Adolescence is one of the most consequential and disorienting periods of a person's life.

Teenagers face hard, unavoidable questions: who am I, and how do I find my place among others without losing myself in the mix? This is the normal, turbulent work of becoming a person, but the ways teens grapple with this process can sometimes create new sources of difficulty. Anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem; struggles with friendships and identity; academic pressure and perfectionism; self-medication and addictive behaviors; self-harm; withdrawal — these are often attempts to cope with internal experience that feels too intense, lonely, confusing, or shameful to bear.

The goal of therapy isn't to simply suppress or control these behaviors, but to understand what they are communicating, and to help young people find healthier, more flexible ways of being with themselves and others.

Therapy with adolescents is often a bit different than with adults. Sometimes that means more concrete support: tools, skills, a structured way of thinking through a problem. More than anything, though, what tends to promote healthy growth is having someone genuinely close to their experience, to help them navigate what they’re going through without panic or judgment, and with more clarity and curiosity.

Parents are an important part of this work. While therapy itself is confidential, I check in with parents regularly and as the need arises. My aim here is not to report on what their teenager has said in sessions, but to help parents get a clearer sense of how things are going, and to think through how best to support their child at home. Teenagers do better when their parents feel informed and engaged, even from a healthy distance.

Adolescent concerns I am experienced in working with include:

Anxiety and depression

Low self-esteem

Academic pressure and perfectionism

Academic underperformance

School refusal and avoidance

Difficulties with friendship and belonging

Social withdrawal

Anger, irritability, and aggression

Substance use and addictive behaviors

Questions of identity around race, gender, and culture

Family conflict

Life transitions