Being a teenager is hard. Just the developmental changes and school challenges alone are enough to make the teen years difficult. It’s even tougher if you are coping with depression, anxiety, trauma, bullying, adjusting to a big move, or getting used to a change in family structure. 

In my work with teens I am largely a person-centered clinician. This means that I put the concerns of the client front and center. It also means I believe a strong therapeutic relationship is an essential element of working towards change. In order to support change in teens, I use Motivational Interviewing, a modality that, to somewhat oversimplify things, helps assess and build up someone’s motivation to change! For other challenges, I use elements of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, an empirically supported approach that I often integrate when treating depression, anxiety, and trauma.

With teens, collaboration is the name of the game. I collaborate with parents to get a fuller picture of the teen’s life and struggles (as well as ways for parents to support them at home!), and I collaborate with the teens themselves to identify their values and goals, ensuring they feel heard and motivated to work on their mental health.