Counseling Services for Teenagers

Are you looking for counseling for teens in Bergen County?  Finding the right therapist for your teen is crucial.  Teenagers appreciate feeling connected to their therapist.  This helps them to trust, open up, and put forth effort in counseling.  It is important that you find a counselor that has experience working with teens.  I offer free phone consultations to give parents and teenagers a chance to get to know me as a counselor and determine if I am a good fit.

I have worked in a high school and middle school setting for over 15 years. Currently, I mainly work with juniors and seniors in my high school as their school counselor.  I have been successful with creating strong relationships with both my teenage students and clients.  I have experience working with teenagers who are going through the college and career process or who are suffering from generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, panic attacks, grief, major life changes and adjustments, and depression.  I have worked with many teen clients who are struggling in relationships that are not very healthy, have poor coping skills, and low self-esteem.

Teenage years can be some of the hardest years of a one’s life.  Teenagers are growing in so many different ways during this developmental stage.  They are learning about who they are, what they like, and who they want to be.  They are starting to develop stronger opinions and see life for what it is through their own eyes instead of their parents.  They have more responsibilities and face pressure about making choices about their careers and college.  They are in an in-between stage of childhood and adulthood, which can be very confusing and awkward at times.   

Many teenagers have symptoms of anxiety and depression and are not exactly sure how to handle those feelings. Sometimes they are not equip with strong self-insight to know what is really going on or coping skills to handle what is going on.  At times, this is was can cause a downward spiral in their lives.  As a parent, you may notice your teenager “not acting like themselves” anymore.  They may be withdrawing from some of their activities, seem to be more irritable, and sometimes appear to be completely overwhelmed.