Teen Issues

Adolescents is a unique time in a girls life that can bring forth an array of emotions, experiences, doubts, relationships issues and even traumas. I love working with adolescent girls to develop a relationship with their inner knowing, confidence, and self-love to navigate their experiences and emotions in more helpful way.

Working with teens requires an eclectic set of skills. In my experience with teens, the recipe for successful therapy is a safe trusting relationship. To build that I combine a play therapy approach with Internal Family Systems and Somatic Therapy work. I provide many options to work through the discomfort some teens experience in the therapy process. Art, play, movement, and nature are some modalities which allow teenagers to more easily explore their experience.

Teens today struggle with confidence and the pressures of success in school, sports, and home to balancing social media, technology and life. They are surrounded by a world sending them confusing messages causing anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, stress and more. Sessions with preteens and teens are fun, interactive, and challenging to help them discover who they are and who they want to become.

I have worked with adolescents for the past 3 years, working on issues such as school and peer struggles, anxiety, depression, trauma, self esteem, and family conflicts.

Since I was a trainee in my Master's program in the 1990s, my heart has been working with adolescent girls (ages 13-19). During that time I have also raised two amazing daughters and still love this population!

Your teen isn't always going to feel comfortable approaching you with hard topics. A lot of my clients discuss their discovery of sex or drugs with me whenever rapport is built, and I always want to foster open communication and trust regarding those topics. I always tell my clients that I wasn't their age too long ago and how

I’ve worked with teens in varying levels of treatment including residential treatment, intensive outpatient programs, and outpatient therapy. I love working with teens because of the unique experiences during this phase of life. The teens I help struggle with school, family relationships, peer relationships, and finding who they are and who they want to be. I help teens build confidence in all areas of their lives.

Peer pressure, bullying, cyberbullying, anxiety, depression, stress, low self-esteem, family conflict, issues at school.

I have worked with 5-year-olds to seniors in high school for most of my career. I do very well with kids, and they seem to be very comfortable and open with me. We discuss therapy goals with parents/guardians and get to work. But I promise you we have fun reaching the therapeutic goals!

https://www.zenzonehealth.com/teen/adolescents

I work with teens on issues they face today when it comes to friendships, their parents, social media, and the pressures of school

Most of my career has been working with youth in foster care, mentoring, and in residential placements for youth who have been adjudicated and are on probation or parole. I am experienced working with youth with behavioral struggles, figuring out their identity, dealing with substance abuse, legal problems, or emerging mental health disorders. The clients I've worked with have expected me to be someone they can relate to as well, and I am goofy, a gamer, sometimes inappropriate and patient.

Growing up today is harder than at almost any other time in history. Teens are experiencing anxiety and depression in record numbers at a time when they have less resiliency than ever. Academic pressures, peer pressure, and FMO (fear of missing out) can be more than one can handle. Parent/teen relationships are often the toughest and yet most important to navigate. I can help teens who struggle with anxiety and depression to put things into perspective and learn coping skills to deal with life's pressures. I also work with parents in creating a healthy environment for and relationship with their teen. This age doesn't last forever--there can be light at the end of the tunnel!

I have worked extensively with adolescents and teenagers on everything from anxiety/panic attacks to Identity, depression, self harm, and the early stages of eating or substance disorders. We also work on issues related to the covid-19 pandemic, online vs. in-person school, academic pressures, perfectionism, how to make decisions about choosing a high school or college. And I focus with them on increasing their strengths such as creativity, insight, and the desire to do the therapeutic work.

Adolescence is such a time of transition! For many, this transition results in anxiety, questioning of identity, and maybe a few mistakes. I have years of expertise helping teens to turn this time into an exciting exploration and expression of who they are becoming. Whether there have been concerns about drugs or alcohol use, sexual experimentation or pregnancy, or skipping school, I am confident that I can help both your teen, and yes, you, too, moms and dads!

I have formal training in Child Centered Play Therapy and Jungian Analytic Sand Tray Therapy. I also have experience in youth advocacy and adolescent counseling.

Adolescence can be a confusing time with so many changes happening internally and externally. Not to mention social and academic pressures. I help teens and tweens learn skills to regulate their emotions and get curious about their uniqueness and individuality. I have extensive work with adolescents in both individual and group therapy.

I've always loved helping adolescents through a stage of life that can be overwhelming, exciting, terrifying, and formative all at the same time. That love fueled my decade as a high school and middle school educator, and continues to inform my therapeutic interests, framework, and practice. My background in gender- and sexuality-affirming educational and therapeutic work is also often useful in helping adolescents through challenging development stages.

Not only did I struggle at a teenager growing up here in the USA, but I have 3 years experience working with adolescents and their parents to help young people feel more confident about themselves, improve performance levels at school, and develop meaningful goals. Working with adolescents is one of my favorite groups of people to work with.

I have worked with teens as a teacher, camp counselor, tutor, and facilitator. My many years of working with teens has given me key insights into youth development and life transitions. I value engaging young people in claiming their identities and building independence, key parts of adolescence.