Center for Anxiety, OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Our Philadelphia-Based Child and Adolescent Psychologists and Therapists Provide Evidence-Based CBT, ERP, and ACT for Anxiety, OCD, and Trauma
If your child or teen is struggling with anxiety, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, trauma-related difficulties, or related challenges, you are not alone—and help is available. Many parents come to us feeling worried, frustrated, or unsure how to support their child without making things worse. Others are navigating anxieties, panic, shyness, compulsive behaviors, phobias, emotional shutdown, or growing distress that seems to interfere with daily life. If you’re seeking a skilled, caring professional you can trust, someone with extensive knowledge, understanding, and skills to assist your loved one in overcoming these challenges, our team may be the perfect fit.
The Center for Anxiety, OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is a Philadelphia-based specialty psychology practice providing evidence-based, developmentally-informed anxiety, OCD, and trauma therapy for children and teens, along with their families. As a Philadelphia-based specialty psychology practice for anxiety, OCD, and trauma, our work is grounded in sophisticated, individualized applications of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure and response prevention (ERP), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), adapted carefully for childhood and adolescence and often delivered with active parent and family involvement. With exceptional expertise in anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, trauma and related disorders; a comprehensive approach that combines compassionate and individualized care with effective cognitive-behavioral treatments; and a wealth of experience helping children, teens, and families to tackle significant challenges, and care available in person in Philadelphia and through hybrid or telehealth options for families across the region, our Center stands ready to help.
Our Philadelphia-based practice serves children, teens, and families throughout Philadelphia and nearby communities, including Center City, Rittenhouse Square, University City, South and West Philadelphia, Northwest Philadelphia, Chestnut Hill, and the Main Line. Families from nearby New Jersey communities such as Cherry Hill also frequently seek care at our Philadelphia office, with in-person, hybrid, and telehealth options available.
Specialized Therapy for Children, Teens, and Families Facing Anxiety, OCD, and Trauma
Conditions We Treat in Children and Teens
Anxiety Disorders in Children and Teens
- Generalized anxiety and excessive worry
- Panic attacks and anxiety about anxiety
- Social anxiety, shyness, and fear of being judged or rejected
- Separation anxiety
- School anxiety and school refusal
- Test anxiety and academic performance anxiety
- Public speaking anxiety
- Shy bladder syndrome (paruresis)
- Perfectionism and worries about making mistakes
- Selective mutism
- Functional somatic symptoms and anxiety-related physical complaints (such as GI-related anxiety, IBS, cyclical vomiting, and stomachaches)
Fears, Phobias, and Avoidance Patterns
- Specific fears and phobias (including needles, medical procedures, flying, animals, school-related fears)
- Fears of vomiting and sickness (emetophobia)
- Health- and illness-related anxiety (including worries about medical symptoms and illness and anxiety following medical events)
- Nighttime fears, nightmares, sleep-related anxiety, difficulty sleeping alone, and insomnia
- Avoidance behaviors that limit independence or daily functioning
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in Children and Adolescents
- Child and adolescent OCD (Including evidence-based child and adolescent OCD treatment)
- Intrusive or distressing thoughts that feel upsetting, confusing, or “not like me”
- Compulsions such as checking, reassurance-seeking, or repeating behaviors
- Obsessive thoughts without obvious compulsions (“Pure O”)
- Contamination fears and concerns about germs or illness
- Excessive responsibility for harm, mistakes, or causing something bad to happen
- “Not just right” feelings, symmetry, and incompleteness
- OCD-driven perfectionism and excessive concerns about mistakes or exactness
- Moral or religious scrupulosity
- Body image preoccupations and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD)
- Olfactory reference syndrome (worries about body odor)
Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors, Tics, and Related Concerns
- Trichotillomania (compulsive hair-pulling)
- Excoriation disorder (compulsive skin-picking)
- Nail biting, cheek biting, and other body-focused repetitive behaviors
- Tic disorders and Tourette syndrome
- Intolerance of specific sounds (misophonia)
Trauma-, Stress, and Mood-Related Conditions in Children and Teens
- Trauma-related anxiety and stress responses
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in children and adolescents
- Medical, illness-related, and procedure-related trauma
- Anxiety following frightening, overwhelming, or disruptive life events
- Difficulties managing stress, emotions, or overwhelming experiences
- Depression and mood problems
Our Philadelphia-based child and adolescent anxiety, OCD, and trauma therapists and psychologists have extensive experience treating the full range of anxiety-, OCD-, and trauma-related concerns in children, teens, and families. We are frequently consulted as child and adolescent anxiety, OCD, and trauma specialists in Philadelphia when families are seeking care beyond general therapy. Our expertise includes both the specific conditions listed above and presentations that are complex, overlapping, or evolve over time—problems that can show up differently or intensify as children grow. We regularly work with concerns such as performance-based fears, health- and illness-related anxiety, body-focused repetitive behaviors, tic-related concerns, functional somatic symptoms (including GI-related anxiety, IBS, cyclical vomiting, and stress-related physical complaints), and trauma-related difficulties that do not always fit neatly into a single diagnosis.
Families across Center City Philadelphia, the Main Line, and surrounding neighborhoods often seek out our Center when they are looking for specialized, evidence-based care beyond general therapy, or when prior treatment has not led to meaningful change. Our work is grounded in structured, compassionate, and highly individualized treatment, drawing on CBT, ERP, ACT, and related evidence-based approaches. Therapy approaches are carefully selected and tailored to each child, teen, and family’s needs, development, and goals, with active collaboration with parents and caregivers when helpful, and with options for in-person, hybrid, or telehealth care based in and around Philadelphia, through our Center for Anxiety, OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. As an independent specialty psychology practice, we offer the depth and rigor families often seek beyond general therapy settings, while remaining more accessible and flexible than large academic clinics.
Why Families Choose Our Philadelphia-Based Practice for Child & Teen Anxiety Therapy
Families seeking specialized, evidence-based anxiety therapy for children and teens often come to our Philadelphia-based specialty psychology practice when they want depth beyond general therapy—care that is structured, compassionate, developmentally informed, and responsive to the needs of both children and parents.
Families choose our practice for child and teen anxiety therapy because we offer:
- Advanced training in evidence-based CBT, ERP, ACT, PCIT, HRT and related approaches for children and adolescents
- Meaningful parent involvement and family-based care, when helpful, to support change at home, school, and daily life
- Structured, skills-based treatment delivered with warmth, flexibility, and clinical judgment
- Care that adapts as children grow, with attention to developmental shifts, family context, and readiness for change
- In-person, hybrid, and telehealth options through a Philadelphia-based specialty psychology practice
Child & Adolescent OCD Therapy in Philadelphia and Beyond
Our clinicians provide specialized, evidence-based OCD therapy for children and adolescents in Philadelphia, the greater Philadelphia region, and beyond, with care available through in-person sessions at our Philadelphia office as well as thoughtfully structured hybrid and telehealth options for families across the region.
Treatment is grounded in the gold-standard approaches for childhood OCD, including exposure and response prevention (ERP), along with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), parent–child interaction therapy (PCIT), and related evidence-based approaches (including HRT, CBIT, TF-CBT, and PE when clinically indicated). These methods are carefully adapted to each child or teen’s interests, developmental level, temperament, and family context, and are implemented collaboratively at a pace designed to support engagement, confidence, and lasting change.
For younger children, treatment often emphasizes parent-guided and parent–child approaches, drawing on developmentally informed CBT and PCIT-based strategies to help families reduce accommodation, strengthen supportive responses, and promote progress across home, school, and daily life.
Social Anxiety and Performance Anxiety Therapy for Children and Teens in Philadelphia
Social anxiety is a common and often impairing concern in children and adolescents, and many families in the Philadelphia area seek specialized help when fears of judgment, embarrassment, or “doing something wrong” begin to interfere with school, friendships, or everyday independence. In young people, social anxiety may show up as avoidance of peers, distress around classroom participation, fear of being observed, or intense self-consciousness in social or evaluative situations.
For some children and teens, social anxiety is closely tied to performance-based or observational fears, such as anxiety about public speaking, presentations, tests, auditions, being called on in class, or using school or other shared bathrooms when others might be present (often linked to shy bladder syndrome, or paruresis).. Others may struggle more broadly, including difficulties related to interactions with peers or adults, selective mutism, school avoidance, heavy reliance on avoidance or reassurance to cope. Our Philadelphia-based clinicians provide developmentally tailored, evidence-based therapy for child and teen social anxiety and performance anxieties, drawing on CBT and exposure-based approaches, with parent involvement when helpful. Families interested in how these concerns are treated across the lifespan can also explore our approach to social anxiety disorder therapy in Philadelphia.
As a Philadelphia-based specialty psychology practice, our work with children and adolescents is integrated within a broader continuum of care. Families can learn more about our team of expert anxiety, OCD, and trauma psychologists and our evidence-based approach emphasizing structured, skills-based treatment delivered with flexibility, personalization, and warmth by visiting the Center for Anxiety, OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
Our Individualized, Evidence-Based Therapy Approach to Child and Teen Therapy
Our work with children and adolescents is structured, compassionate, and highly individualized. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all protocol, treatment is guided by careful case formulation and adapted to each child or teen’s developmental stage, temperament, family context, and readiness for change. Families frequently find us when searching for a child anxiety therapist or child OCD therapist in Philadelphia, and we regularly work with children and adolescents referred by pediatricians, schools, and other clinicians across the region.
As a Philadelphia-based specialty psychology practice, we draw on evidence-based therapies with strong research support for pediatric anxiety, OCD, trauma-related concerns, and related difficulties—using approaches that emphasize skill-building, gradual change, and real-world progress across home, school, and daily life. Treatment may involve direct work with the child or teen, parent-only sessions, family sessions, or a combination—depending on what is most likely to help and what best fits the child’s developmental needs.
Evidence-Based Therapies We Draw From
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for children and adolescents
- Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for pediatric anxiety and OCD
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for adolescents and teens
- Parent–Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) and PCIT-CALM for younger children
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety
- Habit Reversal Training (HRT) and Comprehensive Behavioral (ComB) Treatment for trichotillomania, excoriation, and body-focused repetitive behaviors
- Habit Reveral Training (HRT) and Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics (CBIT)
- Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) for trauma-related issues and PTSD
- Prolonged Exposure (PE) for adolescents
- Modular and integrative CBT approaches for complex or co-occurring concerns
Parent Coaching and Family-Based Support for Children and Teens with Anxiety, OCD, and Trauma
Parents and caregivers often play a central role in helping children and teens make meaningful, lasting progress. Anxiety, OCD, and related challenges affect not only the child or teen who is struggling, but also the family system that surrounds them—and how parents respond can significantly shape a child’s recovery. For this reason, our Center provides specialized parent coaching, family-based therapy, and consultation designed to support change in both children and teens and the adults who care for them.
We work closely with parents and caregivers to help them understand anxiety and OCD, respond in ways that are supportive rather than accommodating, and create conditions that promote confidence, independence, and emotional resilience. This work may focus on helping parents and caregivers:
- Respond to anxiety with warmth and clarity while reducing unhelpful accommodation
- Support bravery, independence, and emotional regulation at home and in daily life
- Reduce unintentional reinforcement of avoidance or compulsive behaviors
- Navigate school-related, medical, and developmental challenges more effectively
In some cases, meaningful progress can occur even when a child or teen is unwilling or unable to participate directly in therapy. In these situations, we offer evidence-based, parent-focused approaches—including SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) and the Family Well-Being Approach (FWBA)—that are specifically designed to help parents and caregivers facilitate change in their child’s anxiety or OCD through their own responses, interactions, and support strategies.
Access to Care, Treatment Format, and Coordination with Schools and Providers
Care is available through in-person sessions at our Philadelphia office, telehealth by secure video, or thoughtfully structured hybrid combinations, depending on clinical fit, developmental needs, and clinician availability. Families from Center City Philadelphia, the Main Line, and surrounding communities often seek us out for specialty care that combines depth with flexibility. We frequently collaborate with pediatricians, psychiatrists, schools, and other providers, and are comfortable serving either as a primary treating clinician or as a specialty consultant alongside an existing therapist or care team.
When appropriate, we also offer shorter-term, focused treatment through our Collaborative Anxiety-Related Evening Therapy (CARE) Clinic—an option not always available through academic clinics or large group practices.
Parenting with Anxiety Group Series
Many families seeking therapy for an anxious child or teen also recognize that their own anxiety plays a meaningful role in daily parenting decisions, family routines, and how challenges are handled at home. This time-limited, multi-week group series is designed for caregivers whose anxiety affects their parenting—whether through frequent worry, reassurance-seeking, difficulty setting limits, or uncertainty about how much to push versus protect.
The Parenting with Anxiety Group helps parents and caregivers:
- Understand how anxiety shows up in parenting patterns and family interactions
- Learn practical strategies to manage anxious thoughts, urges, and behaviors
- Support anxious children and teens without unintentionally reinforcing avoidance or dependence
- Navigate common challenges such as reassurance-seeking, separation difficulties, limit-setting, and conflict
- Build confidence in parenting decisions while maintaining warmth, flexibility, and connection
The group is skills-based, collaborative, and grounded in evidence-based CBT and exposure-informed principles, and is often a helpful complement to a child or teen’s individual therapy—or a standalone support for parents seeking guidance.
👉 Contact us to inquire about upcoming Parenting with Anxiety group offerings
Next Steps for Parents and Families
With exceptional expertise in anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive and related disorders, and trauma-related conditions, our Philadelphia-based specialty psychology practice provides compassionate, evidence-based care for children, teens, and families. Our clinicians draw on CBT, ERP, ACT, and related evidence-based approaches to help young people and their families move beyond anxiety, OCD, and trauma toward greater confidence, flexibility, and well-being.
Treatment is available through in-person sessions at our Philadelphia office, as well as secure video telehealth or thoughtfully structured hybrid options for families across the Philadelphia area, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and beyond. In addition to individual therapy, we offer parent coaching and family-based treatments shown to be effective for childhood and adolescent anxiety and OCD, and we frequently work directly with parents and caregivers—both alongside a child’s therapy and, when needed, as a primary focus of care.
If you are looking for specialized, evidence-based therapy for a child or teen with anxiety, OCD, or trauma, we invite you to contact our Philadelphia-based team of child and teen anxiety, OCD, and trauma psychologists to discuss next steps and availability.
Exploring Our Website for CBT, Anxiety, and OCD Resources and Support
Our website is a valuable resource for families looking for support and information:
Empowering Anxious Children Through Play: Discover our blog on how to support your child’s brave behavior through child-directed play and PRIDE skills, especially valuable for younger children. Read more about PRIDE skills.
Parent Assisted Exposures: Check our our blog on how parents can support their children in facing fears directly, a crucial aspect of overcoming anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive and related disorders. Read more about parent-assisted exposures.
Supportive Statements for Anxious Youth: Learn how to craft supportive statements to empower kids and teens facing anxiety, OCD, or PTSD.
Resources Page: Explore our curated list of favorite websites, books, and resources for kids, teens, and families dealing with anxiety and related disorders.
- Frequently Asked Questions: Get answers to common questions about our therapy services and approach. Visit our FAQ page.
For more information about our services and how we can support your child or loved one, feel free to peruse this website. Contact us for a free 15-minute telephone consultation to determine if we might be a good fit for your family. Following the consultation, our approach begins with a comprehensive initial evaluation to assess the challenges, make an accurate diagnosis, and formulate personalized treatment recommendations.
Contact Us for more information or to begin the journey toward effective anxiety disorder treatment and support for your child or loved one in a compassionate, family-centered setting.
Get answers to frequently asked questions and contact us for more information about services for your child or loved one.