What brings someone here
Something is off — and you can see it. Maybe your teenager has pulled back from the family, is struggling at school, or has started dealing with anxiety or depression in ways that worry you. Maybe they've been through something hard, or they're just not themselves and neither of you knows how to talk about it.
Teens often don't come to therapy because they want to. But something in them usually knows they need somewhere safe to take what they're carrying — somewhere that isn't home, and isn't their friend group.
How I work with teens
I don't talk at teenagers. I work with them — at their pace, in their language, with respect for the fact that they have a perspective that deserves to be heard, not just managed.
The work is collaborative and relational. I use IFS to help young people understand the different parts of themselves — the part that shuts down, the part that lashes out, the part that's exhausted by trying to hold it together. When a teen starts to understand their own internal world, things that felt uncontrollable start to make sense.
What I'm paying attention to
Adolescence is a developmental window where attachment patterns get renegotiated, identity forms, and early wounds either deepen or begin to heal. I take that seriously. I also pay attention to what's happening at home — not to assign blame, but because a teenager's nervous system is shaped by the relational environment they live in.
A note for parents
Your involvement matters. I don't exclude parents — I work to keep you informed and included in a way that also preserves your teenager's sense of safety and trust in the process. We'll figure out what that looks like together.
How we track what changes
Depending on what your teen is navigating — anxiety, depression, trauma, or other concerns — I use validated measures to get a clear baseline and track real progress over time. This keeps us all oriented toward what's actually shifting.
Ready to take the first step? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation — no commitment, no pressure. Just a conversation to see if we're a good fit.