About Amanda’s therapy for teens…

 

Therapy doesn’t have to be boring or hard.

 

My work with teen girls is based upon communicating acceptance (Humanistic Therapy). From there, we work on challenging cognitive dissonance (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), creating the child’s own road map rules (Dialectal Behavior Therapy), all while integrating play (Play Therapy) and arts (Art Therapy). 

 

I remember vividly the feelings, nuances, and thoughts of being a teenage girl. Throughout much of my adolescence, I felt so self-conscious; sometimes crippled with worries. You may notice images of the sun around my website and office.  This is symbolic of the insecure and uncertain feelings I kept as a teen, causing me to develop a hatred of the sun. The sun reminded me that all my friends were outside, enjoying life, while I was at home hiding in fear. 

​

I now recognize that so much of this struggle was part of normal adolescence, and I embrace sunrises as a symbol of the fun, freedom, and creativity of this time of life. The sun is a renewal, a new day, a new way to cope, to move with the turmoil of the world, express ourselves, and create joy and serenity. 

 

Recognizing, both personally and professionally, the difficulties related to the breadth of changes that occur for girls during adolescence, I find it especially fulfilling to support teen girls as well as their mothers, who may find it equally challenging to bridge the subsequent fluctuations in their daughter’s identity, behavior, boundaries, and communication. 

 

Through our talks, artistic activities walks, and energy exchange, I can help your daughter rise like the sun and I can help you, help her.

​