Family Therapy
Hey, Team Teen
Loving a teenager can leave you wondering when to step in, when to step back, and how to help without pushing them away. You don’t need to have all the answers. Sometimes, you just need another person on the team.
How Your Family is Supported
Support for Your Relationship
Through family sessions, we will work through challenging conversations and strengthen or rebuild trust between you and your teen. The goal is not perfect agreement, but a relationship in which everyone feels seen, heard, respected, and connected.
Private Space For Your Teen
Your teen has a confidential space to talk openly, make sense of what they are experiencing, and develop healthier ways to cope, learn to communicate effectively, and understand themselves better. They don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what’s wrong or what they want to change.
Guidance and Education
Through individual and group parent sessions, you will have opportunities to share concerns, ask questions, and better understand adolescent development and your teen’s needs. We can discuss practical ways to respond to your teen, set appropriate boundaries, and offer support without compromising their privacy.
From Second-Guessing
to Steady Support
“Just turn to page 1,586 of the parenting handbook.”
Wouldn’t that be helpful if that handbook actually existed?
Together, we can begin creating your own. Not one you have to write down, but one shaped by your values, instincts, and growing understanding of your teen. As we work together, you can feel more confident in how you respond and find ways to stay connected, even during difficult moments.
Excerpts from the parenting handbook:
Walking on eggshells - page 42, Learn to say what needs to be said without every conversation becoming a five-alarm fire.
Worried that setting a boundary will make you the villain? - page 545, Hold clear, consistent limits while protecting the relationship.
Feel shut out from their world - page 1,042, Find ways back in that feel like connection, not interrogation.
Am I even doing this right? - page 5,650, The fact that you’re asking tells me how much you care. Feel steadier, more confident, and less dependent on the imaginary handbook.
Every Team Needs a Teammate
Your Teen probably doesn’t need another adult telling them what to do. And you don’t need another person judging your parenting.
You may need someone who can listen to both of you, help translate what gets lost in translation, and support your family in finding a way forward.
A Few Things You Might Be Wondering
You probably have questions. Maybe a lot of them. That makes sense. Here are a few places we can start.
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We’ll start with the adults involved in your teen’s care and, whenever possible, your teen. Then I’ll ask the adults to step out so I can spend some time getting to know your teen one-on-one.
From there, we’ll shape the process around your teen and family needs. Your teen will continue to have individual sessions, along with periodic Team Teen sessions that bring together the important adults in their life.
Sometimes we’ll meet with your teen and one adult, sometimes with more than one adult, and sometimes with the adults separately. We’ll shape the process around what your family needs while protecting your teen’s privacy and keeping everyone connected.
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This is tricky. Too much checking in can feel like pressure. Too little can feel like you disappeared.
Together we’ll look for a middle ground: support that feels steady, not smothering; connection that doesn’t feel like surveillance; and moments when simply being nearby and available is enough.
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I won’t give you a play-by-play of what your teen says. Privacy is part of building trust.
I will help you understand patterns, progress, and any safety concerns. You’ll also get practical ways to support your teen outside of therapy without needing to know every detail.
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That’s okay. They don’t have to be excited about beginning therapy. I don’t see resistance as something we need to battle or break through. Usually, it’s there for a reason.
We’ll get curious about what your teen may be protecting and work with those protective parts to build trust at a pace that works for your teen.
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Yes. Sometimes I’ll meet with your teen and one or more adults together so we can slow the conversation, notice what keeps getting missed, and better understand each other.
The goal isn’t to decide who is right. The goal is to understand what is happening underneath the conflict and find a way forward.
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We’ll look for small shifts in patterns. Progress isn’t always a dramatic breakthrough. You might notice your teen using words rather than shutting down. Or they may recover more quickly from a challenging moment. Or maybe there is a subtle shift you can’t explain. Together, we’ll pay attention to those small shifts.
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I can support you while working with your teen, but I wouldn’t become your individual therapist at the same time.
Your other teen would be able to attend family sessions, but I couldn’t see them either.
Keeping these roles separate helps protect everyone’s privacy and prevents complicated loyalties or conflicts. I’m happy to help you find other therapists who may be a good fit for you or the other children in your family.
ADD SUPPORT TO TEAM TEEN
You don’t have to figure this out alone. Share your name and email, and I’ll follow up so we can talk about what’s going on and what support might make sense for your teen and family.
Walking Beside You Toward Limitless Peace
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Walking Beside You Toward Limitless Peace ~