Adolescent therapy

Treating teens

At Sage Psychotherapy, we work with young people, ages 12 and up. We love working with this age group! Adolescence is a special period of growth, change and unique stressors. This is also a period of self-actualizing and identity-formation.

We strive to meet kids “where they are,” allowing them to be themselves in the room, and we give them a safe space to talk about anything at all. Stress and pressure around peers, school, family, and changes can be overwhelming. We work with teens to identify areas of strength and help them to build confidence and coping skills where they might be struggling. 

Who do we help?

We treat adolescents with the following challenges:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Eating Disorders

• Peer problems

• Family stressors

• Identity formation around gender and sexuality 

• Self-confidence issues

• Self-harming behaviors

 First steps

When you call, as a parent or guardian, we will ask you questions around your child’s needs. We will assign your child to one of our therapists, based on those specific needs, or make a referral if we are not the right fit. 

The first session, or intake appointment, will include the teenager and a parent or guardian. Both the parent/guardian and the teenager will have space to talk about the problem/s from each one’s individual perspective. The therapist may spend the entire hour with both of you, or she may see the teenager alone for part of the session. The therapist will generally allow the teenager to make this decision. In this session, the therapist will talk about what therapy might look like moving forward. The therapist will talk to both of you about what confidentiality means, and how the teenager will have a safe and private relationship with the therapist, but also what the therapist will share with the parents/guardians.

Teenagers are often resistant to, or nervous about, therapy or say they don’t want to come. Within this first session, we strive to help your teenager see that therapy might be helpful, or even fun. We start to build rapport from this first session, and eventually your teenager might even say, “I hope I have therapy this week.”

What can we expect?

Sessions with teens are typically 45 minutes long. The therapist will use evidence-based therapies and strategies to help your teen. These include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

• Mindfulness strategies

• Relationship building

• Problem solving and coping skills learning

How is the parent/guardian involved?

That depends! Sometimes, parents come in at the beginning or end of each session for updates or to learn some strategies to support their child. Sometimes, parents wait in the waiting room until the session is over, and any communication with the parents or guardians is done over the phone between sessions. With some parents there is a lot of communication from the therapist, and with others it is minimal. All of this depends on the age and needs of your child, as well as how acutely they are struggling. Communication and parental involvement needs may change over time.

What are the costs?

Therapy is an investment in your child’s wellness, both in the short and long-term. We currently take Husky (Medicaid), Anthem Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, United Healthcare, Connecticare, Oxford. If there is financial need, and we do not take your insurance, we can discuss a sliding scale.