Therapy for Adolescents and Teenagers

Teens often feel misunderstood — and with good reason. Rapid technological change has created a world unlike the one their parents knew, bringing new pressures and evolving social norms. While parents have always struggled to connect with teens, today’s pace of change makes that gap wider than ever. In the 1990s, parents could say “I’ve been there.” But that is no longer necessarily true.

When searching for a therapist for your teen, it’s important they find someone they feel comfortable with and can trust. We carefully connect each teen with a therapist whose skills and interests match their needs — because every young person deserves to be matched with the right therapist, not just whoever is available. For that reason, only therapists who genuinely connect with young people — and who teens tend to like — work with teen clients

We treat most of the same things that we treat in adults, including anxiety, depression, OCD, and ADHD. We also help teens with:

• Peer relationships and making friends
• Bullying
• Academic stress and performance anxiety
• Social media and technology-related stress
• Family conflict
• Identity and self-esteem
• LGBTQ mental health (Jenny Heatwole has particular experience in this area)
• Sleep problems

We assess for ADHD and treat it with CBT, but we do not offer formal ADHD testing for the purpose of deciding upon medication prescriptions.

Frequently Asked Questions About CBT with Teens and Adolescents

Do you treat OCD in children, adolescents, and teens? Yes. Anna Harris works directly with children 10 and older and teens for OCD and coordinates closely with parents. Jenny Heatwole sees adolescents 12 and older. Mike Pease, Meredith Vizzini, and Ariel Diehl see teens 16 and older. Dr. Rob Young treats OCD in children of all ages, working directly with parents to teach them the fundamentals of CBT and guide them in helping their child.

Do you treat anxiety in children, adolescents, and teens? Yes — the same therapists who treat OCD in younger clients also treat anxiety. Anna Harris works with children 10 and older, Jenny Heatwole sees adolescents 12 and older, and Mike Pease, Meredith Vizzini, and Ariel Diehl see teens 16 and older. Dr. Young also treats anxiety in younger children by working directly with parents.

What types of therapy do you offer for children and teens? We do not offer play therapy. Most of our therapists provide CBT that is tailored for younger clients. We do see adolescents and teens without their parents, but we coordinate closely with parents — with more parental involvement for younger adolescents that gradually decreases as teens get older and more independent.

Dr. Young requires parents to attend his sessions with anyone under 16. He focuses on teaching parents the fundamentals of CBT and guiding them to ease their child’s anxiety and teach them emotion regulation skills. Anna Harris works directly with children 10 and older, coordinating closely with parents so that both the child and their family are learning and reinforcing CBT skills together.

Do you offer in-person therapy for teens in Richmond? Yes. See therapist profiles below.

Does insurance cover CBT for teens? Yes — we accept Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Anthem Healthkeepers, Aetna, and Tricare East for teen and adolescent CBT therapy. Coverage varies by plan, so we recommend calling your insurance company to confirm your specific benefits before your first appointment.

Therapists For Children, Adolescents, and Teens

In our North Chesterfield and Scott’s Addition Richmond Offices

Therapists For Children, Adolescents, and Teens

In our Charlottesville, Virginia Office, and Virtually Throughout Virginia