FAQ

Yes! That’s actually the beautiful thing about therapy: with the right person and at the right time, people are able to open up in ways that they wouldn’t be able to otherwise. I’m trained to meet people where they are while providing a safe space that leads to engagement. For example, we play lots of games that teach coping skills, do art activities that lead to self reflection, and use hands-on activities like sand trays to describe what can’t be communicated using words. The bottom line is…your tween or teen wants to open up to you, they just may need a little help getting there.

Yes. Therapy works. When tweens and teens are struggling with anger, self doubt, and low motivation, having a neutral person to talk to can relieve inner turmoil and lead to feelings of self competency and self worth. Therapy is an investment in your child’s future, a place to build skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

I work in three states, Missouri, Colorado, and North Carolina and each state has different laws guiding the age of consent for mental health treatment: In the states of North Carolina and Missouri, parents have the right to access all written records for their child up until they are 18. In Colorado, parents need a signed release to see records and participate in appointments if their teen is 15 or older.

In addition to these laws, there is the reality that tweens and teens need to know that they have a safe, private space to say whatever they need to say. When there is something that comes up that I know would be beneficial to share with you, I work with your tween or teen to make a plan for if, when, and how we talk with you about the issue. I also am very clear with all clients that if I am concerned about harm to self or others, I will need to break confidentiality to get the right help.

Yes! Your involvement in the therapeutic process is key. It looks slightly different for TWEEN clients than teen clients: parents of tween clients usually join all or a portion of sessions while TEEN sessions are mostly individual. In both cases, I want parents at the first Evaluation Appointment so that I can really understand the concerns and goals for therapy.

Treating anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues that surface during the tween and teen years usually requires a minimum of 8-10 weekly, hour-long sessions. And sometimes, I work with young people and their families over the course of several years. A good thing to keep in mind is that relief comes quickly. In fact, just the act of scheduling an appointment has been shown to greatly relieve symptoms.

With the right therapist, online therapy can be very effective. In fact, tweens and teens sometimes prefer online therapy to face-to-face sessions. Online therapy can be very convenient when schedules are tight; there’s no traffic, parking, or waiting. In some communities, licensed professionals who specialize in tween and teen therapy are difficult to find and so, considering remote therapists gives you more choice about who you work with. There are some factors to consider, though; perhaps you just prefer face-to-face, maybe your tween or teen struggles with attention and focus, or perhaps there are risk factors that make online therapy inappropriate. We can discuss all of this when we meet for our initial consultation.