Psychotherapy for Teens
in San Francisco and Marin

The task of adolescence is to come of age.

But for many teens, the constant pressure to perform crowds out the space they need to do that work. It’s easy to lose track of what’s truly important: getting to know yourself, creating meaningful relationships, and beginning to form an independent identity.

a bonfire on a Bay Area beach, representing in-person therapy for teens and adolescents; counseling in San Francisco and Marin. Helping youth and parents navigate anxiety, stress, identity, trauma, and life transitions with a depth-oriented approach.

Therapy provides a “holding environment” where a newly emerging individual can begin to develop important emotional and relationship skills that will carry them through the hard work of coming of age.

Our current moment is awash with unique sociopolitical and economic stressors. This landscape can be an incredible challenge to navigate, for parents and adolescents alike. In my office, I often meet with attuned and thoughtful caregivers who find themselves overwhelmed and conflicted about how to provide the right form of support to their growing kids. 

I offer teens a confidential, non-judgemental space to explore the internal shifts and “stuck” places they may be experiencing, which are often hard to articulate to peers and parents. By getting curious about their own inner world and evolving identity, teens can develop the emotional resilience and self-understanding necessary to navigate this period of life. 

I also partner with parents to better understand the context of a teen’s journey, provide developmental guidance, and help them make sense of the challenges their teen is facing.

The adolescent is a traveler who has left the home of childhood but has not yet arrived at the destination of adulthood.

Louise J. Kaplan

Psychotherapy may be worth exploring if your teen:

  • Criticizes themselves harshly

  • Seems overstressed

  • Struggles to talk about their feelings or insists they “don’t know” what they feel

  • Has difficulty making or keeping friends, feels socially isolated, or is being bullied

  • Expresses distress related to gender or sexual identity

  • Shows signs of anxiety or depression

  • Seems “stuck” after a trauma, loss, or significant transition

  • Reports self-harm or suicidal thoughts

Let's get in touch.
Let's get in touch.