Online therapy for teens who are anxious, overwhelmed, or shutting down

Signs your teen may need more support

• Pulling away: door closed, one-word answers, less time with friends.
• Grades slipping, missing assignments, or suddenly caring far too much about every point.
• Panic or stomach aches before school, tests, performances or social plans.
• Sleep that is off: up until 3 a.m., impossible to wake, or both.
• Irritability, anger, or tears that seem to come out of nowhere.
• Perfectionism and meltdowns when things are not exactly right.
• Dropping activities they used to love.
• Social anxiety: avoiding parties, group chats, or raising a hand in class.
• Saying "I'm fine" in a way that clearly means they are not.
• A big change at home or school, and they have not been themselves since.

Some of what you are seeing is adolescence doing its normal, messy work. Some of it may be anxiety, depression, or stress that has outgrown what your teen can handle alone. You do not have to know which before you reach out. That is what the first call is for.

What makes therapy with teens different

Not every teen can work with every therapist, and trust is the whole game. Some teens ask for therapy. Many do not. It takes a lot for a teenager to open up to an adult, and I have spent 20 years earning that. I do not lecture, I do not take sides, and I do not pretend their problems are small. Once a teen decides I am safe, they tend to be more honest than most adults.

Online works especially well for this age group. They are in their own room, on a screen they are already comfortable with, with no drive and no waiting room where they might see someone they know. Sessions fit around school, practice and homework.

How parents are involved

1. It starts with you. The free 15-minute call is with the parent. You tell me what you are seeing, I answer your questions, and we decide whether to go ahead.
2. The first session sets the rules together. Your teen and I meet, usually with you joining briefly at the start, and we agree on what stays private and what you will hear about. Teens need privacy to open up. You need to know your child is safe and that things are moving. Both are possible, and I say exactly how.
3. You get regular check-ins. How things are going, what we are working on, and concrete ways to help at home. Where it is useful, we hold separate parent sessions, and sometimes a family session. Many parents tell me these change how they understand their child.
4. Safety always comes first. If I am ever concerned about your teen's safety, you hear from me immediately. That is a promise I make to both of you on day one.

What we work on

Anxiety and panic, school and test stress, perfectionism and the fear of failing, low mood and withdrawal, friendship and social anxiety, confidence and identity, family conflict, and big transitions: a new school, a divorce, a move, the leap to college. The work is practical: real tools for calming down, thinking clearly, and handling the situations that have been overwhelming them, built at your teen's pace.

Practical details

Sessions are 50 minutes by secure video. Your teen needs a private space with a door, a device, and ideally headphones. I see teens from about 13 through high school and young adults through their twenties, anywhere in California. I am in-network with most major insurance plans, and private pay is $140 per session. See insurance and rates.