Therapy for Adolescents
About Therapy
Therapy IS:
- Confidential (aka private)
With very few exceptions (such as someone being in danger), nothing you share with me is shared outside our sessions; your parents, teachers, etc. will not be told what we discuss or work on together.
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A safe space to share things you may not be comfortable talking about elsewhere (sometimes it helps to be able to tell things to someone you know you won’t run into in the hallways at school, or who isn’t connected to anyone else in the story you are telling!).
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A tool to help you work through difficult times in your life, or process past events that you have struggled to get over.
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A place to learn new skills for coping (aka dealing with your feelings).
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Somewhere you can share doubts, insecurities, AND successes.
Therapy is NOT:
- Universal
Your experience will be different than everyone else’s, and every therapist is different, so even if you have done some type of counseling before or have heard stories from friends or family, that doesn’t mean working with me will necessarily be the same!
- School
While you might occasionally be challenged to work on something in between sessions (such as writing in your journal more, or having a difficult conversation with a friend you’ve been putting off), there is no grading, no rewards OR penalties as a result of the “assignment,” other than what I hope you will be able to learn about yourself by engaging.
- “Easy”
Therapy involves challenging yourself to become better, but my aim is always to make the process as pleasant as possible and above all, to improve your quality of life long-term.
My Style
As your therapist, I promise to never be (or act like) an “authority” who tells you what to do or believes that I know best. No matter their age, I think all people deserve to have their independence and individuality respected. I want to be able to help guide and support you while you navigate the complications of life as a person (because being a human is messy!), while also hopefully motivating you towards change that is meaningful in the ways you need and want. I never offer advice unless you ask for it - because I view it as my job to support and empower you as you discover your own path.