Therapy for Teens
Therapy for teens aged 13-17 years
Located in Hurst, Texas
LGBTQIA+ Celebrating, Trauma Informed, Hella Kid Friendly
Holy crap on a cracker being a teenager is hard.
No cap. (did I do that right?)
Expectations are high. Socials have you constantly comparing yourself to other people. Your parents are all up in your business. And Every. Single. Thing. Feels like it's the end of the f*#king world. Or the best thing that's ever happened to you. Depending on the day. Or hour. Or minute, let's be honest.
You can't take one more day of the drama and bullsh*t that is your friend group. You feel like hiding under the covers and hoping it all goes away.
Or you're on the precipice of this big change. Freedom. Adventure. And it's terrifying AF. Maybe its even a change you never even asked for, like divorce, a breakup, or having no idea what to do with your life.
Maybe you're working through some identity stuff, or trying to find your place and your people. And it just seems impossible. Or bleak. Or hopeless.
You work your ass off at school and it never feels like enough. Scarcity culture has you feeling like all the good jobs will be gone by the time you make it to adulthood. (what even is adulthood??) Or they will be something else entirely that doesn't even exist right now and you'll be lost in the shuffle if you don't keep up with everything and everyone.
Maybe on top of all this sh*t your brain works differently than what seems like everyone else, and it makes you feel weird or dumb or like a loser.
Believe or not, it doesn't have to be this way. Just imagine:
Feeling good about your grades and your accomplishments because you aren’t measuring yourself against anyone else.
Actually having fun with your friends instead of playing therapist or negotiator between the drama queens.
Having time to do the things you are passionate about, try new things, or just veg out and binge Emily in Paris again because you don’t have a million things to do and everyone’s expectations to meet.
Knowing exactly what to do in those moments that everything feels like way too much, and how to help your brain and body deal with it all.
Feeling like your parents trust you to make good decisions, and actually wanting to hang out with them sometimes (too far? I had to try.)
Therapy for Teens Can Help
It may feel unimaginable now, but this does not have to be your life. You can change it. You can get back to being your best self again, that is full of life and joy and delight. And I can help you get there.
Therapy for teens helps you do 3 things:
Process the trauma effects in their brain and their body, and integrate them in ways that allows the trauma effects to resolve.
Have a safe space to talk about all the baggage life has saddled you with, how you might feel different, or how you are feeling about this terrible thing that no one else seems to really understand.
Learn how trauma and honestly just adolescence affects your brain and body, and ways you can cope with those things that your can use for the rest of their lives.
Curate the type of relationships you want to have in your friendships and romantic life by defining the things you value, learning to set boundaries, and how to handle it when they are crossed.
I’ll help through this process, tailoring each step to your unique needs and experiences. My approach to therapy for teens comes from a place of connection and optimism: knowing that you intuitively know what you need to work through the moment you step foot in the therapy room. Or likely even before, and you just need that safe and supported space to do the work.
Ok bestie, ready to get going?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the first session like?
A: Even before the first session with you, we will do an in-person or virtual intake session where I get a sense of the big picture of your family, what happened that brought you to therapy, the most pressing issues for you right now , and what your hopes are.
In the first session, the focus is on building connection and felt safety. A person that doesn’t feel safe is unable to make any progress until they do. If you need it, your parent can be in the room in the first few sessions to help offer that connection and safety. The sessions will follow your lead, letting you choose what activities we do and how we do them.
Q: How involved will my parent or guardian be in my therapy?
A: While the you as the teenager are the primary client, and therefore the focus of therapy, collaborating with parents is integral to your success. An hour a week with me won’t change much if nothing else at home changes. I typically meet with parents every few sessions to get feedback on what they are seeing at home, provide insight into the progress I am seeing in the room, and suggestions on things to try at home.
Depending on your relationship with your parents, this may or may not be feasible. One of the rules of being a therapist is keeping things confidential for the client, so unless a situation arises where you may be at risk of hurting yourself or someone else, I will always ask permission before sharing information with your parents.
Q: How do I prepare for therapy?
A: While each person is different, knowing what to expect can take some of the anxiety or fear out of seeing a new therapist. I’ll share photos of me and the office so you can look at them ahead of time and see what it looks like. You can even set a time to come tour the space before your first appointment if that would be helpful.
I’ll spend part of the first session giving you a tour of the office space to eliminate unknowns, providing snacks, talking about privacy, and letting you ask questions.
Q: How do we get started?
A: We will start with a short phone call with your parent and yourself to make sure I’m a good fit for what you need, and answer any initial questions you may have, and then we will schedule your full intake and your first appointment from there.
