Teen Therapy & Counseling Online in Washington, Illinois, Idaho & South Carolina
Logging on the first time is the scariest part, and it gets easier from there.
You don't have to know what to say or have anything figured out before we start. We'll work out what's taking up space in your brain together, from your own room.
TEEN ANXIETY
𖤓
HIGH-ACHIEVING TEENS
𖤓
SCHOOL STRESS
𖤓
TEEN ANXIETY 𖤓 HIGH-ACHIEVING TEENS 𖤓 SCHOOL STRESS 𖤓
It might show up as a stomach ache before school or not wanting to go to the things you used to love. Saying you're okay can feel easier than trying to explain something you don't fully understand yet. You don't need to know whether it's anxiety or stress or just being sixteen before we talk, because figuring that out is something we do together.
Some days you feel off without being able to explain why to anyone, including yourself.
If you're the parent reading this, you might be watching her spend more time in her room and less time with everyone else, and wondering whether it's a phase or something more. With tweens it can look louder, like meltdowns before school. Either way, not knowing is reason enough to reach out.
What is teen therapy?
Teen therapy is time every week with the same person, where you get to say the stuff you've been keeping to yourself and figure out what to do with it. You don't have to be falling apart to come, and you don't have to find the right words or worry about getting too deep.
It's for the thoughts that won't shut up, the did-I-say-the-wrong-thing spiral after lunch, and the feeling that nothing you do is ever quite enough. Nobody is going to treat you like you're fragile or tell you to just lower your standards, and I'm not going to be impressed by your GPA either, which might be kind of a relief.
With me, it's usually anxiety, school stress, and perfectionism, with friendships and family stuff mixed in. I remember what you told me last time, and we keep building on it from week to week.
Teens bring all kinds of things into sessions, and most of them don't come with a label. If yours isn't on this list, bring it anyway.
-
Friend stuff, like having one good friend but still feeling like everyone else doesn't really like you.
-
Social media, and how much harder everything can feel when the whole world is at your fingertips.
-
Family expectations, and figuring out who you are and what you want apart from what everyone expects of you.
-
A sport or activity you used to love and now dread, but can't imagine quitting.
-
Senior year and everything after it, when you're on the edge of launching into the world and it feels like a lot.
-
Feeling different or left out, like you're on the outside of something everyone else is part of.
About Sarah
I love working with teens, because this is the age you start figuring out who you are apart from your family.
I've been a licensed counselor since 2009, and before that I spent years working with kids at summer camps. My graduate training was in school counseling, so I know the school side of things well too.
I'm also the oldest daughter in my family, a recovering perfectionist, and a former college athlete, so a lot of what teens bring into sessions feels pretty familiar to me.
THERAPEUTIC MODALITIES
I try not to showboat with therapy words in session, but if you're a parent wondering what's behind how I work, these are the approaches I use.
-
CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy)
CBT helps to uncross the wires in your brain, so the thoughts that spiral don't get the final say.
-
Solution-focused therapy
We look at how you want things to be and keep moving toward the next right thing for you.
-
DBT skills
Practical skills for the moments when feelings get really big, so you have something to do in the moment besides hold it in.
-
Adlerian family systems
This looks at where you fit in your family and what helps you feel like you belong, which matters a lot at this age.
What therapy with me actually looks like
ONLINE SESSIONS
You don't have to leave your room for this
I've done therapy in person and online, and I find online therapy for teens often works better, because you're home with your own stuff around you and we get to know each other faster. Sometimes I'll ask for a tour of your room or to see something you're proud of, which usually gets us talking a lot faster than questions do.
Your room might be the one place that feels like yours, and it still might not feel totally private. So before we start, we'll figure out headphones and a spot where you're not worried about who can hear through the door.
Sessions are over video, after school and on weekends.
A note for parents
You're worried one bad first experience will be the thing that turns her off therapy for good.
I really believe teens are dealing with more pressure than ever, and social media turns the volume up on all of it. So if she's struggling right now, that makes a lot of sense, even if she seemed completely okay until recently.
The first session matters a lot to me for exactly the reason you're worried about. I name how awkward logging on is before she has to sit in it, I ask what she liked and hated about therapy before, and I tell her from day one that I'm on her side.
You're still part of this, with support of your own in and out of her sessions. If her safety is ever at risk, you'll hear from me. And if she isn't ready yet, you're welcome to reach out on your own first to talk through what you're seeing at home.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Questions parents and teens ask about teen therapy
-
In my experience, it often works better than in person, because teens are home in their own space and tend to open up faster. It also fits around school, sports, and work, since sessions are after school and on weekends.
-
What your teen tells me stays between us, apart from a few safety exceptions I go over with both of you in the first session. You still get support of your own, with ideas to try at home and a clear sense of how to help. You can read more on the Parent Support page.
-
Dragging a teen to therapy usually doesn't go well, and it isn't how I like to work. A lot of parents show their teen this page first so she can see who she'd be talking to. A free consult is also a low-pressure way to figure out if this could work before anyone commits.
-
You don't need a crisis or a diagnosis to reach out. If she doesn't seem like her usual self, is staying in her room more, is avoiding things she used to enjoy, or you've gotten a call from school, those are all good reasons to talk it through with someone.
-
Sessions are [fee] for [session length]. If you have questions about payment, you can ask me directly on your free consult or send me a note.
-
Yes. Online therapy isn't a good fit for very young children, and teens who need specialized treatment, like OCD therapy, will do better with a specialist. If that's the case, I'll tell you on our consult and help you find someone who is a better fit.
-
It's really common for teens to be on medication for a while before they ever try therapy. Medication can take the edge off, and therapy is where she learns what the feeling actually is, where it shows up in her body, and what to do in the moment. I don't prescribe, so medication questions stay with her doctor.
-
The first thing I ask is what she liked and hated about therapy before. Awkward silences, a therapist who only asks how you feel, and sessions that never go past small talk are what make teens quit. I'd rather hear about those up front so we don't repeat them.
-
Sessions are online, so we can keep going as long as she's living in a state where I'm licensed. Right now that's Washington, Illinois, Idaho, and South Carolina.