The teenage years can be  extremely challenging. It is a time of pressure, good and bad. Some teens feel misunderstood, alone. Others may become depressed or anxious while dealing with life stressors, divorce, or blended family issues.  This may may lead to isolation, acting out or self-harm gestures. It is difficult for parents to know how to manage these problems and often time efforts to intervene may seem to worsen the situation.
My approach in working with youth is to provide a safe space to talk things through. I help teens identify how to manage stress, improve social skills, cope with peer issues, learn skills to work through anxiety or depression, and how to create realistic expectations for themselves. Early intervention is best so that teens can move through adolescence, deal with problems effectively as they arise and avoid a pile-up of compounded problems.
