Parent Training: PCIT, PMT, & SPACE
Parent training is a set of structured, evidence-based treatments in which parents learn specific skills to change their child's behavior or anxiety. For many childhood difficulties, treatments that work through parents produce better and more durable outcomes than treatments that work only with the child. EBPC offers Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), Parent Management Training (PMT), and SPACE.
Why work with parents rather than the child?
Three reasons. Parents are present for the situations where difficulties actually occur, not for 45 minutes a week. Young children often lack the verbal and cognitive capacity to use insight-oriented therapy. And when parents change how they respond, the change generalizes across settings and persists after treatment ends.
This is not parenting advice. These are manualized treatments with specific procedures and measurable targets.
Which program fits your family?
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) — roughly ages 2–7, for defiance, tantrums, aggression, and non-compliance. Parents are coached live while playing and interacting with their child, often through an earpiece. Progress is tracked with direct observation, and treatment continues until specific skill benchmarks are met.
Parent Management Training (PMT) — school-age children and teens, for defiance, arguing, and rule-breaking. Parents learn to set effective limits, use consequences consistently, and reinforce cooperation. Sessions target specific situations in your home.
SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) — for childhood anxiety and OCD, including children who refuse to attend therapy. Parents reduce the accommodations that unintentionally maintain anxiety while increasing supportive responses. Notably, the child does not need to participate.
Parent consultation — targeted, time-limited guidance for a specific question or decision, without entering a full course of treatment.
What if my child won't come to therapy?
This is one of the strongest arguments for parent-based treatment. SPACE was developed specifically for anxious children who refuse treatment, and parent training approaches can shift behavioral patterns without the child's participation.
What to Expect from Therapy at EBPC, Inc.
1.Diagnostic Evaluation: 90 Minute Initial Session
Our care always begins with a robust diagnostic intake. We use clinical interviews and empirical questionnaires to get a complete picture of your child's cognitive strengths and developmental background.
2.Collaborative Target Setting: Session 2.
Together with the client and family, we isolate precise, measurable treatment goals. We want everyone aligned on exactly what success looks like.
3.Active Skill Building: Ongoing Outpatient Care.
Therapy sessions are interactive and action-oriented. Clients practice tools in session and receive brief "between-session" challenges to try out in school and at home.
4.Progress Tracking & Transition: Graduation.
We actively monitor symptoms to see what is working. Once goals are consistently met and coping skills are automated, we gracefully taper sessions toward independent graduation.
A Note on Telehealth: In addition to welcoming families to our comfortable, private office in Calabasas, CA, our clinicians provide fully HIPAA-compliant teletherapy across California and multiple cross-licensed states.
FAQs
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No. These treatments exist because parents are the most powerful available lever, not because parents cause the difficulty.
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It helps considerably, and we'll work with whatever is realistic for your family.
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PCIT is skill-based rather than session-limited — families typically complete it in roughly 12 to 20 sessions, depending on how quickly the benchmarks are reached.