Teen Therapy in Alpine, Utah, and online anywhere in Utah
Teen Therapy
Therapy for teenagers, in person or online.
Does Any of This Sound Familiar?
The door is closed more than it used to be. Answers have gone to one word, and the ones you get do not tell you much. Something changed a few months ago and nobody named it. You have tried asking, tried leaving it alone, and neither has worked. If this resonates with you, then it's time to get some help.
How Teen Therapy Usually Begins
Teens come in for different reasons. Often it is anxiety, low mood, or something that changed and has not settled since.
- A teenager who has stopped talking about it
- Anxiety that has started shaping the week
- Low mood that has lasted longer than a phase
- Anger that ends most conversations badly
- School attendance, grades or motivation slipping
- A change in friendships, or in who they are around
- A separation, a move, or a loss at home
How We Work With Teenagers
Teenagers do better with something to work on than with being asked how they feel. These are the approaches we use here.
- DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
- A set of concrete skills for when feelings get too big to manage: how to ride out a crisis without making it worse, how to bring the intensity down, and how to say what you need. It suits teenagers because it is practical and can be used the same week it is learned.
- ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
- Rather than arguing with anxious or self-critical thoughts, ACT works on getting less tangled in them and on acting on what matters anyway. Teenagers tend to take to it because it does not ask them to pretend to feel differently.
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
- A structured approach for memories that still feel present. The teenager holds the memory in mind while following a repeated left-right movement, which over sessions tends to reduce how loud it is. There is very little to talk about out loud, which is often why it works for someone who does not want to describe what happened.
Our approach
We Start With What the Teenager Is Willing to Work On
Parents usually make the first call, and they usually know what they have noticed.
We Create Safety for Your Teenager to Open Up
What the teenager wants to be different, and what gets in the way of that at home and at school. The room is theirs first, which is usually what lets them start to move forward.
How Sessions Are Arranged
Sessions are one to one with the teenager, in person in Alpine or online anywhere in Utah.
What Teen Therapy Looks Like Here
- In person in Alpine or online across Utah
- Parents are involved as appropriate
- Sessions are 50 minutes
- Sessions are one to one with the teenager
If you want to start, the next step is to find a therapist.
Therapists Who Work With Teens
Casey Moser
Therapist, CSW
C-PTSD (complex/developmental trauma)
Works with teens, adults and parents
Practices under clinical supervision.
Desiree Beddes
Therapist, AMFT
Anxiety and stress-related concerns
Works with children, teens, adults and families
Practices under clinical supervision.
Jessica Allen
Graduate Therapy Intern
Children and adolescents
Works with children, teens, adults and families
Practices under clinical supervision.
Addison Huntsman
Graduate Therapy Intern
Low Self-Esteem
Works with teens and adults
Practices under clinical supervision.
Tell Us What Is Going On
If you are not sure what you need yet, that is fine. We will help you figure out the next step.
Common Questions About Teen Therapy
Answers to the questions that come up most often. The full FAQ has many more.
Some signs include big changes in mood, sleep, or appetite, pulling away from friends or activities, falling grades, ongoing anxiety or sadness, frequent conflict, or risky behavior. Teens go through ups and downs, but if something lasts, gets worse, or gets in the way of daily life, therapy can help. When in doubt, it is okay to reach out and ask.
This is very common, and there are still options. You can start by attending yourself, since a parent's own sessions can improve the situation. You can invite your teen's doctor to explain how therapy helps. You might agree to a set number of sessions before deciding. Reframing therapy as a place to build skills, not to be "fixed," can lower resistance.
Not usually, and there is a good reason. Teens open up more when they trust that most of what they share stays private. Your therapist will explain their policy at the start so everyone knows what to expect. Generally you can expect updates on progress and attendance, while the details stay between your teen and the therapist.
Yes. Anxiety is one of the most common reasons teens come to therapy. A therapist can help your teen understand what anxiety is, learn ways to calm their body and mind, and slowly face the things that scare them. Many teens feel real relief once they have tools to work with.
It varies with the goals and what your teen is working on. Some teens make progress in a few months, while others benefit from longer support. Your therapist will check in with you and your teen about progress along the way so you can decide together on the right pace.