Separation anxiety therapy for kids, teens, & young adults
Evidence-based therapy that helps kids feel safe and confident, even apart.
Support for school refusal, clinginess, sleep difficulties, and fear of being away from caregivers.
Insurance accepted. Appointments often available within days.
Separation anxiety, at a glance
Separation anxiety, at a glance
4%
of children meet criteria for separation anxiety disorder
#1
most common anxiety disorder in children under 12
80%
of kids improve with evidence-based therapy
Understanding separation anxiety
When fear of being apart goes beyond a normal developmental phase.
Separation anxiety is normal in toddlers, but when it persists past age 6 or intensifies, it may be separation anxiety disorder. Children experience persistent distress about being away from caregivers that interferes with school, sleep, and social activities.
A licensed clinician evaluates whether your child's distress goes beyond typical attachment and considers overlapping conditions like generalized anxiety or school avoidance.
School refusal
Refusing to attend school due to fear of being away from a parent or caregiver.
Sleep disturbance
Difficulty falling asleep alone, nightmares about separation, or insisting on sleeping with parents.
Excessive worry
Persistent fear that something bad will happen to a parent or caregiver while apart.
Common signs of separation anxiety by age
Symptoms look different at every stage of development.
Young Children (4–7)
Clinginess at drop-off
Frequent meltdowns
Refusing to sleep alone
Stomachaches before school
School-Age (8–12)
Refusing to go to school
Calling or texting parents constantly
Worrying a parent will get hurt
Difficulty staying at friends' houses
Teens (13–17)
Avoiding sleepovers or camps
Excessive checking in
Physical symptoms before separation
Difficulty transitioning to independence
Young Adults (18–25)
Difficulty leaving home for college
Excessive homesickness
Avoiding travel or new experiences
Ongoing reliance on daily parent contact
Could it be separation 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. A licensed clinician reviews the results and recommends next steps.
How separation anxiety therapy helps
Evidence-based strategies for building independence and reducing distress.
- Teaches coping strategies for separation distress
- Builds confidence through gradual exposure
- Gives parents tools to avoid accommodation
- Addresses school refusal with a structured plan
- Reduces physical symptoms like stomachaches
Why families choose Emora
Specialized pediatric anxiety care vs. general providers.
Other providers
Licensed pediatric and young adult clinicians
Generalist providers
Evidence-based CBT and exposure therapy
One-size-fits-all approaches
Parent-inclusive therapy model
Limited parent involvement
Virtual sessions from your child's safe space
Anxiety-provoking office visits
Insurance accepted
Insurance not always accepted
Built-in screening and progress tracking
Limited progress visibility
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.
Frequently asked questions
What parents and young adults ask most about separation anxiety therapy.
Real stories of growth
Every session is rated by parents. Our therapists maintain a 4.9+ average, because results matter.
Very thorough and made our son very comfortable with the new process
Parent of an 8 year old
2 hours ago
Alexandra Longa, LMHC
Ms. Campos is incredible. With her help I am establishing healthier thought processes. Incredibly positive counseling session.
An Adult client
4 hours ago
Catherine Campos, LCSW
Diana is simply experienced and amazing. We appreciate all the help end her resourcefulness as well as being a genuine great person. We are privileged to have her as our therapist in difficult times.
Parent of a 15 year old
4 hours ago
Diana Schaffer, LMHC, LPC
Felt said everything was fine
Parent of a 14 year old
4 hours ago
Dr. Nacona Bunker, PsyD
My child felt very comfortable and confident after her first session.
Parent of an 11 year old
5 hours ago
I liked the positivity and the new ideas mixed with old techniques to work on coping strategies. -Mom
Parent of a 13 year old
6 hours ago
Dr. Jon Skidmore, PsyD
She’s very nice and I can’t talk to her
Parent of a 14 year old
6 hours ago
Martha Mateo, LCSW
My daughter really enjoyed just chatting and finding things in common with someone new.
Parent of a 14 year old
7 hours ago
Morgan Tulley, RCSWI
Dr. Smart-McCarthy was so welcoming and friendly. I really appreciated how she asked open ended questions to get to know our child and situation. She was very child friendly and was thorough in explaining the process!
Parent of a 6 year old
7 hours ago
Dr. Madison Smart-McCarthy, Ph.D.
Nick and Dr Nitsch just met. He said he liked meeting with her. I met with her briefly as well. Looking forward to this partnerships future
Parent of a 13 year old
7 hours ago
Dr. Liz Nitsch, PsyD
She listened carefully to our concerns, my daughter felt confident. Overall we liked how she conducted teh session
Parent of a 14 year old
8 hours ago
Dr. Betty Wicks, PsyD
He always gives me good advice and I am always happy to see and talk to him.
An Adult client
12 hours ago
Donald Schroeder, LPC
Joy is extremely kind and mild-mannered. We are very much looking forward to the next meetings!
Parent of an 11 year old
12 hours ago
Cindy-Joy Ortiz, LMHC
I appreciated all of her experience and how she showed so much care in speaking with my son.
Parent of a 9 year old
15 hours ago
Lesli White, LPC
Great communication, made my child feel comfortable immediately.
Parent of a 9 year old
1 day ago
Amanda Jackson, RCSWI
Good, my daughter has done better after every session. She said that Rosa is very kind and understanding.
Parent of a 16 year old
1 day ago
Rosa Vidal, LPC
Dr Paula was amazing. She asked a lot of questions and was paying attention to the answers building up trust from my son. We are very happy.
Parent of a 16 year old
1 day ago
Dr. Paula Klanot, PsyD
She helped us realize that there were other things we needed to look into for evaluation. Very helpful and patient with my daughter.
Parent of a 10 year old
1 day ago
Dr. Apree Clicque, PsyD
Separation 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.