Adolescent and Young Adult Psychotherapy

I am dedicated to addressing the most current issues facing adolescents and young adults today. Whether they are stifled from prior obstacles, struggling with current issues, or worried about the future, helping young people cope with their challenges is my main objective.

I specialize in adolescent and young adult psychotherapy with the understanding that this population requires an empathic and “real” approach to foster the growth process for both the adolescent and the family. I offer a youthful approach to helping teens with a thorough understanding of teen culture and their unique generation.  I provide a nurturing, nonjudgmental environment whereby clients gain insight connecting their thoughts, behaviors, and emotions and learn coping skills to maximize the effects of counseling long after therapy is discontinued. Being “real,” practical, and current and using humor, music, and art therapy, clients feel they that I can relate to them, that I am approachable, genuine, and engaging.

This population is unique in that I am in the position of providing a service where confidential information is shared by a minor and trying to balance the desires of parents to be kept apprise of the therapeutic process. Legal and ethical guidelines limit how much information is shared and as such some parents might feel left out of the process. Because of this, I often encourage a meeting with my client and a guardian periodically for my clients to review their progress and discuss treatment
goals all together.

Lastly, I share the belief that an individual can only be evaluated in terms of their environment. Therefore, I often collaborate with other professionals to provide my clients with a comprehensive support plan. Some of these professionals may include: psychiatrists, doctors, teachers, family members, coaches, and educational therapists. With appropriate teamwork, the client will not only experience a network of support, but also have a greater likelihood of meeting their goals and consequently
feeling empowered by the counseling process.

Common concerns addressed in counseling:

• Academic stress
• Adjustment issues (e.g. client illness, geographic relocation, divorce,
  family member illness, blended family)
• Peer conflict
• Self-esteem
• Depression and anxiety
• Identity issues
• Substance experimentation and abuse
• Bereavement, grief and loss
• Parent/Child communication
• Career difficulties
• Suicidal thoughts

Common Goals:

• Improvement in mood
• Reduction of symptomatic behaviors
• Insight development & self-discovery
• Improvement of self-esteem
• Identification and correction of maladaptive thoughts that lead to
  maladaptive behaviors and undesirable moods
• Development and utilization of appropriate skills in the following
  areas: communication, problem solving, coping, and interpersonal skills
• Learning to find and manage overall balance in your life (e.g. school,
  work, friends, family, personal time, and fun)

Counseling services available include:

• Individual Counseling (Adolescent and Adult)
• Parent/Child Counseling
• Family Counseling
• Group Counseling
• Couples/Relationship Counseling