Online Therapy for Teens

The first time I worked with teenagers as an adult was leading a slam poetry club at an after school program for young folks with incarcerated parents. I was amazed by what I saw–wildly creative, competent, and mature people who didn’t quite understand their own wisdom and capacity. Since then, it has been an honor to work with teens. Whether teens are neurodivergent, regaining confidence after bullying, abuse, parental divorce, or suffering from a loss or identity issues, I help to create a space where folks can find a language to express their inner experience and learn to share that with others. We process trauma when and if clients want to and are ready. I also facilitate joint sessions with parents if folks are interested.

Here are some of the modalities I use with teens:

Mindfulness Therapy

• Mindfulness therapy and Acceptance Commitment Therapy for teens supports articulation of a values-based life and planning for the future.
• Emotional regulation can be hard for teens with hormones, but Mindfulness exercises such as present-moment-awareness and compassion practices increase distress tolerance, generosity. Mindfulness therapy also promotes calm and focus even when teens mental health presents challenges for them.

Narrative Therapy

• Narrative therapy supports teens in articulating the story of a problem they are facing such as teen anxiety, teen depression, or ADHD.
• Next, teens are empowered to write new stories, taking back their stolen agency and mapping out futures they can be proud of.

Expressive Arts Therapy

• Expressive Arts Therapy is especially useful for teens who have experienced trauma, are experiencing CPTSD or PTSD, or any teen who wants to use art in therapy.
• Painting, writing, and dreams can be explored so teens can access, process, and heal from difficult experiences.

EMDR Therapy for Teens

• EMDR for teens online supports them in reprocessing traumatic memories to regain functioning in their daily life.
• EMDR therapy with adolescents online begins by assessing their strengths, mapping out their life themes and distressful memories.
• Clients learn new coping skills such as guided Mindfulness Therapy exercises.
• Bilateral stimulation such as butterfly tapping is used as Clients recount memories and tap into their imaginative capacity for healing and catharsis.

Samm Becker, AMFT works with a team at Trauma Resolution Therapy under the supervision of Jason Murphy, LMFT, providing therapy for teens online. Insurances taken include: Health Net, Optum, Kaiser, United Healthcare, Blue Shield, Cigna, Anthem, and Carelon. Super bills provided upon request.