What we treat
Anxiety Counseling in Spokane Valley, WA — Kids, Teens & Adults
Child, Marriage & Family Counseling treats anxiety in children, teens, and adults in Spokane Valley, WA — from everyday worry that's grown too loud to panic, school refusal, and obsessive-compulsive patterns — using CBT, play-based approaches, and family work.
When worry runs the household
Anxiety is a good alarm system with the sensitivity turned up too high. In kids it often looks like stomachaches, meltdowns at drop-off, or endless “what if” questions at bedtime. In teens, perfectionism, panic, and avoidance. In adults, the 3am mental committee meeting that never adjourns.
What anxiety treatment looks like here
- Children: play and art-based CBT — externalizing the worry, practicing brave steps, coaching parents on how to respond without feeding the alarm
- Teens & adults: CBT and skills work — mapping the thought-feeling-avoidance loop, retraining it with graduated practice, and building a calmer baseline
- Families: adjusting the accommodations that keep anxiety comfortable — well-meaning workarounds that let the worry stay in charge
Anxiety-related concerns we treat
- Generalized worry and overthinking
- Panic
- School anxiety and refusal
- Social anxiety and peer fears
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Separation anxiety
Getting started
Meet our counselors or send us a message — anxiety is one of the most treatable things we see.
Common questions
- How do I know if my child's worry is normal or anxiety?
- Worry becomes a clinical concern when it's persistent, out of proportion, and interfering — trouble sleeping, school refusal, constant reassurance-seeking, stomachaches with no medical cause, or avoidance of normal activities. If worry is shrinking your child's world, it's worth an evaluation.
- What therapy works best for anxiety?
- Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has the strongest evidence base for anxiety across ages. With younger children we deliver the same principles through play and art; with teens and adults, sessions look more like structured conversation and between-session practice.
- Does anxiety counseling replace medication?
- Therapy is a first-line treatment for anxiety on its own, and for some people it works alongside medication prescribed by a physician or psychiatric provider. We don't prescribe, but we coordinate with prescribers when helpful.