Individual therapy for teens (14-18) and young adults (19-23)

to help them feel seen & understood

THERE’S NO MANUAL ON HOW TO BE A TEEN OR HOW TO TRANSITION INTO ADULTHOOD.

And young adults are facing more pressures than ever.

Adolescence and young adulthood can be incredibly challenging times. The constant pressures to excel in sports, get into college, or interact on social media leave many teens and young adults struggling to manage their emotions. Making important decisions about their futures, meeting parents’ expectations and fitting in can often lead to feelings of anxiety, sadness, and overwhelm.

I believe that building trust and connection is the foundation for effective therapy. Without feeling heard and understood, it’s difficult for teens and young adults to open up. That’s why I take a personalized approach to therapy, grounded in relationship. We’ll start by discovering what resonates with them—whether it’s music, sports, art, or another avenue for connection—and use that as a way to engage and build rapport.

Once we’ve established a trusting relationship, we’ll work together to explore what’s bothering them. Together, we’ll brainstorm new coping strategies, skills to help them manage their emotions and navigate challenges that come with young adulthood like organization, succeeding in college, holding a job and time management.

Common areas of focus

Many teens and young adults can benefit from talking about:

  • Academic challenges including staying on top of assignments, school refusal, declining grades, lack of motivation and difficulties with concentration.

  • Social challenges including bullying, peer pressure, interactions on social media, friendship dynamics and romantic interests.

  • Family challenges including frequent conflict, misalignment of expectations, ineffective communication and feeling invalidated.

  • How they are experiencing anxiety, depression and other overwhelming emotions

  • Learning more about themselves - strengthening their identity, building self-confidence and exploring their values.

  • Preparing for the future - transitioning into adulthood, navigating college and how to live more independently.

A note for parents

The relationship between client & therapist is the foundation for creating meaningful change in therapy. I emphasize this relationship when working with your child.

Many parents are curious how involved they will be with their child’s therapy process. I typically leave parent involvement up to the teen or young adult. Some clients find it beneficial to bring parents into session to address rules at home, clarify expectations and enhance communication. Others can be much more hesitant. When I observe continued difficulties within the parent-child dynamics, I often encourage teens and young adults to consider parental collaboration.

Parents may also reach out to me to seek parent coaching. We can discuss effective behavior modification strategies, how to be consistent with consequences and explore how you were parented to allow your role as a parent to shine.