For parents of teens
If you’re here, you’re probably worried about your teen and wondering whether therapy will help. That’s a good instinct. Here’s how I work with teens and their families.
Balancing independence and connection
For the past decade I’ve worked specifically with teens, launching young adults, and their families. A main focus is helping teens grow more independent while staying connected to the family. Parents are an important part of that, and I’ll help you know how to support your teen without taking over.
As a marriage and family therapist, I take a systems approach. Even when I’m seeing your teen on their own, I’m thinking about the whole family and how everyone fits together.
How you’re involved
- Getting started. For teens under 18, a parent or guardian completes the paperwork and consent.
- Check-ins. When we’re not doing family sessions, I update parents every other week.
- Family sessions. When it would help, we can bring family members in for a session.
- Parent coaching. Sometimes I’ll ask for a session with just the parents, to help you connect with your teen more effectively.
Privacy and trust
I tell every family the same thing: I don’t keep secrets. There are times I’ll hold on to something for a while, until the relationships are steady enough to hear it. But overall, I want your family talking to each other, not only to me. If your teen’s safety, or someone else’s, is ever at risk, I will always tell you. We’ll go over exactly how this works together at the first session.
Signs therapy might help
- Worry, panic, or avoidance that’s getting in the way of school or friends
- Big changes in mood, sleep, or behavior
- A hard transition: a move, a divorce, a new school, or leaving home
- Pulling away from family more than seems typical