Therapy for Teens
A teen can become harder to reach without being able to explain what has changed. Conversations end in irritation or silence. Schoolwork takes over the evening—or becomes difficult to begin. Friendships narrow, meals become contentious, and time alone offers relief that is difficult to find elsewhere.
For some, distress exists alongside strong grades and considerable achievement. For others, it is already affecting attendance, relationships, or daily routines. Therapy begins by understanding the experience behind those changes and what the teen has been trying to manage.
For teens
You may know what is bothering you, or simply know that you do not feel like yourself. It can be difficult to explain feeling overwhelmed, left out, constantly evaluated, or irritated with people you care about. Sessions give us time to understand what is happening without requiring you to have the explanation ready.
We work with the situations that matter to you: getting through school, handling a difficult friendship, responding to pressure, or saying something at home that usually ends in an argument. The work includes understanding your reactions and finding responses you can use outside the appointment.
Privacy matters in this work. At the outset, we discuss confidentiality, its limits, and how parents or caregivers will be involved, including when information may need to be shared for safety or other legal reasons.
For parents
It can be difficult to know when to step in and when to give space. Repeated questions may lead to less conversation; attempts to help can be heard as criticism. Concern grows while the same exchanges become harder to interrupt.
Part of our work is understanding what the behavior may be communicating, what needs a direct response, and how support can be offered more effectively. We discuss your involvement from the beginning. Parent consultations and family sessions may be included when useful, alongside room for the teen to develop their own voice.
Concerns we can examine together
Anxiety, perfectionism, and self-criticism
A mistake feels difficult to recover from. An assignment is repeatedly revised or postponed because beginning feels exposing. Reassurance helps briefly, then the question returns. We examine what makes uncertainty or disappointment so difficult and practice ways of responding with less avoidance and self-punishment. Read more about perfectionism and anxiety in teens.
Eating and body image
Food rules, skipped meals, body comparisons, or exercise that becomes difficult to miss can occupy an increasing part of daily life. We address eating and body-image concerns directly while examining the distress they may express or help manage. Caregiver involvement and coordination with medical or nutritional professionals are considered as part of treatment planning.
ADHD and school difficulties
Knowing what to do and being able to start are different difficulties. Lost assignments, unfinished work, time pressure, and repeated reminders can become entangled with shame and conflict. Work on ADHD-related concerns attends to practical structure and follow-through, alongside the judgments a teen has developed about their ability and effort.
Bullying, cyberbullying, and exclusion
Repeated ridicule, rumors, threatening messages, or private material shared without permission can make school—and the phone carried home from it—feel difficult to escape. A teen may withdraw, resist going to school, or say little because speaking up feels exposing or risks further attention. Therapy makes room to discuss what has happened, address shame and self-blame, and plan practical support with caregivers and school staff when appropriate.
Social-media comparison and self-worth
Images, achievements, appearance, and visible measures of popularity can become a constant point of comparison. A photograph of an event they were not invited to, an unanswered message, or a carefully edited image can carry conclusions about belonging, attractiveness, or being left behind. We examine how those comparisons affect mood, body image, friendships, and daily choices, and work toward a relationship with social media that leaves more room for the teen’s own interests and judgment.
Isolation and life online
Retreating to a bedroom, game, or online friendship may offer relief or meaningful connection. We explore what that space provides, what has become difficult elsewhere, and how the teen wants their social life to change.
Irritability and low mood
Less interest in familiar activities, disrupted sleep, frequent arguments, or a sense that nothing will improve deserve attention. We look at when these experiences arise, how they affect daily life, and what support and treatment are needed.
Trauma and family strain
A loss, frightening experience, separation, or sustained conflict can leave a teen guarded, easily overwhelmed, or reluctant to discuss what happened. Trauma-informed work attends to the effects in the present, with care for the pace at which the teen can engage.
How I work
My approach draws from CBT, DBT, RO DBT-informed principles, mindfulness, and somatic work, according to the concerns we identify. Sessions combine close attention to the teen’s experience with practical work on emotions, decisions, relationships, and daily habits.
Getting started
I see teens ages 11 and older in Cumming and Sandy Springs, and by telehealth throughout Georgia. Both offices are a short drive from Roswell, Alpharetta, and the surrounding north Atlanta area. A complimentary 15-minute consultation, usually with a parent or caregiver, offers time to discuss the concerns and next steps. Consultation requests are for routine scheduling and are not an emergency service.