An Understanding Psychologist for Teens

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I will go out on a limb here and say that a frequently unspoken truth is that many people (including too many psychotherapists) are afraid of teenagers. Their feelings and behaviors can be confusing and unpredictable to parents and other family members.  They often fluctuate between acting more mature than their years and acting like younger children again. Even worse, they can feel they have the capability and rights of adults while sometimes still being more like children inside. 
 

Listen to my excerpts from a Columbia University radio interview on the pressures and challenges that teenagers experience today.
 

Understanding the actions of teenagers can be difficult, and I see it as my job to make sense of those actions and to figure out how to address their behaviors and emotions in a constructive manner. I will help your teenager get back on a happier and healthier course.

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Helping Teens Better Understand Themselves

 

Teenagers can present with a variety of problems, including low self-esteem, withdrawal from others, moodiness, temper outbursts, anxiety, ADHD, and depressed mood. Behavioral problems can include poor school performance, truancy, aggressiveness, sexual promiscuity, and drug and alcohol use, among other difficulties.

I am not afraid of teenagers.  I worked for many years with acting-out dolescents whose behaviors were so disruptive that they required residential treatment.  I am "battle-tested." Therefore, I am comfortable and resourceful in working with difficult adolescents.