Struggling Teen?
Get the Right Help.

That’s a deeply important question, and often, the answer isn’t immediately clear. Through personalized parent coaching, we’ll assess your teen’s specific behaviors, triggers and unique needs to determine the level of support they need now. 

Some teens really thrive with intensive individual or family therapy to address their struggles, while for others, the structured and supportive environment of a therapeutic boarding school or the experiential growth of a wilderness therapy program. 

For example, a teen struggling with anxiety might benefit from outpatient therapy and skill development coaching, while a teen with severe emotional problems or who is practicing risky behaviors possibly needs a 24/7 structured environment. 

My role is to help you recognize the warning signs, understand all the options, and make the most informed decision for your family.

That’s a question I hear a lot—from good, loving parents who just want to help their child and heal their home. The truth is, parent coaching and family therapy can be very helpful; however, they serve different purposes.

Family therapy typically involves every member of the family and focuses on diagnosing and treating relational or psychological issues. It’s often used when there’s trauma, a clinical diagnosis, or deep-rooted dysfunction that needs to be addressed by a licensed therapist.

Therapy provides us with the opportunity to explore our emotions, reflect on our past experiences, and understand how we got here; after all, everything in our lives is connected. 

On the other hand, Parent Coaching is  focused on the future and the actions you can take today to make significant changes.  As a parenting coach, I come alongside you, not as a clinician, but as a guide and partner. I help you build insight, skills, and strategies for parenting your child more effectively in real-time.

We’ll talk about what’s happening now, what’s working (and what’s not), for example:

• How to respond when your teen has a meltdown?
• How to set boundaries and consequences that actually change behavior?
• How to rebuild trust after it is broken? 
• How to strengthen your connection while setting boundaries that actually stick.

Think of it this way: Family therapy helps resolve the why. Parent coaching helps you with the how. And when your teen is struggling—especially with things like anxiety, defiance, or risky behavior—you don’t always need another diagnosis. You need support. You need clarity. You need someone who’s been there and gets what it’s like to wake up at 2 a.m., wondering what to do next.

That’s where parent coaching comes in. It’s practical. It’s personalized. And it’s deeply empowering.

Yes, there is—and it starts with you.

Before you make the big, often heart-wrenching decision to send your teen to a teen therapeutic program, it’s worth asking: Have I been given the tools, support, and perspective I need to parent through this season?

Because more often than not, what looks like a teen’s “problem” is really an indication that the whole family is under significant stress, and that means there’s still room for healing at home.

Parent coaching offers you a powerful starting point.

I work with families every day who feel like they’ve “tried everything”—therapy, school interventions, consequences, even tough love—and they’re still walking on eggshells. However, what they often haven’t had is someone to help them understand what’s really going on and how to respond in a way that builds connection and authority simultaneously.

I know it’s hard, but you need to understand that there’s no one to blame. What you need is a new way forward, having the tools to connect with your teenager. A new approach that is rooted in clarity, consistency, emotional safety, and boundaries that work in real life, not just in books.

Before choosing residential treatment, it would be good to consider:

• Parent coaching to build your confidence and skillset

• Family systems work to shift stuck patterns at home

• Executive function support if school and motivation are part of the struggle

• In-home strategies tailored to your teen’s behavior, not a generic checklist

If your teen is in serious danger or at risk, or if the situation is escalating beyond what’s safe, yes, a therapeutic program may be the right next step. But if there’s still a window to reach your child at home, let’s use it well. You don’t have to figure it out alone.