Therapy for Teens
For teens carrying more pressure than they know what to do with.
Being a teenager can be complicated. Between school, friendships, family expectations, social media, identity, and figuring out who you are, it can sometimes feel like there's pressure coming from every direction.
Therapy can give teens a space that is theirs. A place they can talk honestly, make sense of what they're experiencing, and develop healthier ways of coping without feeling judged or pressured to have everything figured out
I work particularly with teens experiencing:
Anxiety and worry
Academic pressure
Perfectionism
Fear of failure
Low self-esteem
Emotional overwhelm
People-pleasing
Family or friendship stress
Life transitions
Difficulty coping with expectations
Ages 12–18
In-person in Kingston + virtual across Ontario
If you're a teen…
Maybe you're tired of everyone telling you what you should be doing differently.
Maybe you're worried about school, your future, friendships, your family, or what other people think.
Maybe you feel like you're supposed to have everything figured out, but you don't.
Therapy can be a place where you don't have to perform or pretend you're okay.
If you're a parent…
You may have noticed your teen becoming more anxious, overwhelmed, withdrawn, self-critical, or stressed.
You may know something isn't quite right but aren't sure how to help or you're worried that bringing up therapy will make things worse.
You don't need to have everything figured out before reaching out. We can talk about what you've been noticing and whether therapy might be a good fit.
What brings teens to therapy?
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Worry, rumination, social anxiety, fear of the future.
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School stress, achievement pressure, fear of failure and performance anxiety.
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We cultivate expertise through structured training and mentorship that empower teams to drive sustained progress.
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Feeling like nothing is ever good enough or being afraid to make mistakes.
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Self-criticism, comparison, confidence and feeling “not good enough.”
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Big emotions, difficulty regulating emotions, irritability or feeling easily overwhelmed.
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Changing schools, friendships, family changes, graduation, identity and growing independence.
What can therapy look like?
Therapy with teens isn't about sitting in a chair and being asked, “So how does that make you feel?” for 50 minutes.
Sessions are collaborative and adapted to the individual teen. Depending on what they're experiencing and what they need, we may talk through what's happening, develop practical coping strategies, explore patterns of thinking, work on emotional regulation, or simply create space to make sense of what they're going through.
Most importantly, therapy should feel like a space where your teen can be themselves.
Working with parents and caregivers
Supporting a teenager often means supporting the people around them, too.
When appropriate, I may work collaboratively with parents or caregivers to help them better understand what their teen is experiencing and how they can provide support at home.
At the same time, adolescents need a sense of trust and privacy within therapy. At the beginning of treatment, we'll discuss how communication, confidentiality, and parent involvement will work so that everyone understands what to expect.