Finding The Best COUNSELING FOR TEENs- Los Angeles | West Hollywood -
Therapy for Teens at Oliver Drakeford Therapy, includes
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Regular meetings with caregivers & parents
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Optional family therapy opportunities.
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An evidence-based, holistic approach to teen counseling
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Therapy sessions that can occur inside, outside, or online.
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A creative, fun, and engaging approach to engaging your child.
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Blog post: What to do when your teen won't talk to you.
- TEEN COUNSELING-
What THERE IS TO KNOW
The teenage years can be challenging for so many reasons, and many parents seek support for their teens or tweens who are going through changes in a world that is very different from our own experiences at that age.
Teens require specialized therapy approaches to mental health to navigate peer pressure and identity challenges.
At Oliver Drakeford Therapy, we specialize in providing personalized interventions catering to teens and young people's distinct developmental phases. Our focus on individuality ensures that each teenager receives care that honors their unique needs and values; we offer online and in-person therapy in West Hollywood.
MEET YOUR LOCAL Teen Therapy Therapist!
I’m a marriage and family therapist with a decade of experience working with adolescents and families, offering tailored guidance and mental health resources.
I was the Clinical Director of an adolescent treatment center in Malibu, CA for many years and not only worked with hundreds of teens and their caregivers, but also provided specialized training and supervision to my clinical team.
Prior to this, I was a school based therapist at The Maple Counseling Center and at Beverly Hills High School.
You can read more about me here.
Meet the Teen Therapy Team
The team at Oliver Drakeford Therapy is well versed in working with teens with each member benefiting from working in school-based or treatment programs as well as continuous training and consultation in the best evidence based techniques that an adolescent may need.
If you're looking for teen counseling in Los Angeles, our office is located in the heart of West Hollywood, close to The Grove, Beverly Hills, Sunset Strip and Culver City. In addition you may want to know that we offer online therapy sessions and don't have to meet each week in-person if your schedule gets too busy.
The Importance of Individualized Teen Therapy
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Adolescence: A Critical Developmental Phase
Teenagers often experience emotional challenges due to the pressures of social relationships. During adolescence, young individuals experience significant changes that influence their emotional and mental health. These include hormonal shifts, brain development, and a heightened sensitivity to social dynamics. Such changes increase their susceptibility to mental health issues like depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. Our therapists are trained to recognize and address these conditions effectively with evidence-based methods.
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AUTONOMY: TEEN THERAPY THAT EMPOWERS
Adolescents thrive when they feel a sense of autonomy in therapy. This age is marked by a quest for individuation, making it crucial that therapy empowers them to explore their emotions and challenges independently. Our approach is rooted in psychodynamic theory, which is the origins of developmental theory of maturity, that is tailored to provide teens with the guidance needed to navigate their emotional journeys while maintaining their independence.
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THERAPY FOR TEENAGERS AND Family Dynamics
Teenagers benefit from open communication to build trust with parents or caregivers. At Oliver Drakeford Therapy, we usually recommend regular joint therapy sessions with caregivers and their children.
Understanding the interplay between teens and their families is crucial in addressing many adolescent issues. Often, communication patterns within families can perpetuate misunderstanding and emotional distress. Our family therapy services focus on enhancing parents’ abilities to support their adolescents through this challenging time.
Teen Therapy For The Challenges Facing Today's YOUTH
The Double-Edged Sword
of Technology
Pressures of Academic &
Social Expectations
I admit I cannot keep up with technology, particularly social media and AI. These massive shifts play a daunting role in shaping teenagers' perceptions of self-identity and self-worth.
There's a persistent need for validation and acceptance online that can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and inadequacy, along with the overwhelming amount of knowledge that's instantly accessible with AI.
Our team engages teenagers in conversations that help them differentiate between online personas and encourage real-life relationships that are generally better and healthier.
Managing Anxiety and Depression
Teenagers face increased stress when balancing academic demands and personal growth. That is in addition to the emotional turbulence of puberty and increasingly complicated relationships with friends.
This stress may lead to some rebellious behaviors in some kids, encourage risky behaviors in others, and cause mental health challenges in others.
Therapy offers a safe place where teenagers can voice and process these pressures without judgment. We encourage open discussions that help them learn and develop new healthy coping mechanisms.
Emotional and Behavioral Issues
Our therapy for teenage anxiety utilizes proven techniques to manage anxiety disorders effectively. We may try creative and engaging ways in addition to talk therapy if that's what works to help your child.
I make sure that our team is dedicated to providing the best teen therapy services that can confront mental health challenges, including depression and anxiety.
Teenagers often face emotional issues arising from developmental shifts, peer dynamics, and societal pressures. Our teen therapy programs in Los Angeles focus on addressing these emotional challenges and offer holistic psychotherapy for teens.
Our therapists engage in evidence-based practices that work to promote positive mental health outcomes.
THREE QUICK TIPS FOR PARENTING TEENS
If you're a parent, you're bound to have specific concerns about their well-being, behaviors, or general mental state, and perhaps they are struggling to communicate or talk to your child. Here are three quick pointers from a teen counselor that are always useful to remember.
Ditch the Life Lessons
You might not always love your teen’s friends, but openly criticizing them can backfire.
Adolescents are increbibly protective of their social circles, and negative comments can push them to shut down. Instead, focus on staying curious and non-judgmental.
Ask open-ended questions about their life, like, “What do you enjoy about hanging out with them?” or “How do they make you feel?” This approach may keep the lines of communication open, allowing you to better understand their friendships without alienating them.
Friendship Never Ends
It’s tempting to turn every conversation into a lesson—after all, you’re full of wisdom you want to share! But constant advice-giving can make teens tune out or avoid talking altogether. Instead, focus on listening without jumping in to fix or correct.
When your child opens up, they’re often looking for validation, not solutions.
Try reflective listening—acknowledge their feelings without offering immediate advice. This builds trust and makes them more likely to come to you again, knowing they won’t be met with an uninvited lecture.
Less Is More!
I tend to find that young adults often dodge conversations because they expect them to spiral into long lectures or endless lists of reminders. They’re busy juggling school, friends, and activities, so when you do catch them for a chat, aim for quality over quantity. Focus on what really matters, and keep it brief.
Being concise shows that you respect their time and space, which makes them more likely to feel safe, stick around and actually listen. A few meaningful words can have a bigger impact than a long-winded discussion.
Teen Counseling - Frequently Asked Questions
What are the primary benefits of teen therapy?
Teen therapy assists young individuals in managing emotional and behavioral challenges within a supportive framework, fostering healthier coping strategies and self-growth. Parents may have tried all the ways they know how to help their child, and sometimes a counselor can bridge that gap.
How are peer relationship issues addressed in therapy?
Therapists work collaboratively with teens to discern underlying peer relationship issues, providing strategies to enhance communication and interpersonal skills. In the first session, I often create a map of the most important people in your child's life to start to get a feel for the important peers as well as the ones that impact self-esteem, anxiety, or certain behaviors.
Is family therapy advantageous for teenagers?
Absolutely, family therapy can greatly enhance a teenager's emotional well-being by improving family dynamics and offering a supportive context for addressing behavioral and emotional issues.
What therapy works best for adolescents?
I've worked with teens for nearly a decade and ran a treatment center for teens for many years. The best therapy for your teens is the type of therapy they respond to - that's the most important thing a parent can hold onto when seeking help for their child.
For some, it might involve psychodrama; or creative activities, for others, it's talk therapy, and for some teens, they respond best to art therapy. An exceptional teen therapist knows how to find a way to connect and work with their client and uses a holistic approach with creativity and novelty.
Is it normal for a 13-year-old to go to therapy?
If a thirteen-year-old is struggling in any way, emotionally, academically, or behaviorally, and their caregivers can't help, it's totally normal for a therapist to be involved. It takes a team to raise a teen, and a teen counselor can become part of that village that helps parents and adolescents.