Have you ever been told, “But you seem like you’re doing great”, even when inside you feel overwhelmed, tense, or constantly on edge?

For many people, anxiety doesn’t look like panic attacks or avoidance. It looks like productivity. Achievement. Responsibility. Smiling through stress. This is often referred to as high-functioning anxiety, and it’s far more common than most people realize.

At Innerspace Counseling, we see many clients who appear successful, capable, and put-together, yet are quietly carrying an exhausting amount of anxiety beneath the surface.

When a child starts missing school, struggling to get out the door, or melting down every morning, it can feel like the whole family is trapped in a cycle of stress, fear, and frustration.

But here’s one of the most important truths parents (and even schools) often don’t hear clearly enough:

Not all school struggles are the same and not all “school refusal” is actually school refusal.

At Innerspace Counseling, we specialize in helping children and teens who are experiencing school avoidance, school phobia, school refusal, and poor academic performance, and we start with one key step: an expert assessment to understand what’s really driving the problem.

At Innerspace Counseling, we believe real progress happens through consistency, connection, and a treatment experience that helps clients stay engaged over time.

That’s why we’re proud to share a major milestone:

✅ In 2025, Innerspace Counseling achieved a 94% average attendance rate across all programs and ages.

Whether clients were participating in our Intensive Outpatient Program or our Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP/PHP), this number reflects something deeply meaningful: people are showing up, staying connected, and doing the work of healing and our team is committed to supporting them every step of the way.

Discovering that your child is engaging in self-harm or experiencing suicidal thoughts is one of the most frightening and heartbreaking experiences a parent can face. You may feel overwhelmed, unsure of what to do next, and afraid of making the “wrong” move.

At Innerspace Counseling, we work closely with children, adolescents, and families navigating self-harm and suicidal ideation. This guide is designed to help parents understand what’s happening, how to respond effectively, and when higher levels of care such as Intensive Outpatient Program or Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP/PHP) may be needed.

Most importantly, we want you to know this: help is available, treatment works, and recovery is possible.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is often misunderstood. Despite common stereotypes, OCD is not about being “organized” or “particular.” It is a serious mental health condition that can feel relentless, exhausting, and isolating, especially when symptoms begin to interfere with work, school, relationships, or daily functioning.

If you or a loved one is struggling with OCD and finding that weekly therapy is no longer enough, higher levels of care like an Intensive Outpatient Program or Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP/PHP) may provide the structure, support, and evidence-based treatment needed to create real change.

At Innerspace Counseling, our IOP and PHP programs are designed to help individuals with OCD move from survival mode to meaningful recovery at a pace that balances intensity with compassion.

The holiday break is often framed as a time to rest, reset, and recover. And for many kids it is joyful, connective, and regulating.

But for a subset of students, especially those with anxiety, OCD, school phobia, emetophobia, social school anxiety, and other panic-related disorders, a long break of 7–10 days or more can quietly lead to regression, not relief.

This isn’t because these kids are weak.

It’s because anxiety is a disorder of practice.

When school routines pause, so does daily exposure to uncertainty, discomfort, and demand. What looks like comfort on the surface can unintentionally erode confidence underneath. By early January, many families are stunned to find that a child who was “doing fine” in December now can’t tolerate the idea of returning to school at all.

This is where a stress-enhancing mindset becomes essential.

As the holiday season approaches and the year comes to a close, the team at Innerspace Counseling would like to take a moment to express our deep gratitude to our clients, their families, and our valued referral partners. Your trust in our mental health services, clinical expertise, and treatment programs means more to us than words can fully express.

Choosing to seek mental health support, whether through outpatient therapy, an Intensive Outpatient Program or a Partial Hospitalization Program (IOP/PHP) is a powerful and courageous step. We are honored to support individuals and families during times of emotional growth, transition, and healing.