Therapy for teens & adolescents

Being a teenager is a lot: school pressure, friendships, family expectations, and a sense of self that keeps changing. Therapy gives teens room to figure it out.

I work with adolescents ages 13 to 18 navigating anxiety, school stress, identity questions, and family dynamics: therapy that meets teens where they actually are.

Sometimes it's obvious: panic before school, grades slipping, a teen who has gone quiet or seems angry all the time. Often it's subtler: perfectionism that never lets up, friendships that keep ending badly, sleep that won't come, or a kid who says "I'm fine" in a way that doesn't feel fine.

For many of the families I see, there is also a cultural layer: expectations that don't translate between generations, pressure to achieve, and the balancing act of belonging at school and at home. I pay attention to all of it.

You might recognize:

  • School stress that spills into sleep and mood
  • Anxiety about friends, identity, or the future
  • Withdrawal from family, or fights that come from nowhere
  • Perfectionism and fear of disappointing anyone
  • Big feelings without words to match
  • Social pressure that never switches off
  • Feeling different and not knowing where they fit

What teens are up against

  • Academic and college pressure
  • Identity questions in a world that watches everything
  • Family expectations and cultural crosscurrents
  • Friendship shifts, exclusion, or bullying
  • A developing brain doing hard things without a manual

Teens do well in therapy when the space is actually theirs. I keep it collaborative — with them, not about them.

How therapy helps.

How I work with teens

Therapy with an adolescent starts with trust. Teens can tell when they're being managed, so I don't do that. Sessions are collaborative and real: we talk about what actually matters to them, build practical skills for anxiety and overwhelm, and make space for the harder conversations when they're ready.

Underneath the skills work, I'm helping your teen build a sturdier sense of self: one that can handle pressure, disappointment, and the question of who they're becoming.

A note for parents

You'll be involved from the start: intake includes you, and I'll check in about progress along the way. At the same time, teens need confidentiality for therapy to work, so I'm clear with everyone about what stays private and what gets shared. If there is ever a safety concern, you will know.

Start Your Therapy Journey

Reach out whenever you're ready.

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