Teen Therapy · Newport Beach · Online CA
Teen therapy in Newport Beach — and online across California.
This page is for two people at once — the teen who might be reading this themselves, and the parent who's worried about them.
Both of you belong here.
For Teens
Hi. That took courage.
Maybe you found this at 1am when everything felt like too much. You don't need to have it figured out. What you tell me stays between us — and that's not a small thing.
For Parents
You're probably worried. And exhausted.
Your teen has gone somewhere you can't quite reach. That's not a failure of your relationship — sometimes adolescence just needs outside support.
What it actually feels like to be a teenager right now
Being a Teenager right now is genuinely hard.
Not "tough" in an eye-rolling way. Actually hard. The pressure — academic, social, digital, internal — is relentless.
Teens I work with are often:
Anxious, overwhelmed, or running on empty
Shutting down, going quiet, disappearing into screens
Exploding — at home, at school, at themselves
Struggling with who they are, where they fit, what they feel
Smart and perceptive and somehow still completely stuck
What therapy with me actually looks like for a teen
No worksheets. No performing wellness. No agenda.
My approach with teens is psychodynamic — we go underneath what's showing up on the surface to understand what's actually driving it. Your teen is in charge of the pace. I follow their lead.
Over time, most teens start to feel:
Clearer on who they are and what they actually want
Less overwhelmed and more like themselves
More connected — to themselves, and to the people around them
More able to handle hard emotions without being swallowed by them
What stays private — and what doesn't
A note on confidentiality — for both of you.
For teens
What you share stays private. The only exceptions are if I'm worried about your safety — and if that comes up, we always talk about it together first.
For parents
You're not left in the dark. I offer regular check-ins to share observations without breaking your teen's trust.
California law — worth knowing
In California, teens 12 and older have the legal right to decide how much their parents are involved in their therapy. That's not a loophole — it's a law that exists because teens engage more when they feel genuinely in control. In practice, most teens want their parents involved in some way. We figure that out together from the start.
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Many parents reach out when they notice changes in their teen’s mood, behavior, or relationships. This might include anxiety, withdrawal, irritability, school struggles, or loss of motivation. If something feels persistent or concerning, teen therapy can help your teen better understand what they’re experiencing and feel more supported.
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Really common. Try being honest: "I'm worried, and I want you to have someone to talk to who isn't me." Let them read this page themselves. Knowing they're in charge of what they share makes a big difference.
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Mostly conversation — not forced or clinical. More like talking with someone who's genuinely curious about your inner world and doesn't have an agenda. Sessions are 50 minutes, usually weekly.
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What you share stays private. The exceptions are if I'm worried about your safety — and if that comes up, we always talk about it together first.
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Yes, many teens feel comfortable engaging in online therapy. For some, it can even feel easier to open up. We can decide together whether in-person sessions in Newport Beach or online therapy across California is the best fit.
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Yes — and the psychodynamic approach especially, because we're not just learning coping tools on top of the problem. We're understanding what's underneath it.
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I'm currently out-of-network. Many families use out-of-network benefits or HSA/FSA funds. I can provide a superbill — just ask on our call.
Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Therapy
Ready to take the next step?
For Teens
You can reach out yourself.
Send a message, or ask a parent to help set up a call. Either way works — no wrong way to start.
For Parents
Start with the free consultation.
We talk about what you're noticing and figure out whether this feels like a fit. No pressure.