Teen Therapy in Arcadia, CA

Anxiety and Overthinking

Teen anxiety can involve much more than occasional nervousness.

Your teen may worry about school, friendships, social situations, the future, disappointing others, making mistakes, or things that seem unlikely to happen.

Anxiety can also show up as irritability, perfectionism, avoidance, reassurance-seeking, difficulty sleeping, stomachaches, headaches, or feeling constantly overwhelmed.

Therapy can help teens understand anxiety, recognize triggers, and develop healthier ways of responding to worry and stress.

Learn more about our Anxiety Therapy services.

Depression and Mood Changes

Depression in teens does not always look like sadness.

Some teens become irritable, disconnected, exhausted, unmotivated, or less interested in people and activities they previously enjoyed.

Therapy can help teens better understand their emotions, identify patterns that may be contributing to depression, strengthen coping skills, and reconnect with meaningful relationships and activities.

Learn more about our Depression Therapy services.

School Stress and Academic Pressure

Grades, homework, extracurricular activities, college expectations, learning difficulties, procrastination, and pressure to succeed can become overwhelming.

Therapy can help teens develop coping strategies, improve problem-solving, manage stress, and explore healthier expectations for themselves.

Learn more about our Stress Management Therapy services.

ADHD and Executive Functioning

Teens with ADHD may struggle with organization, procrastination, time management, attention, impulsivity, frustration tolerance, emotional regulation, or feeling constantly criticized for things that are genuinely difficult for them.

Therapy can help teens develop practical strategies while also addressing confidence, stress, and emotional reactions connected with ADHD.

Learn more about our ADHD Therapy services.

Friendships and Social Pressure

Friendship changes, exclusion, bullying, dating, social media, comparison, and pressure to fit in can have a significant emotional impact during adolescence.

Therapy can give teens a place to explore these experiences while strengthening boundaries, communication skills, confidence, and healthier relationships.

Big Emotions, Anger, and Emotional Regulation

Some teens experience emotions intensely and have difficulty calming down once they become overwhelmed.

This may look like yelling, shutting down, arguing, impulsive behavior, crying, withdrawing, or reacting strongly to situations that seem small from the outside.

Therapy can help teens recognize emotional and physical cues earlier and develop healthier ways of expressing and managing difficult emotions.

Family Conflict

Adolescence naturally brings greater independence, which can sometimes lead to conflict between teens and parents.

Therapy can help teens communicate more effectively while also helping families better understand what may be happening underneath repeated arguments or disconnection.

When family relationships are a significant part of the concern, we may also recommend Family Therapy or Family Systems Therapy.

Trauma and Difficult Experiences

Teens may need additional support after frightening, painful, confusing, or overwhelming experiences.

Therapy can provide a space to process difficult experiences at an appropriate pace while strengthening emotional regulation, coping skills, and a sense of safety.

Learn more about our Trauma and PTSD Therapy services.

Our team includes therapists with different specialties, personalities, approaches, and languages, making it easier to find someone your teen feels comfortable talking to.

Our care coordinator and clinical director can help match your teen based on their concerns, personality, preferred style of support, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.

Adriana Sanchez Morales, AMFT

Adriana provides therapy in English and Spanish for teens and adults navigating anxiety, trauma, emotional stress, family concerns, and life transitions. Her style is grounded, thoughtful, and collaborative.

Natalie Tergalstanian, AMFT, APCC

Natalie provides therapy in English and Armenian for teens and adults navigating anxiety, emotional stress, relationships, and life transitions. Her style is calm, supportive, and gentle.

Amanda Weissmann, ACSW

Amanda works with children, teens, adults, and families navigating anxiety, stress, emotional regulation, communication difficulties, and life transitions. Her style is patient, encouraging, and easy to talk to.

Teen therapy is usually more conversational than child therapy, but every teen is different.

Some adolescents are ready to talk openly from the first session. Others need time to feel comfortable before discussing difficult experiences.

Sessions may include conversation, reflection, coping exercises, problem-solving, emotional regulation strategies, mindfulness, communication practice, or other activities based on your teen’s needs and goals.

A strong therapeutic relationship is especially important during adolescence.

Teens are more likely to participate meaningfully when they feel respected rather than judged, lectured, or pressured to say the “right” thing.

Our therapists work to create a space where teens can gradually feel comfortable being themselves while also learning skills that help them outside of therapy.

Parents and caregivers remain an important part of supporting a teen’s emotional well-being.

At the same time, adolescents often need an appropriate level of privacy in therapy so they can build trust and speak openly.

The amount of parent involvement depends on your teen’s age, concerns, treatment goals, and individual needs.

Parent involvement may include:

• discussing concerns and treatment goals
• learning strategies for supporting your teen at home
• improving communication
• understanding emotional or behavioral patterns
• strengthening boundaries and expectations
• participating in family sessions when helpful
• discussing significant safety concerns

Your teen’s therapist will explain how confidentiality and parent communication will work at the beginning of treatment.

At Aspire Counseling Group, teen therapy is individualized, collaborative, and developmentally appropriate.

We consider more than the immediate symptom or behavior that brought your teen to therapy.

We also look at relationships, family dynamics, school experiences, developmental needs, identity, strengths, stressors, culture, and what is happening in your teen’s broader life.

Depending on your teen’s needs, therapy may incorporate:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT can help teens recognize connections between thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and physical reactions while developing practical coping and problem-solving strategies.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT-informed therapy may help teens strengthen emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, communication, and relationship skills.

EMDR Therapy

EMDR may be helpful for some teens experiencing trauma, distressing memories, emotional triggers, anxiety, or other difficult experiences.

Attachment-Based Therapy

Attachment-based therapy can help teens and families better understand emotional needs, trust, connection, boundaries, and relationship patterns.

Family Systems Therapy

Family systems therapy considers how family relationships, communication patterns, roles, expectations, and stressors may affect the teen and family as a whole.

Our goal is not to fit every teenager into the same treatment model. We want to understand your teen as an individual and provide support that makes sense for their personality, experiences, strengths, family, and needs.

Teen Therapy in Arcadia, CA and Online Across California

Aspire Counseling Group provides teen therapy in Arcadia, CA for families throughout the San Gabriel Valley.

Our Arcadia therapy office serves families from Pasadena, San Marino, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Temple City, and nearby communities.

Online therapy is also available throughout California and can be a convenient option for many adolescents.

Our therapists provide care in English, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, ASL, and Armenian.

You do not need to know which therapist or treatment approach your teen needs before reaching out.

Our care coordinator and clinical director can help match your teen based on their concerns, personality, preferred style and approach, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.

Getting Started Is Simple

1. Reach Out

Call, text, or request an appointment online.

2. We Help Match Your Teen With a Therapist

Our care coordinator and clinical director work together to understand what your teen and family are experiencing and recommend a therapist whose experience, personality, style, language, and availability fit your needs.

3. Begin With Support

Your therapist will take time to understand your teen’s concerns, strengths, relationships, and goals and develop a treatment plan collaboratively.

As therapy progresses, parents can also receive guidance about how to support their teen while respecting the teen’s developing independence and privacy.

Same-week, evening, and weekend appointments are available.

Q: How do I know if my teen might benefit from therapy?
A: Therapy may be helpful if your teen is experiencing ongoing anxiety, depression, irritability, withdrawal, emotional outbursts, attention difficulties, school problems, friendship challenges, family conflict, or stress that is interfering with daily life.

Q: What happens during teen therapy sessions?
A: Teen therapy provides a private, supportive space where adolescents can talk about what they are experiencing, better understand their emotions, develop coping strategies, improve communication, and work through challenges at school, home, or in relationships.

Q: What if my teen does not want to go to therapy?
A: It is common for teens to feel uncertain or resistant about beginning therapy. Building trust usually takes time. A therapist can work with your teen at a manageable pace and involve them in deciding what they would like to work on rather than forcing conversations before they are ready.

Q: Will parents be involved in teen therapy?
A: Usually, yes, although the amount of involvement varies. Parents may participate in treatment planning, receive guidance, or occasionally join sessions while teens also have appropriate privacy within their individual therapy.

Q: Will my teen’s therapy sessions be confidential?
A: Confidentiality is an important part of helping teens feel comfortable speaking openly. Therapists will explain confidentiality and its limits at the beginning of treatment. Parents will be involved when clinically appropriate and when there are significant safety concerns.

Q: Can teen therapy help with anxiety?
A: Yes. Therapy may help teens recognize anxiety triggers, understand patterns of worry, manage physical symptoms of stress, develop coping strategies, and respond differently to anxious thoughts.

Q: Can therapy help with school stress or ADHD?
A: It may. Therapy can help teens develop strategies for organization, emotional regulation, frustration tolerance, stress management, communication, problem-solving, and other challenges related to school or ADHD.

Q: Can teens participate in online therapy?
A: Yes. Many teens participate effectively through secure telehealth sessions. Online therapy can be especially convenient for busy school and extracurricular schedules, provided the teen has an appropriate private space for sessions.

Q: What if the problem is affecting our whole family?
A: Your teen’s therapist may recommend parent involvement or family sessions when appropriate. Aspire also offers Family Therapy when communication, conflict, parenting concerns, or broader family patterns need additional attention.

Q: How long does teen therapy take?
A: There is no single timeline. The length of therapy depends on your teen’s concerns, goals, circumstances, progress, and response to treatment.

Q: Do you offer teen therapy near Pasadena, San Marino, or Monrovia?
A: Yes. Aspire Counseling Group provides teen therapy in Arcadia, CA, near Pasadena, San Marino, Monrovia, Sierra Madre, Temple City, and other San Gabriel Valley communities.

Q: How do we get started with teen therapy?
A: Call or text (626) 639-8844 or schedule an appointment online. Our care coordinator and clinical director can help match your teen with a therapist based on their concerns, personality, language, schedule, and insurance or payment needs.

Ready to Help Your Teen Feel More Confident and Supported?

If your teen is struggling with anxiety, depression, emotional overwhelm, ADHD, school pressure, friendships, family conflict, or other challenges, therapy can help them better understand what they are experiencing and develop healthier ways of coping.

Aspire Counseling Group provides teen therapy in Arcadia, CA and online therapy throughout California.

Call or text (626) 639-8844 or view current availability and schedule an appointment online.

Our care coordinator and clinical director can help connect your teen with a therapist whose experience, personality, and style fit what your family is looking for.