Therapy for teens who are tired of pretending they are fine
Ages sixteen and up · Online in Hawaii, Arizona, Washington, North Carolina, and South Carolina
I work with teens who feel like they grew up a little too fast. The ones who hold everything together at school and at home, then shut down, explode, or go numb when it is finally quiet. The teens who get called dramatic, lazy, or disrespectful when they are actually overwhelmed and exhausted.
If you are a parent or caregiver, this is a place where your teen can be honest without you feeling shut out. If you are a teen reading this for yourself, this is a space where you do not have to talk like a brochure to be taken seriously.
Why I work with older teens
Teens sixteen and older are in a specific and intense season of life. You are making adult level choices while still living under other people’s rules. Many of the teens I see carry trauma, identity stress, school pressure, and responsibilities that would drain most adults. I focus on older teens because this age group needs a therapist who will talk to them like real people, not children, while still keeping caregivers in the loop where it matters.
What this season can feel like
Feeling on edge all the time, snapping at people you actually care about, or going straight to shutdown and silence when there is conflict.
Anxiety that shows up as overthinking, replaying conversations, or trying to control every tiny thing because so much else feels out of control.
Trouble focusing, late work, or missing assignments even when you want to care. Feeling like you are always in trouble at school or at home and no one sees how hard you are trying.
What therapy can help with
Big emotions that feel too intense or too shut down, especially when there is trauma, identity stress, neurodivergence, or early responsibility in the mix.
Navigating friendships, boundaries, relationship drama, and social media without losing yourself or letting other people decide your worth.
Making sense of family expectations, culture, faith, gender, and sexuality so you are not carrying those questions alone inside your head.
How I work with teens
Sessions are collaborative and honest. You can talk, be quiet, swear a little, or sit in hoodies and eye rolls while we figure things out. You do not need a perfect story or adult words to be taken seriously.
I am straightforward. I talk like myself, not a therapy script. You can show up however you are that day. If you drop a curse word while talking about something heavy, that is fine. If you come in shut down, we work with that too. I will never call you out to embarrass you, but I will name what I see when our relationship is strong enough for it to actually help. You get honesty, respect, and zero fake energy.
We work with what is happening in your body as well as what is happening in your life. That might mean noticing how your stomach drops when your phone lights up or how your brain checks out in class after one small comment.
How caregivers are included
Parents and caregivers are an important part of this work. I support your teen and I also want you to feel informed and supported, not blamed or shut out.
At the start we talk together about goals, boundaries, and what information will be shared. Your teen has privacy and space to be honest, and you have a therapist who will communicate about safety, themes, and next steps.
If there are safety concerns, self harm, or high risk situations, we make a clear plan together so no one is carrying that alone. Your teen’s well being is a shared priority.
Confidentiality and safety
Teens need privacy in order to be honest. I protect that privacy as much as the law allows. We are clear up front about what is private and what I must share with caregivers, such as serious safety concerns.
My goal is for teens to feel safe enough to tell the truth and for caregivers to feel included enough to stay connected. No one benefits from secrets that create more distance at home.
Tools we might use in session
I use trauma informed, culturally aware therapy that pays attention to both story and body. Depending on what you need, we might use EMDR, Brainspotting, or Accelerated Resolution Therapy to help with memories, images, or body reactions that do not calm down on their own.
For neurodivergent teens we build around your brain, not against it. That can mean fidgets, movement breaks, visual tools, or shorter bursts of focused work. Your traits are not a problem to fix. They are information about what support you need.
For teens with trauma or exploitation histories, pacing and safety are everything. We go slowly on purpose and you always have a say in what we talk about and what we do not touch yet.
If this sounds like your teen or like you, we can start here
You do not need a perfect explanation or the right clinical words. A few lines about what has been going on is enough. If your nervous system is telling you it is time for more support, that is worth listening to.