Adolescence can be one of the most difficult times in life. Teenagers in today's world face a new variety of challenges and stressors unfamiliar to previous generations.  Talking with a counselor can help bring relief for anxiety and depression, distressing thoughts, and unmanaged anger.  We counsel middle schoolers, high schoolers, and young adults.

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When I counsel with teens, I meet them where they are developmentally, socially, and existentially.  It can still be important to communicate with parents and family as part of the counseling process, but I collaborate more with the teenager about whether this would be helpful or not. Adolescence is a slow moving process of gaining independence as well as responsibility. It is like a dance between childhood and adulthood. Counseling with teens joins into the dance, but lets the teens lead. 

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In Pennsylvania, an adolescent is able to consent to treatment on their own for mental health services at the age of 14.  These laws can be confusing and we can talk about them in our first session.