Teen Therapy

Many teens are resistant to starting therapy. They might view the therapist as an ally to their parents and not for them. This is a common misconception that is often alleviated after the first meeting with a therapist. The therapeutic alliance is the number one tell-tale sign whether or not your teenager will be helped through therapy. Once your teenager realizes that the therapist is her ally and not yours, she will be more likely to engage in treatment. A therapist very often can serve as a positive adult role model who isn’t the teen’s parent, which increases the likelihood that your teen won’t dismiss the guidance presented through therapy. As someone who has been working with teens for over eight years, I have honed my skills and have become an expert at engaging with even the hardest-to-reach teenagers.

Adolescence is a very common time for depression to set in. Sometimes this is because a more serious emotional disturbance is developing, but often times it is related to the many pressures of adolescence, including physiological and hormonal changes that are occurring at this time. Depression can come in many forms and while sometimes it looks like sadness and tears, it also can present as anger and aggression. Starting therapy for your teen will give him the opportunity to identify and process these feelings that may be driving negative behaviors. As your teenager’s therapist, I will always be sure to provide a non-judgmental and safe space to help your teen examine their beliefs about themselves as well as the challenges they are facing. I am skilled in treating depression regardless of how it is presenting (i.e. sadness, aggression, withdrawal).

Anxiety is another common experience for teenagers, especially living in NYC. Teens today have way more pressure than they used to preparing for high school applications, after-school activities and college preparations. Teens are under tremendous amounts of stress. Working with a therapist is a sure way to calm your teen’s anxiety. Therapy is essential for your teen to learn self-soothing and calming techniques that will help her manage overwhelming anxiety. As your teen’s therapist, establishing a strong relationship with your teen will allow her to be able to trace her roots of anxiety and identify triggers as well as come up with fast acting solutions to calm worries as they arise. I am skilled in helping your teen develop action plans to put into place when and wherever anxiety strikes.