Adolescent Psychotherapy
Find yourself wishing for the days before the walls went up?
They used to want to be home. They used to tell you everything.
But they’ve changed.
They seem to always be in a bad mood; they give you short abrupt responses and seem to fight you on everything.
Their grades are slipping. You’ve received notifications from their school that they have skipped their classes.
They have been caught with drugs, and you wonder are they just experimenting or are they having a problem with it? It seems like they will do whatever to fit in with their peers, from change in their appearance to change in music, to new foods to foods they are no longer eating.
They are constantly looking down at their phone and are consumed with gaining approval from their friends.
Social media has only amplified your teen’s penchant for comparison and feeling left out, thus harming their self-esteem.
Of course, you only want what’s best for them…
So, you worry… and you do what you can.
You worry of the long-term impact that the divorce will have on them.
You worry when you hear the statistics of higher rates of depression and suicide among teens these days.
You want them to feel happy and move on from their breakup with their significant other.
You don’t want them to experience stress and anxiety about what their peers think of them – fearful of losing friends.
So, you do everything you can to help your teen.
You try to sit down and have a conversation with them; but they either give you short answers, or it ends up being a yelling match.
You try and take away their privileges, ground them, forbid them to hang out with certain peers. Then you find out they are still hanging out with that friend, then they sneak out, and they are less likely to tell you what’s going on.
It’s frustrating because after all your attempts to help them, you still feel disconnected from them and don’t know if what you are doing is what’s best for them.
Teens and I connect well with each other.
During my experience of working at a community mental health agency and a non-profit center, I was able to work with several adolescents for years and help them navigate this difficult stage, build connections, and feel supported.
Several teens have told me how relieved they were that I actually understood them and gave them a different idea of how a therapist works.
Through my easy-going and warm personality, teens can put their defenses down and feel safe. My use of humor helps teens feel comfortable with the therapeutic process.
Let me help them navigate this difficult phase of their life.
I give teens a space where they feel empowered and can be themselves.
At a time in their life when they are consumed with what others think of them and are seeking to belong, therapy is very powerful. It’s the one place they can be themselves, because they will not feel judged and know that what they say or do will not be held against them.
My humanistic and strength-based approach sees your teen as a unique individual with many internal strengths. I help them see the parts of themselves that they’ve been taught by others to hate, like their different body shape or their different family dynamics, as positive unique qualities to admire.
I’ll use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy strategies to shift their thoughts into more positive, adaptable thoughts, helping to improve their mood. I help them use positive coping skills like journaling, music, and art to replace any negative ways of coping. This further builds their self-esteem and reduces depression.
When your teen feels seen and validated, they are better able to cope with the harsh teenage world.
You can make these years easier for your teen…
You worry that your teen will see this as another punishment and another way of you not letting them be themselves. But therapy as an adolescent with a therapist that gets teens and connects well with them is a wonderful gift you can give them.
Being here on this site shows your commitment to your teen. You are not giving up and are ready to help make their life better for them.
Let me answer your questions, and let’s explore how I can help your teen. Give me a call for a free 20-minute consultation: (213) 915-6372