Raising Brave Kids - Child & Family Therapy

Raising Brave Kids - Child & Family Therapy Child and family mental health & wellness for kids, teens, and parents. Offering support in California & Oregon

***Disclaimer: Content shared on this page is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional therapy or medical advice. If you or your child need immediate support, please seek help from a licensed mental health professional or call a national crisis hotline 988


Were Child Anxiety & OCD specialists

Anxiety, Phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in kids

can show up in big ways and leave families spiraling. Being parents ourselves we get that we can’t always prevent our kids from struggling, but we can give them the skills to thrive in the face of life's challenges. With skill building through Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure Response Prevention (ERP), we empower kids and parents to build a robust toolbox of science-backed strategies to conquer fears and reclaim their lives from anxiety and OCD. If You're Feeling Stuck Call Us, We Can Help

If you're feeling stuck us a call, we can help. At our practice, we focus on providing kids with the skills they need to manage life's challenges successfully. The therapy we provide focuses on teaching children to be aware of their own emotions, to notice and critically evaluate their thoughts and to employ adaptive behavioral strategies, mindfulness, and other self-soothing skills to help themselves remain grounded in difficult situations rather than getting swept away by worry or big emotions. Our team is playful, energetic, and collaborative, always finding fun, developmentally-appropriate ways to personalize treatment and connect with kids. We care deeply about helping families thrive and getting kids back to the stuff they care about. Parents Need Support Too

Parents need support too! The family environment is an important factor in children's behaviors and emotions. We get that anxiety not only bosses kids around but will often boss the whole family. Parents, we want to make life easier and so we offer both parenting group sessions and 1:1 parent consultation to provide you with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to support your child effectively. We’re here to help your family move forward with confidence.

School accommodations for OCD can be incredibly helpful. They can also be tricky.One of the things we think about a lot ...
09/01/2026

School accommodations for OCD can be incredibly helpful. They can also be tricky.

One of the things we think about a lot at Raising Brave Kids is the difference between supporting a child or teen and supporting their OCD.

Good school accommodations help a child or teen access learning, stay engaged, and participate while OCD is making those things harder. But when a support consistently helps them avoid a trigger, escape discomfort, get reassurance, or complete a compulsion, it can unintentionally give OCD more room to grow.

And school accommodations don't necessarily need to stay the same all year.

As treatment progresses and a child or teen becomes more able to tolerate uncertainty, discomfort, and anxiety, it's worth coming back to the plan. Which accommodations are still needed? Which could be adjusted? Which might they be ready to practice doing with a little less support?

The goal isn't to take support away or expect kids to "just push through." It's to make sure school accommodations grow and change alongside them.

A question we often come back to:

Is this helping the child or teen access school—or helping OCD avoid something hard?

Save this for your next 504/IEP conversation, or share it with a teacher or school team supporting a child or teen with OCD.

At Raising Brave Kids, we specialize in evidence-based support for childhood and adolescent anxiety + OCD, including individual therapy, parent support, and school consultation.

📍 Portland, Oregon + California

Supporting a child with anxiety can feel overwhelming. You don’t have to navigate it alone. 💛The Raising Brave Parent Gr...
08/25/2026

Supporting a child with anxiety can feel overwhelming. You don’t have to navigate it alone. 💛

The Raising Brave Parent Group gives parents practical, research-informed tools to help children and teens (ages 5–17) build confidence and face anxiety with greater bravery.

✨ Encourage bravery instead of avoidance
✨ Respond to worry and reassurance-seeking
✨ Reduce anxiety patterns at home
✨ Build confidence and resilience

Led by Kat Schoolland, LMFT, a child anxiety and OCD specialist, the group incorporates evidence-based approaches including SPACE and CBT-informed strategies.

6-week group • Beginning in September • Online

Learn more and reserve your spot through the link in bio.

08/20/2026

Our brains are wired to keep us safe, but staying comfortable all the time isn’t where learning and growth happen.

From the Safe Zone, to the Challenge Zone, to the Freak Out Zone, there’s a difference between being uncomfortable and being unsafe. Practicing small moments of discomfort can help teach our brains that uncomfortable doesn’t always mean unsafe.

🧠 The brain is adaptable.
💪 We can build our capacity for challenge.
🌱 And with practice, what once felt uncomfortable can start to feel easier.

The goal isn’t to avoid discomfort — or live in the Freak Out Zone. It’s to find that sweet spot in the Challenge Zone, where we’re challenged, supported, and able to learn and grow. Keep this in mind as your kiddos head back to school!

Anyone else waiting to see how week two goes? 🙃We see this every fall at RBK. A kid or teen seems totally fine for the f...
08/11/2026

Anyone else waiting to see how week two goes? 🙃

We see this every fall at RBK. A kid or teen seems totally fine for the first few days of school...and then the novelty wears off and things get a little wobbly.

A harder morning. A stomachache. More grumpiness. “I don’t want to go.”
That doesn’t automatically mean something is wrong.

As anxiety specialists, we’re less interested in whether a kid feels anxious (they will sometimes!) and more interested in what anxiety is doing.

Are they uncomfortable but still participating in their life?

Or is anxiety starting to make their world smaller?

That’s an important difference.

So yes, pay attention. Listen. Step in when something really isn’t working.
But we also don’t have to solve every uncomfortable moment before our kids get the chance to find out what they can handle.

Sometimes confidence comes after the hard thing:

Huh. I wasn’t sure I could do that...but I did.

Save this one for week two :)

One of the biggest myths about anxiety treatment is that the goal is to help kids and teens feel less anxious. It isn’t....
08/04/2026

One of the biggest myths about anxiety treatment is that the goal is to help kids and teens feel less anxious. It isn’t.

The goal is to help them build a different relationship with anxiety — one where fear, uncertainty, and discomfort no longer get to make the decisions.

Through evidence-based therapy, kids and teens learn these skills through practice and experience, not just by talking about them. Over time, they discover they don’t need certainty, perfection, or complete comfort to live a full and meaningful life.

✨ Swipe through for 7 mindset shifts we help kids and teens develop.

Save this post as a reminder: courage isn’t about feeling fearless; it’s about moving forward anyway.

☀️ Last Call for Confident Kids Summer Groups!There’s still time to help your child build skills they'll use long after ...
07/21/2026

☀️ Last Call for Confident Kids Summer Groups!

There’s still time to help your child build skills they'll use long after summer ends.

Our 5-day summer intensives help children entering Kindergarten through 5th grade strengthen emotional resilience, social confidence, and practical coping skills through fun, evidence-based activities led by child mental health professionals.

Kids will learn how to:
✔️ Navigate big emotions
✔️ Challenge unhelpful thoughts
✔️ Build stronger friendships
✔️ Practice self-compassion
✔️ Solve problems with confidence
✔️ Face challenges with courage

📍 Small, in-person groups in NW Portland
3rd - 5th Grade: August 10 - 14th

💛 Spots are limited and enrollment is closing soon. Reserve your child's spot through the link in our bio.

07/14/2026

What an incredible few days at OCD Con 2026! 💛

We loved connecting with so many clinicians, kids and parents while sharing playful, evidence-based ways to help children face OCD with courage. Thank you to everyone who stopped by our workshops, asked questions, and joined in the fun.

We're so grateful to have been part of this amazing community. More to come soon! ✨

🌟 Meet Noelani Perkins MA, Marriage Family Therapist Associate! 🌟 Noelani is passionate about helping children, teens, a...
07/07/2026

🌟 Meet Noelani Perkins MA, Marriage Family Therapist Associate! 🌟

Noelani is passionate about helping children, teens, and families build confidence, resilience, and meaningful connections. With specialized training in anxiety, OCD, emotional regulation, and evidence-based therapies like CBT, ERP, and ACT, she helps kids better understand their emotions while giving them practical tools to navigate life's challenges.

Wondering what makes Noelani's approach so special? 💛 Swipe through to discover her superpowers!

✨ Now accepting new clients
🕒 After-school appointments available
📍 In person in Portland, OR
👧 Child & Teen Therapy

DM us or click the link in our bio to get started!

The words aren't the problem, they’re clues. When we understand *what anxiety is trying to accomplish*, our response cha...
07/01/2026

The words aren't the problem, they’re clues.

When we understand *what anxiety is trying to accomplish*, our response changes. We stop trying to eliminate every uncomfortable feeling and start helping kids build the skills to move through it.

Anxiety isn't always loud. Sometimes it sounds like:
"Can you check one more time?"
"Will you stay with me?"
"I don't think I can."

Those moments are opportunities - not because they're easy, but because they help kids discover they're capable of doing hard things!

✨ Which one do you hear most often in your home?

If your child says things like these often, it may be a sign they're looking for support, not certainty.

At Raising Brave Kids, our child therapists and confidence-building groups help kids develop the skills to face fears, navigate big feelings, and build lasting confidence.

📍Child therapy in Oregon & California | In-person Confident Kids groups in Portland, OR

Learn more through the link in our bio or send us a DM. We'd love to help you find the best fit.

06/16/2026

If you have an anxious child, this CBT strategy can help.

One of the most effective anxiety coping skills for kids is learning that thoughts are not facts.

When children struggle with anxiety, their brains often create a story:

“I’ll fail.”
“No one likes me.”
“Something bad is going to happen.”

Instead of arguing with the thought or offering reassurance, try asking:

💭 What’s another possible story?
💭 What else could be true?
💭 Is there another way to look at this situation?

This cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skill helps kids develop flexible thinking, reduce anxious thoughts, and build emotional resilience.

The goal isn’t positive thinking. The goal is helping children recognize that anxiety is only telling one version of the story.

When kids learn to consider multiple possibilities, they gain perspective, confidence, and stronger coping skills for anxiety.

Save this for the next time your child gets stuck in an anxiety spiral.

Address

2330 NW Flanders Street Suite 104
Portland, OR
97210

Telephone

+14159156279

Website

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