Teenagers & Young People
A message for teens
You do not need to know exactly what is wrong, or have the right words to explain how you feel.
Therapy can be a space to talk, think, create, or simply take some time to work out what is going on for you. It can feel daunting knowing where to start. You can bring whatever feels important, whether that is anxiety, feeling low, wanting to self-harm or self-harming, friendships, family, school, questions around identity, relationships, or just a sense that things do not feel quite right for you.
I will not expect you to be a certain way or try to change who you are. My role is to listen, help you make sense of your experiences, and offer a space where you can feel accepted and understood.
Your privacy matters. What you share in therapy is treated with respect and confidentiality. There are some situations where I may need to involve another adult if I am seriously concerned about your safety or someone else's. I will always try to talk with you about this first.
Therapy for adolescents
Adolescence can be a time of significant change. Young people are beginning to form a stronger sense of who they are, while also navigating friendships, family relationships, school pressures, growing independence and often intense emotions.
Therapy offers a confidential, accepting space where they can explore what is happening for them without pressure to have the right words or answers. Depending on the young person, sessions may involve conversation, creativity, metaphor, play or other ways of expressing what feels difficult to put into words.
Young people may come to therapy when they are struggling with anxiety, low mood, self-harm, relationships, confidence, identity or feeling overwhelmed. Others may simply feel stuck, disconnected or unsure of themselves.
My aim is not to change who a young person is, but to help them make sense of their experiences, understand themselves more deeply and feel more able to navigate what is happening in their lives.
Over time, therapy can support a stronger sense of self, greater emotional understanding and the feeling of being accepted and valued for who they are.
“The adolescent period of life is in reality the one with the most power for courage and creativity. Life is on fire when we hit our teens. And these changes are not something to avoid or just get through, but to encourage.”
— Dr. Dan Siegel, Brainstorm: The power and purpose of the teenage brain