Therapy for Teens in Portland

What Therapy With a Teen Can Look Like

Sessions with teens tend to be direct and grounded in real life. A teen might bring in a stressful week at school, a fight with a friend or a recurring worry before tests. Marie uses CBT, which means looking at how thoughts, feelings and actions connect, then trying small changes between sessions. Teens are treated as collaborators, not as problems to be managed. Sessions often include practical planning, so a teen leaves with something specific to try that week.

Common Reasons Teens Come In

Teens may come to therapy for anxiety, stress about grades, trouble focusing, frequent irritability, low motivation or difficulty with friendships. Some come in because a parent noticed changes, and some ask for help themselves. There is no requirement to have a single clear reason. Part of the early work is figuring out what is most important to focus on first, together. A teen's own priorities often guide where the work begins, which can help them feel more invested from the start.

Making Space for Teen Buy-In

Teens are more likely to engage when they feel heard rather than sent. It can help to describe therapy as a chance to work on something they care about, like feeling less stressed before school, rather than as a fix for bad behavior. A free 15-minute consultation can give a teen a sense of who Marie is before committing to anything. Some teens also find it helpful to know they can ask questions and say what they want to work on, which can make the first session feel less like an evaluation.

Parents and Practical Details

For minors, parents or guardians are typically involved in arranging care, and consent specifics are discussed at the consultation. Sessions are 50 minutes, with individual sessions at $200 and family sessions at $225. Online therapy is available for teens in Oregon, and you can ask about current Portland office availability. If a teen is in crisis, call or text 988 or contact emergency services right away. Scheduling questions are welcome at the consultation.

Take the First Step

Marie offers a free 15-minute consultation to talk through what is happening and whether her practical, collaborative CBT approach seems like a fit. Sessions are 50 minutes, and individual sessions are $200. Online therapy is available anywhere in Oregon, and you can ask about current Portland office availability if meeting in person matters to you. Bringing one or two concrete examples to the call is usually more useful than a full history.

Questions You May Have