FAQ’s About Teen Counseling

Adolescence is one of the most pivotal years in a person’s life. Adolescence is a time of transition that brings with it many challenges. I care about helping teens navigate this period to be the healthiest versions of themselves for the rest of their lives.

I have been working with teens in various capacities for over a decade. I have worked in elementary, middle, high school, and college settings. I built a private practice in Athens, GA before moving to Atlanta where I worked with middle, high school, and college students. In Atlanta, a good portion of my practice works with teens of different ages.

Teens are brilliant. They are curious and creative and thrive on connection. They also are under an immense amount of stress. I have learned that teens want therapy to be a comfortable environment. Some teens want to sit in the office and talk about what is going on in their lives, while other teens want to go for a walk. I have learned to tailor therapy to how a teen opens up best.

Don’t worry; this is a normal feeling for many teens. One of the first things I would share with teens is that therapy is like having a coach. Many teens have athletic coaches, tutors, and teachers. These people help a teen learn skills, refine mindsets, and set goals for success. Therapy does the same thing for a teen’s personal world. I encourage parents to frame therapy as going to see a coach where they learn some skills to overcome challenges and continue to grow. I also encourage teens to try it out just once; if they don’t like it, they don’t have to come back. It can also be helpful to remind teens about confidentiality and how it is THEIR space.

In my work, I find that many teens love coming to therapy. Many express that it isn’t at all what they thought it would be. I take the time to connect with THEIR world as people before we talk about problems. This goes a long way in helping teens feel comfortable opening up.

I want to start by saying as a parent YOU ARE DOING A GOOD JOB. Adolescence is just plain hard. Sometimes a teen needs a place outside of their family to talk. Being supportive and encouraging a teen to come to therapy goes a long way. As far as reading goes, a book I highly recommend is Parenting the New Teen in the Age of Anxiety by Dr. John Duffy.

YES. Therapy can be one of the most life-changing experiences for a teen. Many parents and teens report it is the highlight of their week.

Adolescence is about growing in independence. As such, the older a teen is, the greater their need for privacy. I typically have the first session just with the teen, where we build a relationship and understand what the teen’s goals are. The second session is with parents/caregivers, where we talk to discuss your goals for your teen. After that, we will check in periodically about progress but won’t discuss details. It is helpful to ask your teen about it and encourage sharing between you. The more a teen feels that I share what is said with parents, the less a teen might feel comfortable opening up. I do offer parent sessions, but these are about general progress.

The answer is yes, but not immediately. I typically find that beginning with one to two in-person sessions with a teen goes a LONG way in building a virtual relationship. I have found that most teens get a lot out of virtual therapy once we have met in person.