Therapy Services
Anxiety

Anxiety Support for Kids, Teens, and College Students

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Anxiety is one of the most common mental health concerns in youth—affecting about 1 in 14 children in the U.S. before age 18. Yet it’s often misunderstood. Kids and teens with anxiety may be mislabeled as shy, angry, or even misdiagnosed with another condition. Parents frequently see struggles like school avoidance, social withdrawal, panic episodes, sleep difficulties, or constant worry—challenges that can disrupt family life, academics, and friendships.

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Understanding Anxiety

Anxiety is part of our survival system, designed to protect us. But when it becomes overactive, everyday situations start to feel threatening, interfering with daily life.

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Common Anxiety Disorders in Youth:

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• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD): Excessive worry about school, health, family, or the future, often causing physical symptoms like stomachaches or insomnia.

• Social Anxiety: Fear of judgment or embarrassment, leading to avoidance of class, social events, or speaking up.

• Separation Anxiety (SAD): Extreme distress when apart from caregivers, refusing school, or avoiding sleeping alone.

• Selective Mutism (SM): Comfortable speaking at home but unable to talk in certain settings, often tied to social anxiety.

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Intrusive thoughts and repetitive behaviors meant to reduce anxiety, causing distress if rituals can’t be completed.

• Panic Disorder: Sudden panic attacks with racing heart, dizziness, or nausea, leading to fear of triggers.

• Phobias & Agoraphobia: Intense fears of specific things or situations, disrupting daily routines and social activities.

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Dr. Macphee’s Approach:

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• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Evidence-based treatment that helps children, teens, and young adults manage anxiety, with parents actively involved.

• Exposure & Response Prevention: Gradual, structured practice facing anxiety triggers—often in real-world settings like parks, restaurants, or school—to reduce fear over time.

• Cognitive Therapy: Teaches children to recognize unhelpful thoughts and replace them with more helpful ones, changing how they feel and act.

• Parents are central to treatment for school-aged clients, learning strategies to support their child daily.

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Treatment Options:

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• Weekly therapy sessions, with flexible options for additional sessions

• Intensive therapy in home, school, or community settings as needed

• On-call consultation for urgent situations (e.g., child is experiencing a panic attack and parents are not sure how to help)

• School consultation, teacher training, advocacy, and 504/IEP support

• Individual therapy intensives, ranging from single-day mini-intensives to multi-day programs targeting real-world challenges

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Flexible Care:

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• In-person therapy on the Main Line

• Virtual therapy across PA and 40+ states

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Available for clients in: AL, AZ, AR, CO, CNMI, CT, DE, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, ME, MD, MI, MN, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY