Counseling for the in-between years.
The stretch between childhood and adulthood is longer and harder than most people admit. Anxiety, identity, family dynamics, faith questions, academic and social pressure — met with genuine respect for where you are.
Teens, young adults, and the people who love them
A meaningful part of my practice is working with younger clients — typically ages 13 through the mid-20s. I find this work genuinely rewarding, and I've been doing it long enough to know that adolescents and young adults often need something different from what helps adults: more patience with silence, less pressure to name things, and a relationship where they're not being managed.
Younger clients can tell quickly whether an adult is actually interested in them or just going through the motions. I don't have an agenda for who they should become — I'm interested in who they actually are, and in helping them navigate what's hard right now.
I also work with parents who are trying to figure out how to support a teenager they're worried about — not in the context of family therapy, but in helping parents think through their situation.
What brings teens in
- Anxiety — social, academic, generalized, performance-related
- Depression and low mood
- Identity and self-worth questions
- Family conflict or navigating difficult family dynamics
- Faith questions, doubt, or deconstruction
- Trauma history or difficult childhood experiences
- Grief and loss
- Stress around college, career, or "what I'm supposed to do with my life"
- Feeling disconnected, numb, or like something is off — but not knowing what
Unhurried, honest, and on their side
I don't push teens to talk before they're ready. The early sessions are often about building enough trust that real conversation becomes possible — and that takes the time it takes. I follow the client's lead on pace and depth.
When it's useful, I bring in practical tools — cognitive behavioral approaches for anxiety, EMDR for trauma that has a grip on the present, grounding skills for emotional flooding. But I don't lead with techniques. I lead with curiosity about the person in front of me.
For teens with a faith background, I can integrate that if they want. For those who don't — or who are in the middle of questioning — that's equally welcome.
A note on confidentiality and involvement
When working with minors, I hold what's shared in sessions in confidence — with important exceptions for safety. I'll be clear with teens upfront about what those exceptions are.
I don't give parents session-by-session reports, but I do keep parents informed about the general direction of the work and involve them at key points. The goal is to create a space where the teen can actually be honest — which ultimately serves the whole family.
If you're a parent concerned about your teen, reach out. We can talk through what you're seeing and whether counseling seems like a good fit.
First steps
Whether you're a teen reaching out yourself, or a parent making the first contact on behalf of your kid — welcome. The first session is a conversation. No pressure, no commitment, no agenda beyond getting to know each other.