Parenting and Family
Parenting an Anxious Teen
You want to help without making every decision for them.
Who This Is For
When worry starts organizing the whole household
Your teen asks for reassurance again, and you are unsure whether another answer helps. You might step in to prevent distress, then wonder if they are getting less room to try things.
I work with teens ages 12 and up, young adults and families. We can look at your role with care, not blame. A parent’s own worry often needs attention alongside the teen’s experience.
What We Work On
What we can talk through
- 01
Stepping in
Immediate safety concerns require adult action. Other moments may allow time to listen and plan together rather than deciding everything at once.
- 02
Support and accommodation
Support helps a teen face a manageable task with help. Changing every plan to avoid distress may bring short relief while making their choices narrower.
- 03
Your own fear
You may lie awake thinking about school or friendships. We discuss how to care for your teen without making them responsible for settling your worry.
How I Work
Skills for the moment, and the pattern
CBT
CBT helps us examine predictions about what will happen if your teen feels anxious. We separate immediate risks from assumptions and consider steps that fit a proper assessment.
DBT
With DBT, we practice acknowledging a feeling while keeping a clear boundary. We can rehearse a calmer response to repeated questions rather than arguing about whether the fear is reasonable.
What Sessions Look Like
A conversation grounded in your week
- Where
- Virtual, from anywhere in New York State
- Length
- 45 to 50 minutes
- When
- Day, evening and weekend times
Family work can address communication; individual time may give a teen room to discuss their own concerns. We agree on privacy and its safety limits before starting. I am a social worker, not a prescriber, and medical questions need appropriate medical care.
You can be available without having an answer for every worried question.
What Can Shift
- A clearer plan for when to help and when to pause.
- A shared plan instead of an improvised rescue each time.
- Room for the teen’s voice and your own concerns.
These are hopes we work toward together, not guarantees.
Parenting and Family
Before another reassurance loop
Notice what repeats
We can look at the question, your answer and what happens afterward. Repetition gives us information; it does not mean either of you is doing therapy wrong.
Choose with support
Do not abruptly remove help or push a frightening task alone. We can discuss a gradual plan suited to the teen, including when another assessment is needed.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911.
Fees in Brief
$195
Family therapy, 45 to 50 minutes
Family sessions are $195; individual sessions are $175. A free 20 to 30 minute consultation lets us discuss format, consent and scheduling.
All sessions are private pay. Superbills available for out-of-network reimbursement. I am in network with Northwell Direct.
See all rates and the cancellation policyQuestions
Frequently Asked Questions
Should my teen attend first?
Can you diagnose my teen from my description?
What if worry may be OCD?
You do not need to solve the worry before we talk.
We can begin with the pattern you are noticing at home.