01/22/2026
Therapy with teens does not have to look serious to be effective.
At Mind Over Matter Holistic Counseling, it looks like trust, autonomy, creativity, and being taken seriously as a whole human.
In the video I mention three things that sometimes surprise parents, so I want to explain them a little more:
1. Teens get a say in what we talk about and who is in the room.
This is about autonomy and emotional safety. When teens feel they have choice, they feel respected. That respect builds real trust. Therapy is one of the few places where they get to practice having a voice without being managed or corrected. It teaches boundaries, communication, and self advocacy in a way that feels safe and empowering.
2. Sometimes we color. Sometimes we swear.
Coloring helps regulate the nervous system and makes it easier to talk about hard things without feeling interrogated. Swearing is not about being inappropriate. It is about allowing real emotional expression instead of forcing teens to sanitize how they feel in order to be taken seriously.
We also talk about time and place. Especially with younger clients. Learning when language is appropriate and when it is not is part of emotional and social development. The therapy room is a space where big feelings can come out honestly, while still understanding that different environments have different expectations.
3. We get messy on purpose and practice not doing it right.
So many teens live under constant pressure to perform and be perfect. Doing things imperfectly on purpose teaches flexibility, self compassion, and resilience. It shows them that mistakes are safe and that their worth is not tied to performance.
And yes, sometimes we are not talking about what was written on the intake. Especially if it was said in front of your teen.
That is normal. Therapy often starts with safety before it moves into problem solving. When teens feel emotionally safe, the deeper work shows up more naturally and lasts longer.
My approach is grounded in evidence based practices, clinical ethics, and developmental psychology.
It just happens to look more human than clinical.
At Mind Over Matter Holistic Counseling, teens deserve a space where they can be honest, imperfect, and fully themselves without performing or being managed.
If you are looking for support, I am currently operating from a waitlist, but we do have another therapist accepting new clients in the evenings. You are always welcome to fill out our new client contact form here:
https://momhcounseling.net/new-client-contact
