Anxiety Therapy for Teens
Supporting teens and their parents in regaining control over worry and fear in Sacramento and throughout California.
Is your teen frequently worried or avoiding activities?
Maybe it’s difficult to get them to run errands with you, or perhaps they’re failing classes and are afraid to talk to a teacher or ask for help. You may be frustrated with their inability to concentrate on what you’re saying, or simply lost in how to respond to their “what if” questions. It could be that they’re frequently angry, more than the typical teenage angst.
Whatever it is that they’re experiencing, you’re beginning to notice the impact of this in every facet of their life:
Racing heart, rapid breathing and lashing out
Overthinking at bedtime impacting sleep
Low social engagement (friends, family, peers, teammates)
Decreased or failing grades
These symptoms might be affecting the whole family, not just your teen. Unexplained stomach aches that look more like medical concerns than mental health needs are keeping you, the parent, up at night worrying. Maybe relationships with siblings or grandparents have changed. If any of these symptoms are happening and you’re feeling concerned, you’re not alone and you’re in the right place.
Anxiety Therapy for Teens can help
It may feel impossible now, but your teen can have positive relationships. They can gain control of their thoughts and feelings. They can achieve the grades and confidence they need to reach their goals. And I can help them get there.
Anxiety Therapy for Teens helps your teen do 3 things:
Identify the root cause of the anxiety
Understand how fears and worries impact daily life
Learn skills around coping and tolerance
I’ll help through this process
I will tailor each step to the unique needs and circumstances. My approach to Anxiety Therapy for Teens comes from a place of understanding and challenging the unhealthy thought patterns: thoughts are just thoughts and they can be quieted and grounded.
Parents and families are important too
I work closely with the family system to learn the family dynamics, strengths, and expectations to tailor the therapeutic approach to meeting those needs. The family provides essential support in reinforcing new skills at home and working with the teen toward the desired outcomes.
Common questions about anxiety in teens
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In person sessions can include talking, walking, art or play and I am not afraid of silence. Telehealth sessions can include talking, art, and interactive online activities. Identifying and working with an individual’s strengths will come up a lot in our sessions as I believe what you’re already good at can play a big role in the changes you want to make.
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We’ll work together to identify the frequency and duration of sessions and have ongoing discussions about how sessions are going. We can do short-term, skill focused therapy or we take a little longer to process emotions and experiences - this depends on the need and desire and can change.
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Yes! I firmly believe that the parents play an integral part in the therapeutic process. Although your teen is the client, I will do frequent check-ins and follow ups with the family on the client’s needs, progress, and skills to better support the client in the home.
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While I can’t make guarantees, I will share that I know learning and growth is possible - I see it daily in my work with teens and families. The therapeutic relationship is an important factor in determining readiness for change - both for learning and for implementing. Schedule a free consultation with me and we can get to know each other and see if we’re a good fit!
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We will start with a 20 minute phone call where I will talk with both the teen and the parent about their needs and desires for therapy to determine appropriate fit. Within our first session together, we will identify strengths, needs, expectations and take our time getting to know one another through talk and games or activities. The foundation for therapy is the therapeutic relationship and we will take our time to ensure we work well together so that the changes and progress desired can happen organically and efficiently.
Fearfulness and Avoidance don’t have to be their story.
I can help.