Therapy for Teens

The youth of today have come through a pandemic and are living half (or more) of their lives online. Weird times. Nevermind all the usual stuff that makes being (or parenting) a teen extremely fraught (like, say, the teen drives to individuate from caregivers? Explore different identities? Defy all adult wisdom?!) On top of all that, because of the way brain development happens, teens are usually experiencing bigger emotions (outsized anxiety or depression in reaction to circumstances that we adults might consider not such a big deal) and can tend to make bad choices (dang immature pre-frontal cortex!) leading them to be exposed to negative, harmful situations and trauma. One of my goals in therapy for teens is to improve communication and connection between family members, as well as help foster a greater understanding of each other's motives & behaviors.  Teens, nothing your parents do make sense, right?! (And parents, your teen is “impossible to understand,” no?  Weird how we’re all saying the same thing…guys, I feel like we’re on the same page here.) Therapy for teens can help make sense of what’s happening to your family in this challenging stage of life.

Similar to teens, emerging adults are facing a very intense and pivotal stage of life. Everyone wants to know: what do you want to be, and how do you plan to get there? The amount of pressure these usually well-meaning questions place on young people is intense. I like to help young adult clients organize their ideas, reframe their (sometimes unrealistic) thinking, and act as their “adultese” translator/guide/support on the journey to adulthood. If these situations sound familiar, and you’re seeking help, please reach out for therapy for teens and young adults.