It doesn’t get much better than summer in Southern California.  With long days, warm nights, and trips to the beach, summertime is a fantastic opportunity to reset and relax.  

Despite all the perks of a being a So-Cal resident, months without school or regularly scheduled activities can invite a lot of downtime for teens on break from school…

Most of us have had the experience of jitters before, during, or even after a test.  Certainly, a certain amount of nervousness in the face of something that can feel both challenging and critical is reasonable, sometimes even helpful.  But for some students, test taking can invite a level of fear that completely paralyzes their ability to perform and can render all that essential studying useless…

Check out this post for 5 tips on how to support your teen while they are in therapy.

Many of you read my last blog post on New Years Resolutions and being "All In" in 2017. To me, being "All In" means starting to get serious about self-care and self-compassion. Self-compassion involves giving the same kindness to ourselves as we would give to others....

As a therapist who works specifically with teens and young adults, I have the honor of walking alongside mothers and daughters every day. I am privileged to sit with mothers and their daughters as they go through addictions, divorces, teenage growing pains, mini battles over iPhone use, moves to college, and other major life transitions...

Teens often come to me when they are worried that one of their friends is abusing drugs or alcohol. Many of my clients feel conflicted about whether or not to tell their parents because saying, “I don’t want to get them in trouble.”

Parents often come to my office and declare, “I am losing the battle of the iPhone,” or, “I have no idea how to parent my teen around social media and the Internet,” or “No matter what I do my teenager won’t look up from their smartphone!”

Coping skills help teens work through challenging emotions, feelings, or situations. However, sometimes it can be difficult to think of coping skills in the moment. Here is a list of 50 coping skills that I often share with my teen clients...

Clients often come into my office looking for positive coping skills for overcoming self-harm. One creative coping skill that I often suggest is...

In the midst of college applications, finals, tryouts and report cards parents often forget to ask their teen, "What are your goals/dreams and how can I help you accomplish them?" 

Although it can seem difficulty, using mindfulness to check-in with our own feelings can help us to better soothe and process the anxiety of our teens...