Who I help
For teens who would rather be anywhere else
If the idea of sitting on a couch being asked how that makes you feel is unbearable, reasonable. We can walk instead.
Most teenagers I meet did not choose to be in therapy. A parent set it up, or school suggested it, or something happened and now here we are. Starting from that honestly matters more than pretending everyone is thrilled.
So we walk. There's a trail, a direction, and no one sitting opposite you waiting for eye contact. You can talk about the thing, or you can talk about something else for twenty minutes first, or you can say almost nothing on a given day. That is allowed. The hour still counts.
What I'm not doing: reporting back on the details to your parents, treating you like a problem to be corrected, or acting like I already know what your life is like. What I am doing is taking you seriously, being straight with you, and having an actual sense of humour about it.
For parents: I'll be clear about how communication works before we start, including what stays between your teen and me and what I'd bring to you. Teens tend to engage when they trust the container, and a shaky container is the fastest way to lose them.
“You bring that ungh I don't want to do 'X' thing. We find the roots of it together.”
Daniel Sapoznick, LCSW
Questions
Practical things worth knowing
What do you tell my parents?
We agree on that at the start, together, and I'll say it plainly rather than leaving it vague. Safety concerns are the exception, and I'll tell you before I raise something rather than going behind you.
What if my teen refuses to go?
That's common and not a dead end. A free phone consultation can help work out whether a walk, rather than an office, changes the answer.
How old do clients need to be?
I work with teenagers and young adults. Tell me their age in the consultation and I'll be honest about whether I'm the right fit.