Counseling for Teenagers

Therapy for Teens in Monrovia, Arcadia, Sierra Madre and Pasadena

Your teenager can be confident, productive, and whole. They just need a little support.

Most people struggle at some point in their teenage years, whether it’s due to a major life change, a traumatic event, questioning identity and values, difficulty with peers, or many other common experiences. But sometimes, the emotional pain becomes too much to bear.

You can see your child suffering and want to provide them the space they need to heal, but what you’ve tried up to now hasn’t worked and you’re not sure what to do. This is when therapy can help.

As a board certified art therapist and EMDR certified therapist, I am uniquely qualified to help your teenager explore and express complex emotions in a practical way that provides them with tools they can use on their own. They will have the opportunity to share their experience, learn coping strategies, and receive support from a trusted adult.

Some of the common problems that art therapy and EMDR therapy helps teens overcome include:

• Pressure about school performance and dealing with school stress

• Questioning identity, beliefs, and sexuality

• Adjusting after a major transition, such as divorce or moving homes and/or schools

• Difficulty sleeping or eating due to stress and anxiety

• Feelings of loneliness, sadness, anger, and worry

• Difficulty making and/or keeping friends, and anxiety over social situations

• Isolating themselves at home and/or school  

FAQs About Therapy for Teens

How long do you think my teen needs to be in therapy?

This is difficult to predict without first getting to know your teenager. However, art therapy and EMDR therapy both offer excellent ways for adolescents to express themselves and help us get to know one another rather quickly. These therapies also provide resources for teenagers to process their deep emotions more quickly than traditional talk therapy. 

What is my role as a parent in the therapy process?

Success in therapy is greatly impacted by your involvement, but that doesn’t mean you’ll attend sessions with your teen. We will work together to identify treatment goals and create a plan that makes sense for your family. I am also available via phone, or before or after sessions, to talk about any concerns and to support you in parenting strategies that can help with teenagers. 

What is EMDR therapy and how is it helpful for adolescents?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, or EMDR for short, is a type of therapy shown to be effective for different types of stress and anxiety. Unlike many forms of therapy, EMDR does not focus on talking, making it a very useful strategy for working with adolescents if they are ambivalent about therapy. EMDR therapy helps the brain to process memories and heal, without requiring a person to share verbally or go into detail regarding difficult or traumatic events. 

Click here to read more about EMDR on the EMDR Therapy page.

What is art therapy and how is it helpful for adolescents? 

I use art therapy to do much more than draw with your teenager. Art is a common way teens express themselves and I use art therapy to assess developmental stages, improve family communication, and build upon your teenager’s personal resources. 

We use a variety of art supplies and I always choose the art intervention to specifically help your teen meet their treatment goals. Your child will create a folder for their art work, which will be stored securely in my office until the end of treatment. It is always fun to review these during the final session with teens!

I’m happy to answer any other questions you have about whether or not therapy is a good fit for your teenager. Contact me today to set up a free phone consultation.