Adolescents

We provide a range of evidence-based therapy services to support adolescents who experience behavioral or emotional difficulties at home, at school, with peers and in the community. Common concerns include:

• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Defiance, aggression and other behavior problems
• Learning problems and homework
• Anxiety Disorders
• Depression
• Coping with medical illness
• Sleep problems
• Family conflict

Specific services

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for adolescents who experience high levels of anxiety, depression or general difficulty in areas of emotion regulation. In CBT, therapists work directly with clients to teach emotion identification and coping skills. Clients will practice each skill in session and in “real life” in between sessions. These practice sessions are also called exposure sessions. CBT has very strong research support in the treatment of multiple forms of anxiety, including Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Phobias, Separation Anxiety Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). CBT is also considered an evidence-based treatment for depression and other mood disorders.

Mindfulness approaches and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for adolescents who experience anxiety, depression or other behavioral and emotional difficulties associated with avoidance or inflexibility. ACT is an evidence-based form of therapy that guides adolescents in ways to live a meaningful life consistent with their values by learning mindfulness skills and other techniques to decrease “experiential avoidance” and increase the ability to be present with and accepting of difficult thoughts and feelings. ACT has a growing research base for adolescents struggling with multiple forms of anxiety, depression and other mood-related concerns.

Behavior Therapy, also called Parent Management Training, for adolescents who exhibit behavioral difficulties at home or at school, including those who meet criteria for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Provided primarily to parents, Behavior Therapy involves a collection of parenting strategies and changes to a teen’s environment to increase appropriate behavior and self-control. Behavior Therapy has one of the strongest research bases of any form of psychotherapy.

Family therapy for a wide range of concerns that involve the ways families communicate and relate to each other. Family therapy can be the primary therapeutic approach or provided alongside other interventions.

All therapeutic services are based in contemporary research, developmentally sensitive and integrated across settings. Specifically, we are committed to grounding all practices in the best available research in areas of clinical psychology and developmental psychology. We tailor all treatment plans to each adolescent and family to ensure that clinical best practices fit into each family’s culture and structure. Finally, we believe that the best care is provided when all important environments are connected and communicate in strategic and thoughtful ways. To do this we work closely with schools, medical professionals and other providers to ensure consistency in therapeutic approaches when appropriate.