Being a teenager can be equally great and difficult, sometimes even within the same day or even hour. Oftentimes, teenage life is a rollercoaster between the two, hitting so many peaks and valleys that highs and lows blur into each other. And it’s moving at full throttle, so much so that every emotion — positive or negative — gets felt with extra intensity.

There are plenty of reasons for this, both emotionally and biologically.

As teens evolve from children to adults, they’re trying to find their voices, their places in this world. At the same time, their brains are going through a rapid phase of reconstruction, often resulting in intense emotionality and increased risk taking behaviors. Various external pressures from peers, parents, and society can also make it difficult to cope.

There’s a passion and enthusiasm that comes with being a teen, when you feel like they’re just on the cusp of something but filled with uncertainty. They often have intense creative sides and seek appropriate outlets to express themselves.

Sometimes teens don’t have the best support system to help them along the way. Maybe they fell into the wrong social crowd or perhaps an overtaxed single parent can’t give them the time they need. Other times, parents are dealing with their own issues, o stressful dynamics between them and their child. These can make it more difficult and complicated to be supportive and attuned.

I love being a guide for teens during this formative stage of life. I help them develop skills such as boundaries, goal setting, appropriate self expression, and emotional self-regulation. I work collaboratively and communicate with a sense of humor and pragmatism that may be refreshing for teens. I also provide a unique perspective for teens by helping them see multiples sides of situations they find themselves inI work very hard to challenge teens’ assumptions and help them overcome their limitations, whether real or imagined, to develop a greater sense of self-worth, resilience, and a lifetime of potential.

Most importantly, I want to earn their trust. Feeling understood, seen, and respected by an adult can be a tremendously validating and stabilizing force in their lives.

The teenage years can often be a turning point in people’s lives. The good and bad of childhood both get compounded by developing biology, neurology and our complicated social world. Without the proper positive influences, this can lead to an adult life of self-doubt and compromised values. Why do I love working with teens? Because it’s truly rewarding and exciting to help redirect a struggling teen toward a more authentic, productive, and resilient path in life.