Therapy for Teens (Ages 13-19)
Helping teens navigate anxiety, perfectionism, school stress, and big life transitions with clarity, confidence, and support.
Your teen deserves a calm and comfortable place to sort through their thoughts, manage stress, and feel supported as they navigate everything life is throwing at them.
Let’s be real... being a teen is a lot.
Between school pressure, social dynamics, extracurriculars, family expectations, and figuring out who they are, teens today are carrying more than most people realize. Even the most capable, high-achieving teens can feel overwhelmed, anxious, shut down, or stuck in patterns of overthinking and perfectionism.
For many teens, it can feel impossible to share how they are feeling. They may pull away, get irritable, overwork themselves, avoid things that feel hard or feel pressure to be “on top of everything” all the time. It’s a lot to sort through on their own.
Therapy gives teens a steady, supportive space to talk honestly, understand what they’re feeling, and learn tools to manage stress, build confidence, and navigate life transitions with more clarity and trust in themselves, all supports they can carry with them into adulthood too.
Here’s how we can work together:
I support teens who are navigating anxiety, perfectionism, school stress, relationship challenges, and big (or small) life transitions. Therapy gives your teen a space to slow down, reflect, and understand what’s actually going on beneath the overwhelm, while building tools and support that actually help.
Anxiety Therapy for Teens
When anxiety gets overwhelming, it often shows up in teens as overthinking, irritability, stress, avoidance or feeling constantly “on edge.” Teens tend to share their feelings non-verbally, often dropping clues that are hard to decipher. In therapy, we make sense of what’s fueling the anxiety while building tools that help your teen feel calmer, more grounded, and more in control.
Support for teens who struggle with:
Excessive worry or constant “what if” thinking
Overthinking and trouble slowing down their mind
School or academic anxiety
Irritability, overwhelm or emotional shutdowns
Difficulty relaxing or falling asleep
Avoiding things that feel stressful, uncertain or something they once enjoyed
Physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches
Perfectionism & High-Expectations
Many teens put a ton of pressure on themselves to achieve, perform, and meet standards they’ve set for themselves (or feel others expect of them). High-achievers often struggle with self-esteem and anxiety that shows up as perfectionism and it can go unnoticed because of how “successful” they seem. This pressure can lead to procrastination, frustration, burnout, overthinking, or feeling like nothing is ever good enough. In therapy, we explore where these expectations come from and help your teen build true confidence, self-compassion, and a more balanced way of approaching school, friendships, and daily life.
Support for teens who struggle with:
Fear of failing or disappointing others
Being overly self-critical or hard on themselves
Procrastinating because things feel “too big” to start
Comparing themselves to others or feeling “behind”
Difficulty resting or taking breaks
Overthinking decisions or second-guessing themselves
Burnout, frustration, or never feeling “good enough”
Life Transitions & Social Stress
Teens go through constant changes like new schools, shifting friendships, relationship dynamics, growing independence, and big decisions about the future. Even positive changes can feel overwhelming or confusing. Therapy gives your teen a steady place to sort through these transitions, understand their emotions, and build skills to navigate friendships, communication, and big life shifts with more confidence.
Support for teens who struggle with:
Friendship changes, conflict, or feeling left out
Relationship or dating challenges
Preparing for high school, college, or major school transitions
Feeling overwhelmed by decisions about the future
Navigating identity or self-discovery
Difficulty communicating what they feel or need
Stress related to changing routines, expectations, or environments
Parent Collaboration:
Parent involvement still matters during the teen years, but it naturally looks a little different. It’s developmentally appropriate for your teen to want more independence. While they have their own space in therapy, I keep you informed in a way that feels supportive and still respects their confidentiality.
This often includes:
Brief check-ins or scheduled parent sessions
Updates on themes and skills your teen is working on
Support around communication, boundaries, and expectations
Guidance for responding to anxiety, overwhelm, or perfectionism
Helping you feel equipped without taking over your teen’s process
What Teens Learn:
The goal of therapy is to help your teen feel calmer, more confident, and more capable as they navigate school, friendships, family, and the bigger decisions ahead. Through our work together, your teen will learn how to:
Manage anxiety, stress, and overthinking
Understand and regulate their emotions
Build confidence and a healthier sense of self
Navigate friendships, communication, and relationships
Set boundaries and express needs clearly
Think more flexibly and problem-solve
Cope with academic pressure and expectations
Prepare for major transitions, college preparation
These are lifelong skills that help teens feel grounded, resilient, and more prepared for the next stage of their lives, including moving toward college or young adulthood with more clarity and confidence.
What to Expect in the First Session:
The first session is calm, supportive, and focused on helping your teen feel comfortable. My goal is to get to know your teen, understand what’s been going on, and create a space where they feel safe talking about their experience. Please note that this session may differ slightly depending on how old your teen is. The first session usually includes:
A brief parent check-in (at the start or end)
A conversation with your teen about what brings them in
Gentle rapport-building at their pace
Understanding their strengths, stressors, and goals
A clear plan for what therapy will focus on
My priority is helping your teen feel at ease and giving you clarity about how we’ll move forward together.
Common Signs Your Teen May Need Support:
Teens don’t always say, “I’m struggling.” More often, their stress or overwhelm shows up through subtle shifts in mood, behavior or energy. And sometimes, parents reach out not because something is wrong, but because they want their teen to have extra support, tools, and space to talk.
Many parents reach out when their teen:
Shuts down or withdraws more than usual
Seems easily overwhelmed by school, friendships, or expectations
Worries excessively, overthinks or gets stuck in perfectionism
Shows changes in mood, irritability or emotional sensitivity
Loses interest in activities they once enjoyed
Struggles with sleep, motivation or keeping up with responsibilities
Experiences physical symptoms of anxiety like stomachaches or tension
Becomes easily frustrated, tearful or overwhelmed by everyday stress
*I offer virtual therapy for teens across New York, including Long Island, NYC, Westchester, and surrounding areas. Your teen can receive support from home in a familiar, comfortable environment that helps them open up and feel safe.
Commonly Asked Questions
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Therapy gives teens a supportive place to understand their emotions, manage anxiety and stress, and build confidence in themselves. It helps them learn coping skills they can use at school, at home, and in their relationships. Teens don’t need a diagnosis to benefit from therapy. Many come in during times of transition, overwhelm, or self-doubt, and therapy gives them a steady place to make sense of what they’re feeling.
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In my experience, many teens today will actually ask for therapy on their own, but if yours doesn’t, keep it simple, open, and honest. Most teens respond well when therapy is described as a supportive space to talk, get help with stress, and learn tools that make life feel easier. You might say something like, “I think having someone neutral to talk to could really support you, someone who isn’t a parent or teacher.” Including your teen in the process and giving them some choice (like when to schedule or what they want to focus on) helps therapy feel more comfortable and collaborative.
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Yes — parent involvement still matters during the teen years, but it naturally looks a little different. Teens need privacy and independence, and therapy gives them space to explore that. I’ll keep you informed in a way that feels supportive while still respecting your teen’s confidentiality. This often includes brief check-ins, scheduled parent sessions, and guidance around communication, boundaries, and how to support your teen at home.
Please note that I still offer and recommend parents of teens supportive parent sessions, especially for parents of pre-teens or younger teens.
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Yes — and I often find that teens prefer it. Many teens actually prefer virtual therapy because it feels comfortable, familiar, and low-pressure. Teens often open up more easily when they’re in their own space, and virtual sessions allow for consistency even with busy schedules or after-school commitments. It also accommodates your teen’s busy schedule, allowing therapy to fit into time slot that it might not of with a commute.
My role is always to make sure your teen gets the support that fits them best. After our first session (or at any point), if I feel your teen would benefit more from in-person therapy, I will gladly provide referrals. Your teen’s care comes first.
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Every teen is different. Some benefit from short-term support to work on a specific challenge or transition, while others find that ongoing therapy helps them manage stress, anxiety, perfectionism, or bigger life shifts. We’ll talk openly about goals and check in regularly so therapy feels helpful, supportive, and aligned with your teen’s needs, not rushed and not dragged out.
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That’s completely okay. Many teens feel unsure at first. I never force conversation. Instead, I meet them at their pace through gentle rapport-building, conversation, activities, and tools that feel comfortable for them. Most teens open up naturally once they feel safe, understood, and not pressured. And if talking still feels hard, we can explore other ways to support them so therapy still feels helpful.
I am a big fan of bringing music that they love into session or any activity that they enjoy because it helps with rapport, and also, allows me to get to know them. It’s a great way to reach teens who have a harder time connecting too.
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I am an out-of-network provider, which means I do not bill insurance directly. Many families are able to use out-of-network benefits for partial reimbursement. I’m happy to provide a monthly invoice (a “superbill”) to submit to your insurance plan. HSA and FSA funds can also be used for sessions.
My current rate for individual child therapy is $185 per session. I’m always happy to talk through insurance questions and help you understand how reimbursement works.
For therapy clients out-of-network, please make note of the No Surprises Act. Should we begin working together, I will provide you with detailed information, as well as, a Good Faith Estimate prior to intake.