Adolescent Therapy
Adolescence can be a challenging time not just for teens, but for parents as well. As your child navigates academic pressures, social changes, and emotional ups and downs, it is natural to feel unsure about how to best support them. I provide therapy designed to offer adolescents a safe, supportive space where they can express themselves openly and develop healthy coping strategies.
Whether your teen is struggling with anxiety, school stress, peer relationships, or identity exploration, I adapt my methods to meet their unique needs. My goal is to help them build emotional resilience, confidence, and the tools they need to manage life’s challenges.
I also have a deep understanding of neurodivergence and the unique ways it can shape an adolescent’s experiences. Whether your child is autistic, has ADHD, or identifies with other forms of neurodivergence, I tailor my approach to honor their individual strengths, perspectives, and needs.
I also recognize how important family support is during this time. As appropriate, I collaborate with parents to ensure we are working together to create a positive environment that fosters your child’s growth and well-being.
If you are looking for professional support to help your teen thrive, I am here to guide both you and your child through this journey.
Areas I Provide Therapy For
Autism: Support for autistic adolescents navigating anxiety, depression, and social difficulties, with a focus on understanding masking behaviors and fostering authentic self-expression. I also emphasize the unique strengths many autistic teens bring, such as creativity, deep focus on interests, and innovative thinking.
Pathological Demand Avoidance or Persistent Drive for Autonomy (PDA) Profile: Supporting adolescents with a PDA profile of autism, characterized by a high level of avoidance of everyday demands and expectations. I focus on reducing anxiety, building trust, and using flexible, collaborative approaches that respect autonomy and promote engagement.
ADHD: Helping teens manage attention difficulties, impulsivity, and hyperactivity while building organizational skills and emotional regulation. I also work to highlight the strengths often associated with ADHD, such as high energy, creativity, and the ability to think outside the box.
Intellectual Disability: Providing tailored support to address challenges, enhance daily functioning, and promote emotional well-being.
Learning Disabilities: Addressing the emotional impact of learning differences, such as frustration, low self-esteem, and anxiety, while building academic coping strategies.
Developmental Disabilities: Supporting teens with various developmental challenges, including those related to cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), to enhance their social, emotional, and adaptive skills.
Giftedness and Twice-Exceptionality (2e): Helping gifted adolescents, including those who are twice-exceptional, navigate perfectionism, social challenges, and asynchronous development (growing at different speeds in different areas, like being ahead in reading but needing help with social skills).
Selective Mutism: Assisting adolescents in overcoming severe anxiety related to speaking in certain social situations, promoting communication and confidence, including use of skills from the Social Communication Anxiety Treatment® (S-CAT®) approach, which focuses on reducing anxiety and increasing verbal communication in a supportive, step-by-step manner.
Chronic Illness and Medical Complexity: Providing emotional support for teens managing ongoing health conditions, such as Type 1 diabetes (T1D), cancer/leukemia, seizure disorders/epilepsy, and cystic fibrosis (CF), and the associated mental health impacts.
School Issues: Addressing academic stress, learning challenges, and school-related anxiety to improve overall school experience.
Bullying: Supporting adolescents who have experienced bullying, fostering resilience, and rebuilding self-esteem.
School Refusal: Helping teens and families understand and address the underlying causes of school avoidance and developing strategies for re-engagement.
LGBTQ+ Identity and Support: Providing a safe, affirming space for adolescents exploring or navigating their gender identity and sexual orientation.
Adoption and Attachment: Supporting adopted adolescents with identity exploration, attachment issues, and family dynamics.
Trauma and PTSD: Helping adolescents process and heal from traumatic experiences using evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches.
Social Challenges: Assisting teens in developing social skills, building friendships, and navigating peer relationships.
Behavioral Challenges: Working with adolescents to understand and manage challenging behaviors.
Social Anxiety: Helping teens reduce fear and anxiety in social situations, building confidence and communication skills.
OCD: Evidence-based support to help teens manage intrusive thoughts and compulsive behaviors using approaches like Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP/ExRP).
Anxiety: Treatment that helps teens face fears, reduce avoidance, and build lifelong coping skills through evidence-based interventions.
ARFID (Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder): Behavioral support to address sensory sensitivities, anxiety, or past feeding challenges impacting nutrition, using approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for ARFID (CBT-AR) and Family-Based Treatment for ARFID (FBT-ARFID).
Pica: In collaboration with teens' medical teams, provide developmentally appropriate behavioral support to understand underlying factors of persistent eating of non-food items and build safer habits.
Grief and Loss: Supporting adolescents through the grieving process, whether due to the death of a loved one, or other significant life transitions.
My Approach
I take an integrative approach to therapy, adapting techniques to meet your child’s specific needs and goals. I draw from a range of evidence-based and therapeutic modalities, ensuring that each session is personalized and effective. Approaches I use include:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): An evidence-based approach focused on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors that contribute to emotional distress. CBT helps adolescents recognize how their thoughts influence their feelings and actions, equipping them with practical strategies to challenge negative thinking and develop healthier coping skills. Additionally, CBT teaches valuable coping techniques for situations where altering thought patterns may not be appropriate, helping teens manage distress and navigate difficult emotions effectively.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): An evidence-based therapy that helps teens develop skills in emotional regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. DBT is particularly effective for adolescents struggling with intense emotions or relationship conflicts, providing them with tools to navigate life's challenges more effectively.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Helps adolescents learn to accept difficult emotions and thoughts without judgment while committing to actions that align with their values. ACT encourages teens to focus on what matters most to them, fostering resilience and psychological flexibility.
Exposure Therapy: An evidence-based technique used to help teens gradually face and overcome fears or anxieties in a safe and supportive environment by reducing avoidance and building confidence.
Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP/ExRP): An evidence-based therapy that helps teens gradually face feared thoughts, images, or situations while reducing compulsive behaviors in a supportive, step-by-step process.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT): Combines cognitive therapy with mindfulness strategies to help manage anxiety, depression, and stress. MBCT teaches adolescents to stay present, recognize unhelpful thought patterns, and respond to stress with greater awareness and calm.
Attachment-Based Therapy: Focuses on building secure and healthy relationships, often addressing early attachment patterns that affect current emotional well-being. This approach helps teens develop trust and emotional security in their relationships with others.
Behavioral Activation: An evidence-based method that encourages engagement in positive, meaningful activities to combat depression and improve mood. By helping teens reconnect with enjoyable experiences, this approach fosters motivation and a sense of accomplishment.
Motivational Interviewing: A collaborative approach that helps teens explore and resolve ambivalence about making positive changes in their lives. This technique is particularly effective in addressing behavioral issues and motivation challenges.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT): An evidence-based treatment specifically designed to help adolescents process and heal from traumatic experiences. TF-CBT integrates trauma-sensitive interventions with cognitive-behavioral techniques to reduce distress and promote recovery.
Supporting Teens' Autonomy Daily (STAND): An evidence-based intervention that promotes teens' autonomy and self-management skills in daily life. This approach empowers adolescents to take responsibility for their actions while fostering independence and self-efficacy.
BrainWise: A cognitive-behavioral program that teaches adolescents critical thinking and decision-making skills. BrainWise equips teens with tools to navigate complex situations and make informed, healthy choices.
Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Adolescents (UP-A): An evidence-based, transdiagnostic approach that addresses a range of emotional disorders through emotion regulation techniques. This flexible method helps teens manage anxiety, depression, and other mood-related challenges.
Problem-Solving Therapy: Helps teens develop practical skills to effectively manage life's challenges and stressors. By fostering critical thinking and structured problem-solving, this approach encourages resilience and adaptability.
Core Values in My Practice
All of the approaches I use are:
Neurodiversity-Affirming: I am affirming of neurodivergent identities, recognizing that there is no “one-size-fits-all” way of thinking, learning, or experiencing the world. My practice is inclusive and respectful of each individual's unique ways of thinking and interpeting the world.
Solution-Focused: Therapy is geared toward identifying practical solutions and setting achievable goals, empowering teens to create positive change in their lives. This approach emphasizes strengths and progress rather than focusing solely on problems.
Strength-Based: I focus on recognizing and building on your child's existing strengths, fostering confidence and resilience. By highlighting areas where your teen is successful, we can leverage these abilities to overcome challenges.
Culturally Sensitive: I respect and integrate your family's cultural background, values, and identity into the therapeutic process. My approach acknowledges the influence of culture on experiences, beliefs, and behaviors.
Trauma-Informed: I approach therapy with an understanding of how trauma can impact development and behavior. This means prioritizing trust, safety, and empowerment throughout the therapeutic process.
If you are ready to explore how therapy can support your adolescent’s growth and well-being, I am here to help every step of the way.