Teens

Being a teenager is a lot. It always has been — but right now it's a particular kind of a lot.

The pressure is louder. The stakes feel higher. The comparison never stops. And somewhere in the middle of all of it, you're supposed to figure out who you are, what you want, and how to keep up — all at the same time.

What I Help With

ADHD that makes school feel impossible no matter how hard you try. Anxiety that lives in your chest even when nothing is technically wrong. Depression that looks fine from the outside but feels like moving through cement. Mood swings that feel bigger than everyone else's. Trauma that shows up in ways you didn't expect. The sneaking feeling that your brain works differently — and nobody has ever actually explained why. I meet teens where they actually are. Not where adults think they should be.

  • This isn't a quiz you can pass or fail. It's a conversation — about what's been hard, how long it's been going on, and what it actually looks like in your life. I'll talk with you directly, not just about you. A parent joins for part of it, but this visit is mostly yours.

    What's included:

    • A real conversation with you — not just a checklist

    • A separate check-in with your parent or caregiver

    • Review of anything relevant from school or prior evaluations

    • A clear answer — and an actual plan

    Goal: Leave knowing what's going on and what we're going to do about it.

  • Medication can be a powerful tool — but only when used thoughtfully, minimally, and collaboratively.

    Our approach is:
    ✔ Trauma-informed
    ✔ Child-centered
    ✔ Slow + steady
    ✔ Evidence-based
    ✔ Always in partnership with families

    Medication management includes:
    • Careful review of symptoms
    • Lowest effective dose
    • Regular follow-up visits
    • Ongoing monitoring of benefits + side effects
    • Parent education & questions welcomed
    • Integration with therapy and school supports

    Goal:
    Provide safe, effective support while honoring your child’s voice and comfort level.

  • ADHD doesn't always look like what people think. Sometimes it looks like a kid who tries harder than anyone and still can't keep up. The one who loses everything. The one who can hyperfocus for six hours on one thing and can't start the assignment due tomorrow.

    I look for all of it — not just the obvious version.

    • Rating scales plus actual clinical judgment

    • Executive functioning, emotional regulation, the full picture

    • School collaboration when it's helpful

    • Results in plain language you can actually use

    Goal: Finally understand how your brain works — and stop blaming yourself for it.

  • Anxiety doesn't always look like worrying. Sometimes it looks like avoidance. Canceling plans. Lying awake at 2am. Snapping at everyone you care about. Depression doesn't always look like sadness — sometimes it looks like numbness, or exhaustion, or just not caring about anything anymore.

    If something feels off, it probably is. And it's treatable.

    • Generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic

    • Depression, low mood, emotional shutdown

    • School avoidance and burnout

    • OCD and intrusive thoughts

    • Trauma that's showing up in your daily life

    Goal: Get to what's actually driving it — and treat that.

  • If you're hurting yourself to cope — or having thoughts about not wanting to be here anymore — saying it out loud is not going to get you in trouble. It's not going to get you automatically hospitalized. It's not going to make things worse.

    It's going to get you help.

    Self-harm is usually not about wanting to die. It's about trying to manage pain that feels completely unmanageable. Suicidal thoughts exist on a spectrum — having them doesn't make you broken or dangerous or beyond reach. It makes you someone who is really struggling and who deserves real support.

    A few things worth knowing:

    • In Washington State, teens 13 and older have the right to confidential mental health care — talking about this doesn't automatically mean your parents get a call

    • Hospitalization is not the automatic response to an honest conversation — most of the time, talking openly leads to a better care plan, not an admission

    • There is no version of this that is "not serious enough" to bring up — if it's causing you pain, it counts

    This is a space where you can be honest about what's actually going on. No judgment. No overreaction. Just a real conversation about what you're experiencing and what might help.

    If you are in crisis right now — call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline), available 24/7.

    Goal: You don't have to carry this alone — and you don't have to be at rock bottom to ask for help.

  • Not just a medication check. These visits are where we actually talk — about what's working, what isn't, what's changed, and what you need that you might not be getting.

    • How are you actually doing — honestly?

    • What's shifted at school, at home, with friends?

    • Is the plan still the right plan?

    Goal: Care that keeps up with your life instead of falling behind it.

A Note on Teen Privacy

In Washington State, teens aged 13 and older have the legal right to consent to their own mental health treatment. At Rooted Minds, this means adolescents can seek care confidentially, without parental consent or notification. If a teen chooses to involve a parent or guardian, a Release of Information (ROI) form will be completed. Family involvement is always the teen's choice — and always handled with care.

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