Hi Parents & Guardians !

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Thank you for visiting Crescent Moon Counseling.  We are here to support you and your teen with their mental health concerns. Motivating teens to try out therapy can be very challenging. I encourage you to get started by letting your teen visit this website and read through the content for themselves to help them understand what therapy is all about. Then ask them about their impressions and if they would be willing to at least try going to 3 therapy sessions to see if it is a good fit. After the 3rd session, if they determine it's not right then we can find other options. 

 

Finding the right kind of mental health support for your teen can be daunting.  My experiences with adolescents range from outpatient therapy settings, schools, community organizations, and non-profits working with youth from all types of adverse backgrounds. I offer personal understanding and experience with childhood and adolescent mental illness. I believe the foundation of therapy is developing a strong, trusting, and empowering therapeutic relationship with your teen (also called rapport building). I implement a variety of experiential therapeutic techniques. Interventions may include art, writing, coping skill development, expressive arts modalities, identity formation activities, mindfulness, and more. What I introduce to therapy depends on your teens individual needs, interests, and personality.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

 

Can my teen meet for a telehealth appointment from their school?

Yes, this MAY be possible.  With some help and coordination from your teen’s school, we may be able to meet via telehealth from a confidential room that the school may be able to provide. This is dependent upon resources, time, availability, and access at your teen’s school.

*Note, headphones are highly encouraged for this.

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When will I be involved in my teen's therapy appointments? 

I offer individual therapy appointments, which means your teen will be meeting 1:1 with me. Teens are asked to invite their parent(s) or caregiver to therapy around session number 5 or so. Parental/caregiver involvement is geared to support the teen, their goals and needs, rather than parent coaching. However, if evidence of a crisis emerges parents will be involved much sooner in therapy and teens will be involved in that process.

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Do you provide any parent coaching?

I do not provide direct parenting skill development because therapy is meant for individualized time with your teen.  Parenting psychoeducation and or coaching may be offered if it will support your teens treatment goals. I also recommend parents/caregivers seek their own individual counseling with a different provider in order for you to work on developing positive change within all parts of the family system. This also models the importance of mental health care for all parts of the family, rather than just for the teen. 

 

How long will it take for my teen to feel better? 

Progress in therapy depends on the rapport developed between your teen and myself, your teen's willingness to participate in therapy, their motivation for change, and cooperation from family.  Typically, sessions occur every other week, or weekly. The frequency of sessions depends on your teens level of need and risk factors involved. This could be anywhere from 6 sessions to years in therapy. The duration of participation depends on a number of factors such as attachment style, rapport building, mental health status, progress with therapy goals, life changes, and degree of commitment.  After your teen makes progress in therapy, we will discuss eventual termination together and make plans to meet less frequently (1x monthly) before having a final termination therapy session.