Over the past 20 years, we have honed in on the evidence-based approaches that are most useful for teens. The following is a list of approaches we utilize with teen counseling: 

• Talk therapy
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
• Art therapy
• Sand tray therapy
• Play-based interventions for younger adolescents
• Mindfulness and nervous system regulation
• Strengths-based therapy
• Attachment-focused interventions
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Solution-focused therapy

These approaches allow therapy to feel engaging rather than intimidating while helping teens process difficult experiences in ways that fit their personality and developmental stage.

But our treatment process is more than symptom reduction. Successful teen therapy isn’t simply about making anxiety disappear or improving grades.

It’s about helping teenagers develop:

• Emotional resilience
• Healthy boundaries
• Self-confidence
• Problem-solving skills
• Healthy coping strategies
• Better communication
• Stronger relationships
• Greater self-awareness
• Increased emotional regulation
• Hope for the future

These life skills continue serving teenagers long after therapy has ended.

Parents are an important part of the process. While therapy is centered around your teenager, we believe parents play an essential role in lasting change.

Throughout the therapeutic process, we help parents better understand adolescent development, improve communication, reduce power struggles, and learn ways to support their teen outside of session.

Our goal is never to take sides. Instead, we help families strengthen relationships while respecting your teenager’s confidentiality and creating a therapeutic environment where honesty feels safe.When parents and teens begin understanding each other differently, healing often extends far beyond the therapy office.

That is very understandable and normal. Therapy can initially feel scary. Teens often are very skeptical about it. Perhaps they’ve had a bad experience in the past. In fact, many of our clients initially come to us because they couldn’t connect with past therapists or did not like previous therapy experiences. 

These reasons are exactly why we focus so heavily on our approach and building a solid relationship first and foremost. We spend time getting to know your teen and move at their pace. When they are ready, we can talk about their struggles and in a safe and warm environment. The relationship  we build is genuine. We explore their strengths, give them a safe space to explore their deep feelings with no judgment and approach issues together. 

This strong foundation is what allows for treatment approaches and deep work at a later point. We are easy to connect to and we believe teenagers deserve a therapist who can balance empathy with gentle accountability. We validate what they’re experiencing while also helping them move toward meaningful change. Therapy should feel supportive, but it should also empower teens to discover that they are capable of handling life’s challenges.