Teen Issues

Adolescence can be a confusing time with so many changes happening internally and externally. Not to mention social and academic pressures. I help teens and tweens learn skills to regulate their emotions and get curious about their uniqueness and individuality. I have extensive work with adolescents in both individual and group therapy.

Obviously you know your children better than anyone. There is not a counselor you’ll encounter who could reasonably claim otherwise. What I can offer, though, is a professional setting where I am neither a family member or a peer. At a time in your child’s life when it seems like they might be looking to their friend group instead of to you, it makes sense that you have concerns about what goes on in that friend group away from your supervision. I am the third option.

This can be a challenging time for both the adolescent and the parent or guardian. I treat a very comprehensive scope of adolescent issues including but not limited to: adjustment disorders, challenges at school and academic performance, ADHD, depression, anxiety, self-harm, body image, PTSD, and all forms of abuse, and I also offer Equine Assisted Psychotherapy.

Since I was a trainee in my Master's program in the 1990s, my heart has been working with adolescent girls (ages 13-19). During that time I have also raised two amazing daughters and still love this population!

While I work with adults, I also work with children from ages 9 and older.

Adolescence is a time where it can feel difficult to navigate changes and the brain of an adolescent is complex. I specialize in adolescent mental health and gear my post graduate study towards this age group specifically.

Brain development, peer and relationship issues, sexuality, independence seeking and family conflict, impacts of social media, school, depression, lack of motivation, anxiety, achievement and perfectionism

ADHD Anger Anxiety Conflict Decision Making Depression Grief Impulsivity Motivation Parenting/Discipline Self-Esteem Stress

I've spent most of my career working with adolescents in a wide range of settings. My genuine caring and interest in the lives of my clients helps establish a trusting relationship where healing can take place.

While I work with adults, I also work with children from ages 9 and on.

The teen years are notoriously tough! There are big changes in friendships, development, parent-child roles, and identity. With over 10 years of experience working with adolescents in various roles/settings, I love serving this population. I have provided trauma therapy to incarcerated youth and worked in school and community clinic settings. Specialized experience in: teen anxiety, self-esteem, identity, family/divorce issues, childhood abuse (including sexual abuse/assault), racial injustice.

I have worked with adolescents who are actively "at-risk" of eating disorders, suicide, alcohol and/or substance(s) usage, cutting, depression, anxiety, etc. I am open to discussing my layered approach to these issues. Mostly , it begins with CBT....

The intensity of navigating life during the teen & young adult years can overwhelm a highly sensitive young person's ability to manage and cope. Mood support and learning effective stress coping skills and positive life-management techniques can make an incredibly stressful time period much easier and for a young person.

Not only did I struggle at a teenager growing up here in the USA, but I have 3 years experience working with adolescents and their parents to help young people feel more confident about themselves, improve performance levels at school, and develop meaningful goals. Working with adolescents is one of my favorite groups of people to work with.

Young people idealize this period of adolescence time life in which they focus on the positive developments that occur during this period. Unfortunately, teens face significant issues that can throw them off-course. These issues include depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and a variety of other significant challenges. Family background and family cultures can shape the ways in which teens face situations, but it’s almost impossible to protect a teen from risks to their well-being.

The teen years come with a variety of changes. It can be challenging to balance socialization [friendships, relationship with parent(s), relationship with sibling(s), social media] as teens learn their individual likes, dislikes, values, interests and needs. I provide a nonjudgmental space where teens can learn tools to process and cope with their unique emotional experiences, and most importantly, walk away with radically accepting they are not defined by their feelings.

I have 15 years of experience working with adolescents and find that I build rapport easily with this demographic