Teen Therapy

Are you sick of arguing with your teen when you’re only trying to help them?

Do you ever feel like no matter what you say, your teen just won’t listen?

As a parent, it is your job to guide your teen and provide help and support. But often, despite your best efforts, they push you away. Although developmentally this is normal as teens seek independence, it does nothing to decrease the frustration and worry as a parent. Further, how are you supposed to ensure the wellbeing of their teen, when they won’t listen to your suggestions? Teens often don’t want to hear their parents’ life experiences, even if it might be incredibly helpful or relevant.

Sometimes, it can feel like the more you push, the less they are willing to hear you. Many parents describe it as going “in one ear and out the other” when they speak to their teen. Add to the mix any mental health concerns, such as anxiety or depression, and it is very difficult for most parents to know how best to help. Do I push harder? Do I leave them alone? What if I make the wrong decision? Parenting teens is not for the faint of heart.

Do you worry that you’re making the wrong parenting decisions to best help support your teen?

While there is no “right” decision in navigating parenting a teenager, the pressure not to “mess up” can be overwhelming. It seems everywhere you look there is an influencer, news article, or professional recommendation giving you the newest tip to connect with your teen. It becomes impossible to take in all of the advice, and not all of it will fit for your child and family.

It can be so difficult to try strategy after strategy, only to have them work temporarily or not at all. Worry for your child motivates many parents to keep trying, but it can feel defeating when nothing seems to work. When your teen is not interested in opening up and seeking your support, it makes this all the more challenging.

Have you worried that you’re missing something about your teen’s wellbeing?

While independence and separating from parental figures are hallmarks of the teen years, it causes concern for many parents as their teen pulls away. We often hear questions like, “How do I know if my teen is ok?” and “Are they isolating because they’re an adolescent or because they are depressed?” - it is hard to know the difference. It is even harder to worry that your teen’s mental health may be at stake if you miss something as a parent.

Professional support can be helpful in assessing your teen’s overall mental health. Finding the purpose behind a behavior like isolating can uncover insights and provide direction for parents and their mental health team.

You do not have to figure this out alone. We know it is difficult to seek help. We also know that there is hope on the other side when your entire family has the support they need. Allow us to get to know your teen, your family, and create a plan that will actually create change.

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At San Clemente Psychological Services, we are known for our work with teens. We use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to engage them in treatment, and teens often appreciate having action steps that they can take ownership of, on their own. While teens need space and independence, they also still need their parents and family. One of the greatest gifts we strive to give to our families with teens is improved communication as a family foundation.

What to expect

Step 1: Reach out to us for a free screening call to determine how we can help your teen, and who is the best-fit therapist for your family’s needs.
Step 2: We will then set your teen up with a full assessment and intake visit, where we get to know you, learn details about their life and your family, understand the impact of these difficulties, and more. By the end of this visit, we want to set treatment goals with you, ensure you understand what treatment will look like on an ongoing basis, and ideally give you a starting point to get treatment underway right away.
- This initial appointment is split up to have some parts with everyone together (parent(s) and teen with the therapist), and some parts with just your teen and the therapist. We consider it critically important to include parents to the degree that it is appropriate for the treatment goals, and we also want your teen to know that they have a safe space, where they have confidentiality and the ability to speak freely with their therapist.
Step 3 and beyond: We typically start with weekly meetings to lay a good foundation for treatment and begin to see progress. Throughout treatment, we keep parents involved, though the amount of involvement varies depending on the teen’s age, developmental stage, and goals. It may be brief check-ins with a parent at the beginning and/or end of a session, or we may recommend more or less parent involvement depending on the situation. Regardless, we will continue to collaborate with you, ensure we have action plans that make sense for your teen and their struggles, and evaluate progress to be sure we are making progress.

Why work with us?

We have years of experience treating teenagers and their families. We are known in the community for our ability to connect with even the most resistant teens, as well as for including parents in therapy to the degree that it is appropriate. We are skilled in our ability to balance connection and trust with productive, action-oriented therapy, all of which are critical to teen treatment success. Our favorite outcome is when we see families able to have productive, connected communication. Family remains every teen’s foundation and strengthening that is one of the things we strive for in our work.

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Anna Arya, PsyD

Dr. Anna works with clients across the lifespan, from preschool to older adults, focusing on ADHD, OCD, and the LGBTQ population. Dr. Anna sees clients both in the office and virtually.

Renata Halwani, LPCC

Renata works with clients across the lifespan, specializing in children, older adults, grief, and anxiety; she also speaks Portuguese. Renata sees clients both in the office and virtually.

Jennifer Keenen, AMFT

Jennifer works with clients of all ages. She specializes in anxiety, depression, and life transitions. Jennifer is available for both in-office and virtual appointments.

Teen Therapy FAQs

Adolescence is a time of increasing independence, and we want teens to have a safe, confidential space to feel heard and know that treatment is focused on their needs and goals. However, involving the family in tweens and teens can sometimes be an incredibly meaningful part of therapy. We strive to involve family members to support teens in their goals, but also hold their confidentiality and, outside of safety concerns, allow them to choose what is and is not shared with others.

Smart phones, and social media, are an inevitable piece of most teens' lives today. There are pros and cons to this and most certainly times when it can go too far. Often, some boundary setting will come into play, but this may be a tough thing to implement and stick to! This is a very common problem and we can help you to create a customized plan that fits your family and needs.

Disagreements and arguments are, in part, developmentally normal for teens. However, structural changes and open communication can often help reduce this. Compromise and listening from all family members can reduce the frequency of arguments. However, sometimes this is due to things like anxiety, depression, or feeling overwhelmed. We can help your family determine the cause, and come up with a plan for resolution.

Anxiety can express itself in many ways. Sometimes, it comes out as anger/irritability, stomachaches, headaches, muscle tension/pain, poor sleep, and more. It can also look like isolation from friends, or avoidance of going to school or typical events. Let us help you learn what anxiety looks like in your family.

The teen years include many changes, including teens often wanting more independence or separation from their families. However, isolating oneself can also indicate anxiety or depression. If you're concerned about your teen's behavior, we can help you determine the causes and come up with a plan for change.

Self-harm is a scary, but sometimes common, way that teens may cope with overwhelming emotions. It can include cutting, scratching, burning, or more. We are experienced in assessing, creating a safety plan to reduce harm, and teaching alternative, effective coping skills to address self-harm.

Suicidal thoughts are serious. We have years of experience working with teens with suicidal thoughts. We will assess your teen to determine what steps need to be taken to ensure safety. Where safety is concerned, you will be included in the plan to support your teen. In case of a true emergency, you should always seek professional help by dialing 911 or going to your nearest emergency room.

We have helped countless teens to improve their mental health symptoms, learn effective coping skills, and thrive. The ripple effect we see this have on the family unit cannot be understated. It does not have to be as hard as it’s been. There is hope.

Let us help you get there. Book a screening call today or contact us to learn more.

Book Now Contact Us

Teen Therapy

Are you sick of arguing with your teen when you’re only trying to help them?

Do you ever feel like no matter what you say, your teen just won’t listen?

Do you worry that you’re making the wrong parenting decisions to best help support your teen?

Have you worried that you’re missing something about your teen’s wellbeing?

You do not have to figure this out alone. We know it is difficult to seek help. We also know that there is hope on the other side when your entire family has the support they need. Allow us to get to know your teen, your family, and create a plan that will actually create change.

What to expect

Why work with us?

Anna Arya, PsyD

Renata Halwani, LPCC

Jennifer Keenen, AMFT

Teen Therapy FAQs

How does therapy for teens work?

My teen/tween is addicted to their phone - what do I do?

Why does my teen argue with me?

Is my teen anxious?

Why is my teen always in their room?

What if my teen is self-harming?

I'm worried my teen may be having suicidal thoughts. What do I do?

We have helped countless teens to improve their mental health symptoms, learn effective coping skills, and thrive. The ripple effect we see this have on the family unit cannot be understated. It does not have to be as hard as it’s been. There is hope.