Anxiety therapy for kids, teens, & young adults

Evidence-based therapy that helps kids move past worry, fear, and avoidance.

Support for generalized anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety, and school avoidance.

Insurance accepted. Appointments often available within days.

young woman
person using laptop
girl using phone
kid playing with paint
4.94
Trusted by 5,000+ kids, teens, and families.
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • aetna
  • blue cross
  • cigna
  • united healthcare
  • optum
  • tricare
  • Champ VA US Department of Veterans Affairs
  • Florida Blue
  • Baylor Scott and White
  • UMR
  • Oscar Health
  • Magellan

Anxiety, at a glance

1 in 12

About 1 in 12 children ages 3-17 are diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

80% untreated

Most children with treatable anxiety never receive professional support.

Highly treatable

60-80% of children show significant improvement with CBT within 12-16 weeks.

Understanding anxiety

What anxiety looks like and how it affects daily life.

A close-up portrait of a young boy, appearing to be a pre-teen, looking down with a pensive and thoughtful expression. He is wearing a striped shirt indoors, with soft lighting on his face.

Anxiety is the most common mental health condition in children and teens. It goes beyond normal worry, causing persistent fear that interferes with school, friendships, and daily functioning.

A licensed clinician evaluates patterns across settings and considers overlapping conditions like ADHD or depression.

Learn More
star icon

Generalized anxiety

Persistent worry about school, health, safety, and the future. Children seek constant reassurance and struggle with 'what if' thinking.

hand icon

Social anxiety

Intense fear of social situations, being judged, or embarrassment. Children avoid speaking in class or attending events.

calendar icon

Separation anxiety

Excessive distress when apart from parents. Children may refuse school, struggle to sleep alone, or have physical symptoms.

Common signs of anxiety by age

Symptoms look different at every stage of development.

A young person, likely a teen, with brown hair sits on a brown sofa, looking down with a sad or distressed expression. One hand rests near their head, against a plain blue wall.
  • Young Children (4-7)

    Clinginess

    Frequent meltdowns

    Stomachaches before school

    Fear of being alone

  • School-Age (8-12)

    Excessive worry about grades

    Avoidance of activities

    Difficulty sleeping

    Physical complaints

  • Teens (13-17)

    Social withdrawal

    Perfectionism and paralysis

    School refusal

    Panic episodes

  • Young Adults (18-25)

    Chronic overthinking

    Avoidance of new experiences

    Difficulty with independence

    Burnout from coping alone

Could it be anxiety?

Take a quick, clinically validated screening to better understand your child’s symptoms.

GAD-7 Anxiety Screening

The GAD-7 is a brief, clinically validated tool used by healthcare providers to screen for generalized anxiety disorder. It takes about 2 minutes and can help you understand whether your child's worry may benefit from professional support.

This screening is not a diagnosis. Results should be discussed with a qualified mental health professional.

Take the GAD-7 Screening
A thoughtful young girl with curly hair and glasses, wearing denim overalls, sits on a couch with an adult man who has dreadlocks and a beard. The man attentively looks at the girl, gently holding her knee, as she leans her head on her hand with a pensive expression, suggesting a serious conversation or comforting moment.

How anxiety therapy helps

Evidence-based strategies for managing worry, building resilience, and restoring confidence.

  • Teaches coping strategies for worry and panic
  • Builds confidence through gradual exposure
  • Reduces avoidance behaviors
  • Strengthens emotional regulation
  • Supports school and social functioning
Find Care
Father and son looking at eachother

Why families choose Emora

Specialized pediatric anxiety care vs. general providers.

Emora Health Logo

Other providers

Licensed pediatric and young adult clinicians

Generalist providers

Evidence-based CBT and exposure therapy

One-size-fits-all approaches

Parent-inclusive model

Limited parent involvement

Virtual sessions in your child's safe space

Anxiety-provoking office visits

Insurance accepted

Insurance not always accepted

Built-in screening and progress tracking

Limited progress visibility

Double Semi Shape
Leaf Shape

Get started in minutes

Three simple steps to connect with the right clinician.

  • 1

    Share what’s going on

    Answer a few questions about symptoms and goals.

  • 2

    Verify coverage

    See insurance estimates and available times.

  • 3

    Start sessions

    Meet your clinician and begin building skills.

Find Care
young girl smiling

Frequently asked questions

What parents and young adults ask most about anxiety therapy.

All children worry sometimes — that's normal. But when worry is persistent, hard to control, or starts interfering with school, friendships, sleep, or daily activities, it may be anxiety. You don't need a diagnosis to get started. Our specialists can help determine what your child needs.

We treat all forms of childhood anxiety, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, separation anxiety, specific phobias, selective mutism, and panic disorder. Our therapists create individualized treatment plans based on your child's specific symptoms.

Most children show meaningful improvement within 8–12 sessions of CBT. Some children benefit from additional sessions depending on the severity of their anxiety and their individual goals.

Yes. All sessions are HIPAA-protected and completely confidential. We provide age-appropriate parent updates so you stay informed about your child's progress while respecting their privacy.

Yes — school avoidance is one of the most common reasons families seek anxiety therapy. Our therapists use gradual exposure and coping strategies to help children return to school with confidence.

We accept most major insurance plans and verify your coverage before your first session. Most families pay between $0 and $30 per session with insurance.

We work with children as young as 5. For younger children, therapy is play-based and involves significant parent coaching so you can support your child's progress at home.

That's completely normal. Our therapists are trained to engage anxious children through creative, low-pressure techniques. Many children open up once they feel safe and realize therapy is a supportive space — not something to fear.

Real stories of growth

Every session is rated by parents. Our therapists maintain a 4.9+ average, because results matter.

Ms. Campos shares a unique ability to reframe negative thought patterns I have. To be reassured by a gifted counselor that you are worthy makes you actually feel worthy.

An Adult client

17 hours ago

Catherine Campos
Provider:

Catherine Campos, LCSW

My daughter felt very comfortable talking with her. We enjoyed our first session and are looking forward to more.

Parent of a 10 year old

18 hours ago

Natasha Noel-Cooper
Provider:

Natasha Noel-Cooper, RMHCI

Ari'Ton was a breath of fresh air. She was thorough, compassionate and well-versed in therapy.

Parent of a 13 year old

18 hours ago

Ari’Ton Scales
Provider:

Ari’Ton Scales, LMHC

I love that she explained things thoroughly.

Parent of a 6 year old

19 hours ago

Courtney Trejo
Provider:

Courtney Trejo, LPC-Associate

Helpful and Ann was truly a great fit for my daughter. She is excited for her next session

Parent of a 15 year old

19 hours ago

Ann Marie Driver
Provider:

Ann Marie Driver, LCMHC-A

Very caring, professional, and easy to talk to

Parent of a 13 year old

19 hours ago

Carrie Colson
Provider:

Carrie Colson, PMHNP

Martha is excellent when it comes to communication skills, and she has been doing an amazing job working with my daughter. She is very knowledgeable, patient, and incredibly helpful. I’m so grateful that I chose her as my daughter’s therapist.

Parent of an 11 year old

19 hours ago

Martha Mateo
Provider:

Martha Mateo, LCSW

Loved the enthusiasm and the feedback

An Adult client

20 hours ago

Donald Schroeder
Provider:

Donald Schroeder, LPC

My daughter feels that Dr. Jon is helping more than her last therapist.

Parent of a 10 year old

22 hours ago

Dr. Jon Skidmore
Provider:

Dr. Jon Skidmore, PsyD

Shes a really great therapist. She helped a lot and is very positive.

Parent of a 15 year old

1 day ago

Jessica Smiley
Provider:

Jessica Smiley, LCSW

We absolutely love Katie Jones. What stands out most is how she connects with my daughter on a personal level. She doesn’t treat her like just another patient. I admire how Katie takes the time to ask about her school activities, interests, and hobbies, and even remembers those details from visit to visit. It means so much to have a provider who makes my daughter feel seen, heard, and comfortable. We are so grateful.

Parent of a 15 year old

1 day ago

Katie Jones
Provider:

Katie Jones, CPNP-PC, PMHNP-BC

Victoria was warm and welcoming. She was ingaging and made sure we were comfortable with the procedures and expectations etc. We felt it was a very good beginning.

Parent of a 13 year old

1 day ago

Victoria McKenna
Provider:

Victoria McKenna, LMFT

She really listened to my daughter.

Parent of a 16 year old

1 day ago

Miranda Esparza
Provider:

Miranda Esparza, LPC

I’m not sure but he did say he would like to continue with sessions

Parent of a 13 year old

1 day ago

Dr. Shelia Chatman
Provider:

Dr. Shelia Chatman, LPC

My daughter really liked MYERS.

Parent of a 9 year old

1 day ago

Kathleen Meyers
Provider:

Kathleen Meyers, LCSW

I had a great time with my therapist.

An Adult client

1 day ago

Ky Carter
Provider:

Ky Carter, LCSW

Very nice and informative. He was very transparent with his goals and incorporating my son's interests into his therapy sessions.

Parent of an 8 year old

1 day ago

Richard Reyes
Provider:

Richard Reyes, LPC-Associate

Victoria is amazing. Patient. Challenges children to think and grow.

An Adult client

1 day ago

Victoria Coffman
Provider:

Victoria Coffman, LPC-A

Anxiety does not define your child

Structured, developmentally informed therapy can help build skills that last.

Not sure where to start? Book a clinical matching session.

Find a clinician
A young child, wearing a plaid shirt and a blue backpack, smiles broadly at the camera. Other children are visible, blurred, in the background outdoors, suggesting a school or play environment.