Therapy for Kids (and Parents!) Navigating School, Friendships, Family, and Big Feelings

Teen Therapy for Anxiety, Self-Esteem, and Emotional Regulation in Thousand Oaks, Santa Monica, and throughout California

My Background Working with Teens

As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, my professional background includes a decade of experience supporting adolescents and families, including intensive work in a specialized teen treatment center.

Having worked with teens navigating complex emotional struggles, crisis situations, and family dynamics, I know how crucial it is for teenagers to feel truly heard. Therapy with me isn’t about 'fixing' your teen; it’s about giving them the tools to navigate a world that often feels like too much. By blending somatic nervous system support with evidence-based trauma care (including SE, EMDR, DBT, and IFS), I meet teens right where they are. In my Santa Monica and Thousand Oaks offices or virtually throughout California, I focus on helping your teen build deep self-trust and emotional strength, so you can stop worrying and start seeing them thrive."

What We Can Work on Together

A woman making a facial expression that appears to be a combination of annoyance and anger, against a plain white wall.

Navigating Big Emotions

Two women with their hair in buns hugging each other against a clear blue sky.

Family & Relationship Striggles

Two people running barefoot through a grassy field during sunset.

Life Transitions and Future Fears

Teens in school

Social & Academic Pressure

Four hands holding rainbow pride flags against a blue sky.

Gender and Sexuality

Person with braided hair sitting on a red booth seat, using a laptop with a plant and greenery in the background.

Identity & Self-Discovery

If you’re a parent seeking therapy for your teenager, you might be noticing your teen:

  • Your teen feels anxious, overwhelmed, or easily stressed

  • They are struggling with self-esteem or confidence

  • They have difficulty expressing or managing emotions

  • There are challenges in friendships, school, or family dynamics

  • You want them to have more support than they currently do

A young girl sitting on a couch playfully pointing a stick or wand at a woman who is sitting opposite her, out of focus in the foreground.

How I Can Help

Adolescence can be a time of significant emotional, social, and developmental change. Therapy offers kids and teenagers a space to explore what they’re experiencing in a way that feels supportive and non-judgmental.

In our work together, your child can:

  • better understand their emotions

  • develop tools for managing anxiety and stress

  • build confidence and self-trust

  • feel more supported and understood

Teletherapy

Frequently Asked Questions

  • It is normal for kids and teens to experience mood swings, emotional outbursts, or periods of stress. However, therapy can be beneficial when you notice persistent changes in behavior, declining school performance, social withdrawal, intense anxiety, difficulty regulating emotions, or major life transitions like a family move or divorce.

  • Parents and caregivers are essential partners in treatment. Depending on your child's age, we will include regular parent check-ins, family sessions, or parent guidance tools to support your child at home. For younger children, parents are often closely involved; for teens, we collaborate while maintaining their individual therapeutic space.

  • Trust is vital for teen therapy to be effective. While parents have legal rights to medical records, I maintain a boundaries-based privacy agreement with teens so they feel safe opening up. I provide parents with high-level updates on goals and progress, but detailed session content stays private—unless there is a safety concern regarding self-harm, harm to others, or abuse.

  • Answer: Younger children process emotions through action rather than abstract conversation, so sessions often incorporate play, creative art, and body-based movement to help them express feeling stuck or overwhelmed. Teen sessions focus more on collaborative talk, somatic grounding techniques, and building practical coping strategies for stress, school, and relationships.

  • Hesitation is completely normal! I meet teens with zero pressure and complete authenticity, giving them agency over their space. Framing the initial meeting as a low-stakes consultation where they get to see if I am a good fit can help ease resistance and build early trust.

  • Therapy length depends entirely on your child or teen’s unique needs, goals, and response to treatment—some benefit from short-term focused support, while others thrive with longer-term care. To accommodate school hours and busy family routines, I offer both flexible online video sessions across California and in-person appointments.

Want to see what working together feels like?

You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out. Let's start with a casual, 15-minute conversation.

For Parents

Book a free 15-min call to discuss how we can support your child.

Schedule a Consultation

For Teens

Have questions first? Reach out directly - no pressure or heavy commitments.

Ask a Quick Question