Child & Teen Therapy for Anxiety, Panic & OCD in San Diego, California

Maybe You Have A Child Who Struggles With Worry and Overthinking

I help kids and teens understand and manage their worries with age-appropriate tools to build confidence and resilience. In therapy, we work together to reduce avoidance, face challenges, and navigate big emotions in a supportive space.

Because anxiety impacts the whole family, I also guide parents with practical strategies to support their child at home and beyond.

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Melissa Pinn, a therapist for anxious families in California

What you and your child will gain

When anxiety, panic or OCD takes over, the whole family feels it. Specialized, evidence-base therapy equips your child with tools, insight, and support so you can feel more capable.

  • Coping Tools for Anxious Minds

    Your child learns how anxious brains misinterpret threat signals and gains concrete, age-appropriate CBT tools to interrupt worry loops, regulate physical panic symptoms, and respond to intrusive thoughts with confidence instead of distress.

  • Confidence to Face Worry

    Rather than feeling hijacked by panic or distress, your child builds bravery skills from the inside out. Through gradual, evidence-based exposure, they discover they are capable of tolerating uncomfortable feelings and bouncing back from setbacks.

  • A More Connected Home

    Step out of the role of managing your child's anxiety. You'll learn how to stop reassurance-seeking traps, respond to meltdowns with supportive confidence, and rebuild a trusting, calm connection with your child.

  • Reclaim Daily Life & Ease

    Mornings, bedtimes, school drop-offs, and social activities stop being high-stress battles. By reducing anxiety-driven avoidance and compulsive rituals, your child regains the freedom to engage fully in school, friendships, and family life.

  • Lifelong Distress Tolerance

    Therapy is about learning that feelings are not emergencies. Your child leaves with an internal toolkit they carry into their teen and adult years, knowing how to navigate uncertainty without being ruled by worry.

  • Freedom from OCD & Intrusive Loops

    Using gold-standard Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), children and teens learn to disarm scary thoughts, repetitive rituals, and physical compulsions-taking away OCD’s power so they can get back to doing the things they enjoy.

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Helping Kids Face Worry and Find Resilience

Using evidence-based strategies, anxiety therapy helps kids develop the tools to tolerate uncertainty and manage uncomfortable feelings. Rather than focusing on eliminating anxiety, we teach kids how to respond to it differently, building skills like flexibility and problem-solving.

Through playful exercises, engaging conversations, and step-by-step challenges, your child will learn how to:

  • Face worries without avoiding them.

  • Practice being uncomfortable in a safe, supportive environment.

  • Build confidence in their ability to handle tough situations.

Anxiety or OCD doesn’t have to be the boss of your child’s life.. With the right support, they can discover their inner bravery and thrive, even when things feel hard.

This is the perfect fit
Melissa Pinn, a therapist for anxious families in California

Is Anxiety Therapy for My Child  Right For My Family?

  • If your child’s worries seem to interfere with their daily activities like avoiding school, social situations, or family events it may be time to consider therapy. Therapy can help them learn tools to manage their fears and build confidence in a supportive environment tailored to their needs.

  • Anxiety therapy for children is designed to be engaging and age-appropriate. Through conversation, and creative activities, kids learn skills to understand and manage their anxious thoughts and feelings. Therapy might also involve parents, providing guidance on how to support your child at home.

  • Yes, parent involvement is often a crucial part of the process. You’ll learn techniques to reinforce what your child is learning in therapy, and gain tools to support them in moments of anxiety. Therapy is most effective when the whole family is on board, making it easier to create lasting positive change.

  • Every child is different, but many families notice positive shifts within a few weeks to a couple of months. Small changes like reduced avoidance or increased confidence are often early signs that your child is building the skills they need to manage their anxiety.

  • No problem, it’s common for kids to feel uncertain or nervous about starting therapy. A therapist can help them feel at ease by introducing therapy in a way that feels safe and inviting. I work to make sessions engaging and approachable, so even children who are hesitant can feel comfortable participating.  Sometimes, we determine that direct therapy with your child may not be the best fit, but fortunately, there’s an effective alternative: the SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) program. Through SPACE, parents learn strategies to reduce their child’s anxiety by adjusting their own responses, fostering a calmer environment and empowering children to face their fears with support.

Let’s Help Your Child Rediscover Their Bravery and Joy

With evidence-based, compassionate care, your child can learn that worries and intrusive thoughts don’t have to call the shots. Together, we’ll help them build the resilience they need to step out of worry and back into the ease and wonder of simply being a kid.

Child and teen therapy is available in-person at my San Diego office as well as online throughout California. Please contact me for more information.