Teens and Young Adults
School Stress and Perfectionism
A good grade can still leave you afraid of the next mistake.
Who This Is For
When doing well never feels finished
You may have straight A’s and still feel behind. College talk and late-night studying can make assignments feel like a test of who you are. I listen beyond the report card.
I work with teens ages 12 and up who are tired of impossible standards. Parents may see achievement while missing the all-nighters, tears or fear.
What We Work On
What we can talk about
The mistake that feels enormous
We discuss what a lower score seems to mean about you, your future or someone’s approval. One assignment is not your whole ability.
Rest and deadlines
We look at the cost of another late night and the work that actually needs doing. A workable plan includes sleep and a stopping point.
Pressure from every direction
College conversations, friends and your own standards may all sound urgent. We sort out whose expectations you are trying to meet.
How I Work
Practice that fits the difficult moments
CBT
CBT helps us examine rules such as anything below perfect means failure. We look for a more accurate thought and a small experiment, like finishing an assignment without checking it again and again.
DBT
With DBT, we practice tolerating the distress of uncertainty or a disappointing result. We practice naming feelings, pausing and asking for support.
What Sessions Look Like
Start with what happened this week
- Where
- Virtual, from anywhere in New York State
- Length
- 45 to 50 minutes
- When
- Day, evening and weekend times
You can bring one assignment or recent disagreement to a video session. We discuss privacy and safety limits before getting into personal details. When parents join, we decide how their support can help without adding another layer of performance pressure.
There may be room for effort without an endless finish line.
What Can Shift
- Stopping work at a planned time.
- Making a mistake without judging your whole self.
- Telling an adult when the pressure is too much.
These are hopes we work toward together, not guarantees.
Teens and Young Adults
Questions beyond the grade
What did this cost?
We can count the missed rest, meals or time with friends without turning rest into another task you have to do perfectly.
What would enough look like?
A draft, a deadline and one review may be a starting point. We choose a realistic experiment.
If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911.
Fees in Brief
$175
Individual Therapy, 45 to 50 minutes
Individual work is $175. In a free consultation, we can talk about school stress and parent participation. Family work is $195 when that format fits.
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
Will therapy make me care less about school?
Can my parent book for me?
What if my grades are still good?
Bring the pressure behind the good grades.
We can discuss a starting point that is about you, not your next score.