SPACE for Tummy Troubles

A SPACE Group for Parents of Children with Functional Abdominal Pain and GI Issues

For parents ready to move beyond "we've ruled everything out" — this group gives you the tools to respond to your child's stomach pain and GI issues in ways that help your child learn to manage their own anxiety and cope with their symptoms, break the accommodation cycle, and support a real return to normal life. A natural next step after the "Tummy Hurts" workshop, or a starting point on its own.

What This Group Covers

  • How to respond during a flare without reinforcing the pain cycle

  • How to respond during a flare without reinforcing the pain cycle

  • Reducing accommodation — missed school, restricted foods, constant reassurance

  • A week-by-week plan you can start using at home right away

Series includes 7 group sessions and one individual session, held on Zoom

Start date: Thursday, October 29, 9:00–10:15 AM

Who it's for: Parents of children with functional abdominal pain or unexplained GI symptoms

Group Details

Facilitated by Mindy Szelap, LCSW

Mindy has spent much of her career helping children and families navigate functional GI disorders and anxiety. She developed a specialized program at Stanford Children's Health using clinical hypnosis and CBT for functional symptoms. She integrates the SPACE model, ACT, and clinical hypnosis to help families break the cycle between anxiety and physical symptoms.

Your child's pain is real. The path forward is too.