Common Reasons Teens Come to Therapy
Your teenager doesn't have to be in crisis to benefit from therapy. Some of the concerns I commonly help with include:
Anxiety
Depression
Trauma
EMDR therapy
School stress
Perfectionism
People-pleasing
Social anxiety
Panic attacks
ADHD-related challenges
Emotional regulation
Self-esteem
Friendships
Family conflict
Grief
Life transitions
Identity development
Therapy for Teens
Helping teenagers understand themselves—not just change their behavior.
Being a teenager is hard. There are friendships to navigate, pressure to succeed, social media, anxiety, family expectations, identity, and a nervous system that's still learning how to make sense of a rapidly changing world. Sometimes those challenges show up as worry. Sometimes they look like anger. Sometimes they look like shutting down, perfectionism, withdrawing, or saying, "I'm fine," even when they aren't.
At The Living Room Therapy + Wellness, I provide teen therapy in Sandy, Utah for adolescents who want a place where they can better understand themselves, process difficult experiences, and develop healthier ways of responding to life's challenges.
Whether your teenager is struggling with anxiety, trauma, perfectionism, emotional overwhelm, or simply feeling stuck, therapy can become a place where understanding comes before change.
Therapy Looks Different Here Most teenagers don't want another adult telling them what to do. That's why therapy at The Living Room focuses less on fixing behavior and more on understanding what may be happening underneath it. I help teens become curious about their thoughts, emotions, and nervous systems so they can begin recognizing patterns instead of feeling controlled by them. Together we might explore questions like:
Why do I shut down?
Why do I get so angry?
Why do I overthink everything?
Why do I care so much what other people think?
Why can't I stop worrying?
Why do I feel numb?
Why does everything feel like too much?
Understanding these experiences often creates more room for choice, confidence, and self-compassion.
For Parents -
If you're here because you're worried about your teenager, you're not alone.
Parents often tell me things like:
"My teenager won't talk to me."
"They're always angry."
"They spend all day in their room."
"They seem anxious all the time."
"I don't know how to help anymore."
Therapy isn't about blaming parents or forcing teenagers to change. It's about helping families understand what may be happening beneath the behavior so everyone has more tools for connection.
My Approach
I'm a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and EMDR-trained therapist serving teens and families in Sandy, Utah and the greater Salt Lake City area. My approach combines evidence-based therapies, including EMDR, with a compassionate understanding of the nervous system.
Many teens also connect with the Brain and Heart framework I created, which offers a simple language for understanding emotions, protective responses, and the ways our nervous systems try to keep us safe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age do you work with?
I work with teens 13 and up, as well as adults. If you have a younger child and aren't sure whether individual therapy or parent support is the better starting point, feel free to reach out and we can figure out the right fit together.
Do parents attend therapy sessions?
Not typically during your teen's individual sessions — that space belongs to them. Parent involvement usually happens through check-ins or separate parent support sessions, so you stay informed without your teen feeling like therapy is being reported back on.
Do you offer EMDR for teens?
Yes — EMDR can be adapted for adolescents and is often effective for trauma, anxiety, and stuck emotional patterns.
How long are sessions?
60 minutes, with 50 minutes of session time and the remainder used for documentation.
Do you offer virtual therapy?
Yes — telehealth is available throughout Utah, in addition to in-person sessions in Sandy.
Ready to Begin?
Whether your teenager is feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or simply needs a place to make sense of what they're experiencing, therapy can help.
📍 In-person teen therapy in Sandy, Utah
💻 Telehealth throughout Utah