(424) 744-3774

Teen Therapy

In the foreground of this photo is a young teen girl wearing a black and white stripped shirt. She is looking down at her phone and has a sad or distressed look on her face. In the back ground, blurry is a group of girls who are also on their phones.More new experiences than you can count…

Having boyfriends or girlfriends…

Being offered drugs or alcohol at parties…

Feeling pressured to get physical…

Not fitting in with other kids in school…

Grades suddenly slipping…

Their changing bodies…

It’s an incredibly exciting time, but it can be hard, too.

Their futures…

When your entire future lies ahead of you, it’s daunting to think about what comes next. Should they go off to college… or take a gap year… or go to work after graduation?? There are so many options. They’re likely feeling pressured by their school, parents, or friends to do one thing or another.

But what do they really want?

Their life online…

There’s no avoiding it… social media sites are here to stay: Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Hinge, Bumble, OkCupid… teens (and adults!) now live online.

Social media can connect us to people worldwide, but it can also make teens feel lonely and isolated. Having thousands of “friends” online doesn’t always mean having true friends in real life. Plus, they have additional worries about “likes,” “retweets,” and videos “going viral.”

But social media doesn’t have to run or ruin their lives.

A photo of a teen girl sitting at a desk taking a test. She is wearing black jeans, a white t shirt with a blue shirt over it. She is leaning forward with both elbows on the desk in front of her and her head is in her hands. She has a worried expression on her face. On the desk is a paper and pen. Blurry, in the back ground, is a teen boy taking a test.Their school days…

The academic pressure to perform well in school often comes as much from within your son or daughter as from the outside world. The demands of honors and Advanced Placement classes can often feel overwhelming to students, and the implications of a bad grade loom large. Competition for grades can come between friends and lead to social isolation and depression.

When school becomes a negative experience, how do we turn it around?

Their social life…

As they get older, kids and teens spend more time in school, interacting with other students, closest friends, and teachers. Your influence as their parents wanes, and the powerful pull of their peers is strong.

Will they resist the temptation of drugs and alcohol? Will they be pressured to have sex before they are really ready?

Who or what will influence them the most?

Their inner world…

It is hard to overstate the physical and emotional changes teens experience. For some, the transition from child to teen to young adult is seamless. But there are bumps along the road for many. Sometimes, we don’t know what is wrong, only that our once-happy child is no longer present. The external and internal pressures to perform, be popular, and be successful can feel like a burden.

This is a very close up photo of a young person's face. You see only the left side of the face and the gender of the person is unknown. Their eyes are closed and they have a smile on their face.Teens need to know who they are, what they believe, and what they want.

They need to be themselves, living an authentic life.

But being themselves can be hard when they’re constantly bombarded with messages and information from the outside world.

I offer teens a place where they can let down their guard…

…where they can think and feel for themselves.

…where they can talk and think out loud, knowing they will not be judged.

When teens have a forum to explore their thoughts and feelings, away from the opinions of their peers and parents, they get to figure out who they really are. What their true beliefs are. How they want to be seen by the world. They can explore their dreams and imagine a life outside of the confines of their high school world. And they can explore their fears and learn to understand them and face them and seek support when needed.

I provide teens a place to talk about their relationships… with their friends, teachers, and even their parents. With a focus on learning greater and more effective communication skills, teens can learn to navigate their world feeling more in control. I strive to open discussions about social pressures and help teens make independent choices as they grow.

For Parents…

You might wonder what happens when teens come for therapy. For most, therapy for teens looks a lot like therapy with adults, sitting and talking about their concerns or struggles or problems. However, some will prefer to talk as we engage in other activities such as playing cards or coloring. It can take some time for your teen to feel comfortable talking about their deepest thoughts, but I work to establish a trusting and judgment-free relationship where your child can speak with honesty. It’s my goal that your son or daughter find therapy with me to be a safe place to dig deep into their concerns.

You might also wonder what happens if your son or daughter reveals some secret, be it sexual activity, substance use, significant depression or suicidal thoughts, or some other meaningful revelation. This is where I will ask you to trust me. For your teen to feel safe enough to talk about the issues that concern them most, they must believe that their secrets are safe with me. You must trust my judgment as a psychologist. As a parent, I know when to keep their confidence and know when it is my obligation to bring you into the conversation so that we can find solutions to the problems together.

A photo of what appears to be mother and son. The mother is on the right and she has her right hand around the back of the boy's head and she is holding his head. She is wearing a blue and white striped shirt and has a smile on her face. The boy is leaning into his mother and has a smile on his face. His eyes are also closed. He is wearing a white t shirt.You have guided your son or daughter from childhood to adolescence with love and patience…

… (and not a small amount of hand-wringing and tears!)

It can be hard to watch them pull away and come to you less often for guidance as they explore the world outside of their family.

Let me help you.

Let me help them.

I can be another safe adult who they can turn to for guidance and support as they continue to move toward adulthood.

Call me for a complimentary 20-minute consultation at (424) 744-3774.