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therapy for teens
You don't have to have it all figured out.
Yet somehow it feels like that is what everyone expects from you! With all the transitions you may be experiencing - joining a new friend group, graduating high school soon, etc. - it may feel difficult to meet everyone's expectations while also feeling confident and being true to yourself. I help teens navigate life transitions, build confidence in their identities, decrease feelings of anxiety and depression by building healthy coping skills, and teaching tools to strengthen relationships with friends, family, and self.
Therapy with me may be a good fit if -
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You want to feel heard and valued.
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You want to learn how to be authentically yourself and let go of how others may view you.
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You want to decrease conflict with your friends and/or family.
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You want to learn how to be assertive and create healthy boundaries.
I work with clients of all identities and abilities, both of faith and non-faith backgrounds. I am culturally affirming, trauma-informed therapist.
Dear parents,
You're worried about your teen - and rightfully so - that means you CARE! You are not a bad parent - you're doing the best you can! I will name that I can't magically "fix" your teen (they don't need fixing - they just need some support and connection!). I also can't "make" them agree with any of your values or beliefs (they are unique individuals). I can promise you that I will be fully present for your teen and create an environment of safety and non-judgement so they can work toward processing who they are and learn healthy coping skills along the way. Some frequently asked questions answered below:
Who is the "client" when working with minors?
The easiest way I can explain this is - legally, the parents are the client and ethically, the teen is the client. What does this mean? This means - yes, parents are in the loop, however, I always discuss first with the teen before looping the parents in (unless there is a safety concern). Confidentiality stays with the teen first. If I suspect harm to self, others, child abuse, or elderly abuse - these are instances in which I will let the parents know even if I am unable to consult with the teen first. Ethically, having the teen as the client means I'm looking out for the teens best interest first by creating a confidential, safe therapeutic relationship.
What do parent consultations looks like?
Since teen clients are minors, part of providing strong, holistic care involves advocating on behalf of the teen to the parents. This means having parent consultations to discuss goals, themes, and tools for parents to support their teens. I do not tell parents everything the teen and I discuss in order to maintain a therapeutic relationship of trust with the teen and generally its best to have the teen tell the parents what we discuss when they are ready and if they feel comfortable doing so. Parent consultations occur monthly and the teen can decide if they want to be present. If your family would like parent consultations to be more or less frequent - that is also a conversation we can have collectively!
Are parents/caregivers present for the first session?
Yes! I reserve the first 15 minutes for parents/caregivers + teen to go over paperwork and answer any and all questions your family may have. I then meet with the teen 1:1 for the rest of the session.