Support for Parents
Parenting Adolescents
Setting a limit can turn into an argument even when your intention is to protect your teen. Parent-focused therapy looks at those exchanges, the worry behind them, and how you want to respond.
Who This Is For
This work is for parents of adolescents who want to stay connected while addressing limits, behavior, or mood concerns. Your questions deserve time too. You can talk about the family situation without your teen having to explain it first.
- Parents concerned about mood
- Caregivers managing conflict
- Parents considering teen or family therapy
Focus of Care
What We Work On
Limits and Expectations
The expectation you are setting and how your teen hears it.
Staying Connected
Conversations that aren't only about correction, rules, and reminders.
Mood and Behavior
Changes in your teen's mood or behavior and the questions they raise.
Your Response to Conflict
Worry, frustration, and your reactions when an argument gets going.
Choosing a Format
The role teen or family sessions might have in your care.
How We Work
We may return to a recent disagreement about a rule, separate your concern from your reaction, and practice a clearer way to explain the expectation. Parent sessions also make room for uncertainty about a teen's mental health. We draw on approaches that keep the discussion connected to situations at home.
- Solution-focused therapy
- CBT
- Mindfulness-based approaches
What Can Shift
You might work toward stating a limit more clearly, recognizing when worry is driving an argument, or asking your teen a question without immediately offering advice. Examples from your week help us understand what fits your family and what still needs another approach.
What Sessions Look Like
Appointments last 50 minutes and take place at 9655 Granite Ridge Drive, Suite 200, San Diego, or by telehealth anywhere in California.
One interaction you want to understand gives us a starting point. We can talk about parent-focused work and whether teen or family sessions would add a needed perspective.
Fees in Brief
Individual, couples and family sessions are 50 minutes. We are in network with many plans and provide superbills for out-of-network benefits. Contact us for rates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Come Without My Teen?
Yes, parent-focused support can begin with you. In the consultation, we can talk about your concerns and the format you are considering.
What if Co-Parents Disagree on an Approach?
We can talk about your differing expectations and how the disagreement affects communication with your teen. The consultation helps us clarify fit and scope.
When Should We Consider Teen or Family Sessions?
Those formats may help when the concern involves your teen's distress or repeated family interactions. We can discuss whose perspective needs to be part of the conversation.
Related Support
You May Also Want to Explore
A parent's questions do not always need the same format as a teen's concerns. Teen sessions focus on the young person’s perspective, family sessions on shared interactions, and relationship work on your own patterns. During consultation, we can talk about who is affected and the conversation you hope to have.
You can start the free 15-minute phone consultation with one parenting question, even if you are still finding words for the change in your teen's mood.
Start With a Conversation