Therapy for Teens and Adolescents

Being a teenager is hard enough, but when you are also dealing with overwhelming emotions, challenges in connecting with family or peers, identity-related issues like gender transition, or stress related to school or home, it can feel almost impossible. That’s why our team is trained to work with teens and adolescents to address their unique mental health needs. We help teens and adolescents to build the skills they need to maintain healthy relationships, respond to stress, and navigate life’s challenges with resiliency. We offer a range of individual and group counseling services tailored for teens to grow, heal and find community. 

For caregivers of teens and adolescents, we can help you understand your child and respond with empathy to their mental health needs. We know that it can be hard to watch a loved one struggle with self-harm, suicidal thoughts, or feelings of hopelessness. In addition to one-on-one support for teens and adolescents, we also offer family therapy services and psychoeducation for caregivers and parents.

Self Harm/Suicidal Ideation

Since 2007, the United States has seen a 64% increase in the suicide rate for young people ages 10-24. [1] Non-suicidal self-injury also increased with 1 in 3 teens reporting having engaged in some type of self-injury. [2] The Trevor Project’s national survey of youth found that 39% of LGBTQ+ young people and 46% of transgender and nonbinary young people seriously considered suicide within the past year. [6] Despite these challenges, we know that this generation of teens and adolescents are more aware of mental health needs than ever before.

Our team of mental health therapists and counselors  help adolescents and teenagers manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, and PTSD that might contribute to suicidal ideation and self-harm. We take an attachment-based perspective to create a secure and trusting environment where clients can feel safe to share without feeling judged or rejected. We also work with recent graduates of residential, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs as they step down from these more intensive treatment programs. If you are looking for a place where you can continue your mental health journey, allow us to provide an affirming and welcoming space for you.

From a developmental perspective, adolescence is a time of transition as young people begin to form relationships outside of their family of origin and develop their own sense of identity. [3]  For some teens, it can be challenging to form healthy relationships with peers. When bullying, neurodivergence, or a marginalized identity get in the way of making friends, we can help teens cope and build skills to socialize with ease. We can help teens develop and maintain positive self-esteem, healthy boundaries, and a sense of connection to community. Our focus on attachment styles can help teens understand how relational patterns show up in their friendships and other relationships. 

We also offer individual and family therapy services to address strained relationships within the family. If you feel that it’s a challenge just to get along at home, we can help support you. Check out more information about our family therapy services.

School-Based Issues

Identity Related Issues

As adolescents develop and explore their identities, some may feel that they need support in figuring out who they are and how to find their place in the world. It is a misconception that identity development in teens and adolescents is “just a phase” driven by risk-taking or overly susceptible to peer pressure. [5] Rather, we acknowledge that adolescents are rational beings and their choices are driven by complex value-judgments not dissimilar from adults. [5] We use our attachment-based perspective to partner with youth to create healthy boundaries, connect with community, and discover their values. 

For youth who are exploring their gender identity or sexual orientation, we specialize in affirming care and support. Our team are considered experts in the field of LGBTQIA+ issues with decades of lived experience and education to support you in your journey. We can help adolescents and their families navigate affirming care. We also offer low-cost gender support letters.

Most adolescents and teens spend a significant portion of their day in the school environment. When behavioral concerns, ADHD, Autism, or other mental health issues are present, it can create barriers to learning and thriving at school. [4] However, when young people receive the treatment they need early on, they can function better at school. [4] Many are able to catch up to their peers and thrive as adults. 

We acknowledge that our schools are not always able to meet the needs of every student, and that this is especially true for folks who have unique needs regarding their identity or diagnosis. That’s why we aim to provide a space to heal within community. Our evidence-based therapy services for adolescents and teens include Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to address behavioral and emotional concerns, Executive Functioning Coaching to help neurodivergent folks succeed in school, and group therapy options tailored for teens to learn and grow alongside their peers.

Interpersonal Relationships

References

  1. Curtin, S.C., Garnet, M.F. (2023). Suicide and Homicide Death Rates Among Youth and Young Adults Aged 10–24: United States, 2001–2021. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db471.pdf

  2. Peterson, J., Freedenthal, S., Sheldon, C., & Andersen, R. (2008). Nonsuicidal Self injury in Adolescents. Psychiatry (Edgmont (Pa. : Township)), 5(11), 20–26.

  3. Gilleard C, Higgs P. Connecting Life Span Development with the Sociology of the Life Course: A New Direction. Sociology. 2016 Apr;50(2):301-315

  4. Treating Children’s Mental Health with Therapy. https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/treatment/index.html

  5. Pfeifer, J. H., & Berkman, E. T. (2018). The Development of Self and Identity in Adolescence: Neural Evidence and Implications for a Value-Based Choice Perspective on Motivated Behavior. Child development perspectives, 12(3), 158–164. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdep.12279

  6. Nath, R., Matthews, D.D., DeChants, J.P., Hobaica, S., Clark, C.M., Taylor, A.B., Muñoz, G. (2024). 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. The Trevor Project. www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024