping is taking a lot of your time, and energy and you’re feeling drained. It feels as though you need to be there all the time for you child and you’re noticing your commitments have changed: you’re no longer spending time at night with your partner, you’re trying to get your child to bed; you’re late to work and school because you’re trying to get your child ready in the morning. Everything that didn’t used to take a long time, now does. You don’t know what to do.
Parenting is a beautiful journey filled with challenges and triumphs, especially when helping children navigate their emotions. For parents of children with OCD, this mission can feel even more daunting.
SPACE, developed by Dr. Eli Lebowitz at Yale, empowers parents to create a nurturing environment where children can learn to cope with anxiety and OCD by making specific behavioral changes.
Two of the most valuable learnings that parents receive in SPACE treatment are:
Our therapist Erin recently worked with a family drawing on each other’s fears. The two siblings were absorbing their parents’ fears about something happening to them (the kids). When separated, the children felt extremely distressed and withdrew from activities old and new. They also began calling the parents asking to be picked up early from school every day. Through a custom ERP program for the children and a SPACE program for the parents, both siblings were able to overcome their fear. The children returned to school and are having fun once again engaging in extracurricular activities. The parents have overcome their own fears and understand how they can affect the children.
You have skills to help your child overcome OCD, and it’s worked. Your hard work has helped your child get to school on time, return to extra circulars, and regain independence! You’ve returned to spending evenings with your partner, and you’re getting to work on time. You’ve even spent some time with friends, knowing your child does not need you there to help them any more.
Parenting a child with OCD requires a different set of skills that have been implemented, are easily replicated no matter what OCD subtype your child is living with. Imagine knowing what to look for, how to respond, and how to help your child and family overcome OCD.
For more information about our SPACE program or to book it, please contact OCD North. We’re here to support you in providing the best possible care for individuals with OCD.
Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions is a parent-only treatment approach that helps parents respond, intervene, and act differently to their child’s OCD symptoms. SPACE skills help families to no longer be controlled by OCD.
SPACE Can be used when your child resists OCD treatment (ERP), or in combination with ERP.
The SPACE process is a 12-session model with homework between sessions.
If you’re a parent of a child who is resisting or has refused OCD treatment, but you’re noticing symptoms are either getting worse, or you’re just not sure what to do, SPACE could be for you.
SPACE sessions are $225 per hour.
Sessions should occur on a weekly basis, as the program builds upon the previous week’s goals.
SPACE works by helping parents to change the ways they enable OCD at home.
I specialize in working with families with children struggling with OCD, using a parent-based model to teach parents how to support their child's recovery and reclaim their lives from OCD.
MSW, RSW, Founder & Clinical Director
Offers in-person sessions in Barrie
Offers virtual sessions in NU, ON, YT
Innovating OCD care in Canada is more than a vision; it’s a calling. My passion for improving access to effective treatment drives creative solutions to this complex issue.
At OCD North, I train and mentor master's level social work students, helping them develop their competency in OCD treatment, transitioning from interns to ERP therapists locally and abroad. I also developed OCD-Informed Practice (OCD-IP), an innovative approach that allows any therapist to counsel individuals with OCD without exacerbating symptoms.
In graduate school, I explored treatment options for OCD and found a lack of experts in my area despite a significant need. This led me to pursue training in ERP at the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, becoming the first Canadian certified in ERP. This certification, though not required, deepened my knowledge and passion.
I specialize in working with families with children struggling with OCD, using a parent-based model to teach parents how to support their child's recovery and reclaim their lives from OCD.
Shaina is a Registered Social Worker trained in Exposure and Response Prevention for the treatment of OCD at the CTSA, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) at the YCSC, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University.
MSW, RSW, ERP Therapist
Offers in-person sessions in Barrie
Offers virtual sessions in NU, ON, SK, YT
Shaina is a Registered Social Worker trained in Exposure and Response Prevention for the treatment of OCD at the CTSA, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) at the YCSC, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University. Shaina treats clients in Ontario and Saskatchewan. She recognizes the bravery it takes to advocate for oneself and seek help, celebrating with each individual who does so. Shaina wholeheartedly believes that there is no shame surrounding the OCD experience and that overcoming OCD is possible. Her absolute favourite day of treatment is when she can say goodbye to her clients with confidence that they can handle OCD on their own.
Samantha is a Registered Social Worker with over a decade of experience in supporting individuals and families. Her down-to-earth approach is rooted in the belief that successful therapy hinges on a strong, empathetic therapeutic relationship. Samantha is passionate about providing OCD-informed support to individuals and their loved ones to foster lasting change.
MSW, RSW, ERP Therapist
Offers in-person sessions in Barrie
Offers virtual sessions in NU, ON, YT
Samantha is a Registered Social Worker with more than a decade of experience supporting individuals and families. She applies a strengths-based and trauma-informed lens to emphasize the unique capabilities of everyone, in a safe and supportive environment. Samantha completed training in Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) at the YCSC, Yale School of Medicine, Yale University, and has also received specialized training in ERP. She is passionate about bringing OCD-informed support to individuals living with OCD & their loved ones.
MSW, RSW, ERP Therapist
Offers in-person sessions in Barrie
Offers virtual sessions in NL, NU, NWT, ON, YT
It is not uncommon for lives to unravel when OCD consumes your life. Your experience with OCD, and its impact on your life, is unique to you. Erin Fairbanks (she/her) is a veteran of connecting with clients to understand their unique circumstances and cater their care to their own needs and goals. She helps her clients understand how OCD consumes their life and guides them in finding healthier versions of themselves, while strengthening their relationships, so that they can feel more at peace.
She is the owner of a private medical foot care practice, and an empathetic registered social worker who excels at one-on-one counselling and group oversight with children, youth, and adults.
Her educational background includes a Master of Social Work from the University of Windsor, a Bachelor of Science in Human Kinetics from the University of Guelph, and a diploma of Chiropody from the Michener Institute. She is trained in Exposure and Response Prevention (EX/RP) for the treatment of OCD from the University of Pennsylvania, and Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) from Yale University.
To instill hope and promote recovery from OCD.
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