teen therapy in Encinitas, Ca & Telehealth across california
For the teen who's shut down, and the parent who misses them.
The Silence Is the Hardest Part of Parenting a Teen Who Won't Talk to You
The one-word answers, the closed door, the kid who used to tell you everything now looking at you like you're the enemy.
You miss them, and you're scared, and you keep replaying what went wrong.
What looks like an attitude is usually a teen who's overwhelmed and doesn't believe anyone will really get it. That wall can come down. I've watched shut-down kids slowly start letting people back in, and I would be honored to help your family find your way back to each other.
Teen Therapy in Encinitas, Ca & Telehealth across california
Teens don't open up because someone told them to.
So I don't push. The first time we meet, there's no agenda and no pressure to say anything real. We might talk about their music, their friends, or nothing that matters at all. A teen has to trust you before they'll let you near the hard stuff, so that's where we start.
Once your teen figures out I'm not here to fix them or report back to their parents, the real things start to come out. From there we work through the anxiety, the anger, the friendships, and whatever's been weighing on them. What they tell me stays between us, and that privacy is usually what lets a guarded kid finally be honest. Little by little, the wall comes down, and you start to get your teen back.
How Teen therapy works
What you can expect
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No pressure to talk
Your teen won't be forced to open up or perform. I take all the pressure off and start by just getting to know them, and that's usually where the wall starts to come down.
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A space that's actually theirs
What your teen tells me stays between us. That privacy is what lets them be honest, and it's often the first time they let anyone all the way in.
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Someone real, no lectures
Teens can spot fake in a second. I talk to your teen like a person, not a problem to fix, and I meet them where they are instead of where anyone thinks they should be.
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The door starts to open again
As your teen feels safe, the anger and the shutting down tend to ease, and the closeness you've been missing slowly finds its way back.
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You stay in the loop
Their sessions stay private, but you and I check in so you're never left in the dark. You'll know how things are going and what helps at home.
parent support
Frequently Asked Questions
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This is really common, and it's not a dead end. We can start with just you, and I'll help you figure out how to approach it. When your teen is ready, that first session is built to take all the pressure off.
We tried therapy before and it didn't work. I hear that a lot, and fit matters more than almost anything with teens. Tell me what didn't work last time, and we'll see if a different approach feels better to your kid.
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No, and that's on purpose. Your teen needs the room to feel like theirs, so I keep what they share private. But I'll always keep you in the loop on how things are going and what helps at home. If there's ever a safety concern, we talk.
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That's okay, especially at first. I don't force it. I build trust at their pace, and I meet them where they are instead of waiting for them to perform.
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Yes. I work with teens through anxiety, depression, big emotions, school avoidance, and the aftermath of hard experiences. If your teen needs more support than I can safely give, I'll help you find the right next step.
Let's start with a conversation.
Tell me a little about what’s been going on with your child. We’ll talk it through and figure out together whether I’m the right fit for your family. No pressure, just a first step. I offer free consultations if you’d like to talk things through before deciding.