Online Therapy for Teens in Washington, Illinois, Idaho & South Carolina
She keeps telling you she's fine, and you can tell something's off.
You don't need a crisis or a diagnosis to reach out, and noticing that she seems less like herself lately is reason enough. Your teen gets a place to say what's really going on and start getting her spark back, and you get real ways to help at home without being shut out.
TEEN ANXIETY
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PERFECTIONISM IN TEENS
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SCHOOL STRESS
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PARENT SUPPORT
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VIRTUAL THERAPY FOR TEENS
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TEEN ANXIETY 𖤓 PERFECTIONISM IN TEENS 𖤓 SCHOOL STRESS 𖤓 PARENT SUPPORT 𖤓 VIRTUAL THERAPY FOR TEENS 𖤓
Everyone keeps telling you it's just a phase, and you're not so sure.
When a kid who has always been the easy one starts spending most of her time holed up in her room and skipping the things she used to love, it's hard to tell whether you're looking at normal teenage stuff or something more. Anxiety in teens doesn't always look like panic attacks, and a lot of the time it looks like a kid who has gotten really good at holding it together in front of everyone, including you.
Behavior is communication, so when she starts pulling back, I see that as her telling us something, and my job is to help her figure out what. The teens who log on not wanting to say a word are sort of my favorites, because I love watching them start to open up once they realize nobody is going to push them. You can bring me what you're seeing at home, and we'll figure out together whether this is typical teenage stuff or something she could use support with.
Ways to get support for your teen
"Everyone is unique and has their own spark. The world needs you and the energy you bring."
Sarah Allen
I’m so glad you’re here
I'm Sarah, and the first thing I ask every teen is what they liked and hated about therapy before.
I’ve been working with kids since I was eighteen, from summer camps in Hawaii and Germany to a sailing ship in the Caribbean, and I’ve been a licensed counselor since 2009. I’m also a recovering perfectionist and former college athlete, so I understand the pressure to do your best—and the challenge of figuring out when it’s okay to let go of something that no longer brings you joy.
If your teen has tried therapy before and it felt awkward, I want to hear about it in our first session, along with anything she actually liked, so we keep what helped and leave the rest. Sessions with me are interactive and upbeat, nobody is going to stare at her and wait for her to talk, and a lot of the time they can actually be fun.
Sarah Allen
[LCPC, Idaho] · [LCPC, Illinois] · [LMHC, Washington] · [LPC, South Carolina] · Virtual in Washington, Illinois, Idaho, and South Carolina
Where to begin
Your teen can be getting straight A's and still be having a really hard time.
From the outside she might look completely fine, keeping up with her grades and her practice schedule, while on the inside she's second guessing everything she says and can't get her brain to turn off at night. If you've been going back and forth on whether this is a normal teenage phase or something more, you were right to notice, and a good report card doesn't mean you have to wait. Start with whichever of these sounds most like your kid.
Teen Anxiety
Her brain won't shut off at night, and she's lying awake replaying a two second conversation from lunch.
Learn moreHigh-Achieving Teens
She's never had anything below an A, and the idea of a first B has taken over everything.
Learn moreSchool Stress
Her stomach hurts the night before school, and she's started asking to stay home.
Learn moreHOW IT WORKS
You'll know what the first session looks like before she ever logs on.
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Set up a free consult
You can tell me what you've been noticing at home and ask anything you want about how I work. If I'm not the right fit for what your teen needs, I'll tell you that too and help point you toward someone who is.
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The first session
Logging on the first time is scary, and I say that out loud right away so she doesn't have to sit in it. You'll join us at the start while we go over confidentiality and the business stuff, and then it's her time, with more questions than usual that she'll know every answer to because they're all about her.
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Figuring out what she wants
Over the next couple of sessions we work out together what she wants to feel different. My hope from the very first session is that she leaves feeling lighter than when she came in.
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Weekly to start, then less
We usually meet weekly while things feel heavier, then move to every other week or monthly as she gets comfortable using what she's learned. Sessions are after school and on weekends, and you get parent support alongside hers, in and out of session.
a note for parents
It's hard when you can tell something is going on and she won't open up to you.
Nobody gets dropped off here to be fixed, and I say that to your teen out loud in our very first session. I'm on her side from day one, and I'm also here to help you, with support in and out of her sessions and ideas for how to talk with her and respond when she does start opening up at home.
I can't promise to change the way your family works, and I won't pretend otherwise. I will listen, I'll care about your kid, and she gets to be herself here without anyone judging her.