The argument is rarely the whole story
Not every eye roll, slammed door, shutdown, or “I don’t know” means something is wrong. Sometimes it’s the only way a teen knows how to ask for space, independence, or help without saying the vulnerable piece out loud.
Therapy makes room for all sides
The parent trying to protect, guide, and stay connected, and the teen trying to be understood, trusted, and less overwhelmed by everything they can’t quite explain yet.
from the parent side
You’re asking about school and friendships because you care.
You’re setting a screen limit or curfew because sleep and safety matter.
You miss the kid who used to talk about everything during car rides home.
You don’t know how to manage the swings between them pulling away or exploding.
from the TEEN side
You hear pressure, surveillance, or proof that you’re somehow failing.
You feel like the only place you can escape or decompress is being taken away.
You’re trying to figure out who you are while everyone remembers who you were.
You don’t know how to explain everything you’re feeling without making it worse.
How teen & family therapy works:
There is no one “right” way to begin therapy. Your teen could come on their own, you might join them for some or all of the session, or we might start with a parent or family session.
CO-PARENTING & COUPLES THERAPY
For caregivers trying to parent from the same team, especially when different instincts, uneven expectations, or “good cop/bad cop” patterns keep taking over. These sessions help you make decisions together, share the load more fairly, and support your family with more consistency.
$200/session
FAMILY THERAPY
A major change, rupture, or transition can leave everyone guessing what home is supposed to look like now. Family therapy helps you name what’s changed, understand what each person needs, and rebuild daily life with less blame and more care.
$200/session
INDIVIDUAL TEEN THERAPY
Some teens need a place where they can be honest without worrying about everyone else’s feelings. Individual therapy gives them space to sort through what they’re carrying, understand what they need, and build trust in who they’re becoming.
$175/session
Common reasons families start therapy:
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You’re co-parenting after separation, and parenting still has to work even though the relationship has changed.
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You’re blending families, and everyone is trying to figure out new roles, new rules, and where they fit.
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Your teen is navigating LGBTQIA2S+ identity, culture, independence, or the confusing in-between of childhood and adulthood.
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School has become a pressure point, with grades, course choices, future plans, and expectations piling up at once. •
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News, climate anxiety, politics, injustice, and uncertainty are weighing on your teen more than expected.
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Technology has become the battleground for bigger questions about privacy, safety, and independence.
These moments can feel like proof that something has gone wrong when really, they’re signs your family is in a strong current, and you don’t have to figure out how to navigate it on your own.
A note for parents: you're not being pushed out
Considering teen or family therapy can bring up questions about whether you should have known what to do sooner, but therapy isn’t a verdict on your parenting. Your teen is changing, your family is changing with them, and therapy gives you somewhere you can work with that change instead of carrying it alone.
Therapy helps your teen build the self-awareness, communication skills, and self-support they’ll need as they become more independent and capable adults. That’s why, when possible, they should be part of the decision about who they work with. Having some say can make therapy feel less like something being done to them and more like something they’re stepping into.…even if their first response is a deeply inspiring “I don’t know.”
From there, the work becomes a bit of a balance: your teen needs enough privacy to be honest, and you still need to know how to support them outside the room. In individual sessions, what your teen shares stays private unless there’s a safety or health concern, or they give consent. That privacy gives them room to take responsibility, practise trust, and express themselves more fully.
A note for teens: you can show up just as you are
I have one big rule inside my office: don’t break my stuff.
Other than that, you can pace, swear, go quiet, ask questions, change your mind, or just say “I don’t know” and see what happens from there. There’s no need to control your feelings and have perfect explanations for what you’re experiencing…or any explanation at all.
Therapy is where you get to work on the stuff people expect you to just know how to do: saying what you mean, asking for what you need, handling big feelings without blowing up your own life, making choices you don’t hate later, and figuring out who you are without everyone else deciding for you.
My role as your therapist isn’t to shut down your pushback or report back to your parents about what you’re struggling with. What you share in individual sessions stays private unless there’s a safety or health concern, or you want help communicating with your family. The point is to give you a space that actually feels like yours, where you can figure things out with support.
More support for teens, parents, and families in the messy middle
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FAQS about Teen and Family Therapy
Family, co-parenting, and couples sessions are $200/session, while individual therapy sessions are $175.
As a Registered Psychotherapist, I don’t handle insurance directly. Payment is accepted by cash, e-transfer, PayPal, VISA, Mastercard, and AMEX. However, many private or employer-based plans offer full or partial reimbursement when you submit your receipt, and clients covered by Sun Life may be eligible for direct billing.
Individual teen therapy gives your teen a private space to be honest without feeling like every detail will be repeated back at home.
What they share in session stays private unless there’s a concern about safety or health, or your teen gives consent to share something with you. If family communication would help, we can support your teen in talking with you about how they’re feeling and what they need.
There isn’t one right way to begin. Your teen might come on their own, you might join them for part or all of the session, or we may start with a parent or family session.
The best starting place depends on what’s happening, what your teen is comfortable with, and what kind of support your family needs right now.
That’s okay. I know many teenagers aren’t always open or excited to start attending therapy. To help them get on the same page, I encourage you to involve them wherever possible. Let them look at this website, ask questions, and understand rules about privacy. Having even that little bit of ownership can make the idea of therapy feel like a decision they’re a part of.
Yes, I offer both in-person and virtual workshops throughout the year for teens and families that want support outside of therapy sessions.
Upcoming workshops, dates, and registration details can be found here.