Adolescents

Adolescence is usually identified between the ages 13 and 19 and can be considered the transitional stage from childhood to adulthood. However, the physical and psychological changes that occur in adolescence can start earlier, during the preteen or "tween" years (ages 9 through 12). Adolescence can be a a challenging but also exciting time of both confusion and discovery.  This transitional period for many teens can bring up issues of independence, self identity, self esteem, anxiety, and depression. Many adolescents face challenges with peers, schoolwork, family, sexuality, drugs, and social life. Taking notice of changes in your adolescent's mood and behavior is important and making the decision to pursue therapy can be scary but also provide hope. In therapy we work together in order to make the challenges more manageable and assist in making this transformative period in one's life less scary. Depending on the specific needs of the adolescent, I utilize an integrated approach to therapy and incorporate knowledge from different domains (attachment, cognitive behavioral, trauma focused).