About

As an adolescent therapist, I strive to connect. To listen before providing feedback. To ask questions to better understand. Connection is the sense of closeness and belongingness a person can experience when having supportive relationships with those around them. Connection is when each person feels valued, seen and heard. Connection and compassion are essential during the therapy process, as is challenging and guiding individuals to push beyond their current understanding and patterns to develop healthier, life-improving skills/habits/approaches. Before a teen can receive the “new” approaches they must first be heard, understood and validated. Adolescents often receive the “new” approaches before feeling fully heard as loving adults in their lives want to share their wisdom in an attempt to ‘protect’ and ‘guide’ adolescents away from mistakes or uncomfortable situations. However, the adolescent life stage is all about developing their own wisdom through the experience. As connection begins to take hold then the next phase of our time together begins. I like to refer to this phase as “gently nudging” them. This may look like finding new meaning to an experience, challenging an unhealthy belief, noticing distorted thinking, identifying barriers to growth, discontinuing toxic/unhealthy habits, setting boundaries or recognizing when boundaries are too rigid. Adolescents who are open to being ‘nudged’ in a healthier direction are individuals who feel heard and understood first. They feel some level of trust and feel they are being guided in a direction that can benefit their quality of life. I hope to help adolescents experience connection followed by growth.