CBT & ERP
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy & Exposure Response Prevention
Did everything you can think of to reduce your child’s Anxiety’s symptoms?
Perplexed by what may empower your child to understand, manage and overcome anxiety?
CBT may be just what your child can benefit from!
Cognitive - Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
When children struggle with anxiety, it can interfere with every part of their lives—at home, in school, and in their relationships with peers. Over time, they may begin to avoid activities that are not only necessary but also bring them joy and confidence.
Parents and caregivers often find themselves unintentionally accommodating their child’s anxiety—offering comfort or making adjustments that may ease distress in the moment, but can reinforce anxious patterns in the long run.
At Child Matters, we specialize in diagnosing and treating the full range of childhood anxiety disorders, including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
We commonly work with children experiencing:
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (excessive worry about many areas of life)
Separation Anxiety
Social Anxiety
Specific phobias (e.g., fear of the dark, animals, vomiting, etc.)
Panic Disorder
Selective Mutism
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID, related to anxiety and feeding)
School-related anxiety and refusal
Reassurance-seeking or perfectionistic behaviors
We use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)—a gold-standard, evidence-based treatment—to help children understand their anxiety, build coping tools, and face their fears with confidence.
Parents (or other caregivers) play an active and essential role in treatment from start to finish. This collaborative approach helps the entire family understand the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors—and learn practical, effective strategies to support long-term change.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) is a key component of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and is considered the gold standard treatment for anxiety and OCD in children.
During ERP, your child will be gently and gradually exposed to situations or thoughts that trigger anxiety—in carefully structured, manageable steps—all within a safe and supportive environment.
By gradually facing their fears, children learn to manage anxious feelings, build confidence, and reduce avoidance behaviors. This process helps their brain recognize that they can tolerate discomfort and that anxiety doesn’t have to control their actions.
When treatment is successful, children feel less distressed, are more confident in handling anxious thoughts and emotions, and are equipped with lifelong coping skills to help them thrive now and into the future.