Therapy for Teens —
help your teen thrive
Teens are awesome and this season can offer some of the best years of a person’s life. It’s a time of increasing freedom, personal growth, self-discovery and lots of fun! However, when teens aren’t doing well, this stage of life can be tough. Not just for the teen, but for the whole family. Many teens meet with me because they are feeling stressed out, depressed, anxious, disconnected, unmotivated, angry, or stuck in a rut they cannot get out of.
Parents and caregivers commonly ask me questions like: Does my teen really need therapy or will this improve on its own? Isn’t this just a phase? Are you sure she’s depressed? Or are these normal teenage emotions? Aren’t all teenagers moody? Doesn’t everyone hate school? And while to some degree most families face some kind of issue during the teenage years, the truth is depression, persistent sadness, high anxiety and stress, and an inability to carry out daily tasks is not a phase and not something we want teens to have to endure for long without getting help.
In my work with teens, I focus on creating a safe space in order to help them feel comfortable opening up and making the most out of their time with me. At the beginning, I work to establish a genuine connection so that they can come to know that I’m in their corner every step of the way. This isn’t hard for me because I genuinely like teenagers and have a true appreciation for where they are in their stage of life. Once a teen feels comfortable and ready to open up, I help them identify goals that we can tackle together and then we work on making tangible progress. This might look like learning new coping skills for managing big emotions, figuring out how to increase motivation and reduce stress, finding ways to better get along with their family and friends, and discovering how to feel happier and less anxious.
I take a collaborative approach with parents and commit to helping parents figure out how they can best help their kids and better connect with them in the process. I teach parents how to help teens with anxiety or depression, and I empower them to learn what they can do as parents to help their teens calm down when distressed or highly emotional. In parent sessions, we go over what are the leading causes of depression and anxiety and what parents can do to support teens who are struggling. If you have a teenager who is struggling and could use some help, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Let’s help them get their life back on track.
Are you ready for your teen to begin counseling in Orange County? Reach out to schedule a free phone consultation today.