My Favorite Books for Supporting Anxiety and OCD
Recommended Reads from a Child & Anxiety Therapist
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As an anxiety therapist, I often get asked about books that can help children, teens, and adults better understand and manage anxiety and OCD. Whether you're a parent looking for guidance, someone navigating your own anxious perfectionism, or a clinician seeking tools for therapy, these are some of my go-to recommendations. Each of these books has something valuable to offer, and I’m excited to share them with you.
🌿 Breaking Free of Child Anxiety and OCD by Eli Lebowitz
If you’re the parent of an anxious or OCD-struggling child, this is my top recommendation. Based on the SPACE treatment program (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions), Dr. Lebowitz offers practical, compassionate strategies for reducing parental accommodation and empowering your child—without needing them to be fully on board at first. A game-changer for treatment-resistant anxiety.
🧠 Talking Back to OCD by John March
This book gives kids and teens a clear, empowering framework for understanding OCD and learning to “talk back” to the disorder. Dr. March’s approach normalizes OCD while separating it from the child’s identity, and the tone strikes the perfect balance between clinical and accessible. Great for families doing ERP or starting therapy.
🐘 The ACT Workbook for Kids by Tamar Black
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a wonderful approach for kids who struggle with anxious thoughts, emotional avoidance, and self-criticism. This workbook makes ACT concepts fun and relatable through metaphors, visuals, and activities. I often use this alongside CBT to help kids build a flexible, values-based mindset.
👨👩👧 Overcoming Parental Anxiety by Tamar Chansky
Parenting is hard enough—parenting with anxiety is a whole different challenge. This book helps anxious parents recognize how their own worry patterns can unintentionally increase stress in the home and offers concrete strategies for staying calm, flexible, and connected. An excellent read for caregivers who want to be a calming presence for their kids.
✨ The Anxious Perfectionist by Clarissa Ong & Michael Twohig
This is a must-read for anyone who struggles with high expectations, fear of failure, or chronic self-doubt. Blending CBT and ACT, it teaches you how to break the perfectionism-anxiety cycle and start showing up fully—flaws and all. I recommend this often to teens and adults who feel stuck in performance mode.
🧘 One-Minute Mindfulness by Donald Altman
For those who feel too busy or overwhelmed to “do” mindfulness, this book is a breath of fresh air. With bite-sized practices and real-life examples, it makes mindfulness feel approachable and doable—even in the middle of a chaotic day. Perfect for anxious minds that need gentle reminders to slow down.
🍽️ CBT for ARFID by Jennifer Thomas & Kendra Becker
If your child struggles with extreme picky eating or Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), this book is one of the most comprehensive and evidence-based resources available. Written for clinicians, it’s also useful for parents seeking insight into the “why” behind food avoidance and how CBT strategies can support change.
These books are ones I reach for often—whether I’m guiding a family in session, helping a teen understand their inner world, or supporting a parent feeling overwhelmed by anxiety. I hope they bring you as much clarity, compassion, and confidence as they’ve brought to many of the families I work with.
Have you read any of these? I’d love to hear which ones resonated with you most. 💬
Warmly,
Hannah K.
Child Anxiety Therapist | SPACE-trained Clinician
📍@therapy_hannah_
