ADOLESCENT PSYCHOTHERAPY
A private place to be heard.
Teen therapy for anxiety, depression & ADHD in Newport Beach & Irvine
Therapy For Teens in Newport Beach.
Does this sound familiar?
Parents often reach us after weeks of watching from the outside. A teenager who used to talk now closes the door. Grades slip, sleep shifts, friendships change, and conversations end in an argument or a shrug. You can see something is wrong, but your teen may not want to talk about it at home.
That’s often exactly why therapy helps. Teenagers will say things to a trusted adult outside the family that they can’t yet say at home. With the right therapist, they begin to understand themselves, find their footing, and often come back toward the family more able to talk.
Teens are seen one-on-one in our private office at Koll Center Newport, conveniently located between the 73, 405 & 55 freeways and minutes away from UCI & John Wayne Airport. Families come to us from Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa and across Orange County.
Adolescence asks a great deal from a young person.
Many families come to us with concern about one of the following.
-
Sometimes it's the teen who can't fall asleep, avoids school or plans with friends, or needs constant reassurance. Other times it's the high achiever who holds everything together until they can't. We help young people understand what the worry is really about, and find steadier ways to meet it. Learn more about anxiety therapy for children and teens.
-
Depressed mood
Depression in teens rarely looks like sadness alone. More often it shows up as irritability, withdrawal, slipping grades, or a quiet loss of interest in things that used to matter. Therapy gives them a place to put words to what's been weighing on them, often for the first time. Learn more about depression therapy for children and teens.
-
These are bright, capable teens who struggle to get started, keep track, or follow through, and who are beginning to believe it says something about who they are. Clarity often starts with a thorough psychological assessment. From there, therapy addresses the frustration, self-doubt, and family tension that tend to build up around it. Learn more about ADHD therapy and testing for children and teens.
-
In adolescence, belonging can feel like everything, which makes it hard to say no. We help teens develop a firmer sense of who they are, so their choices come from within rather than from the group. Learn more about peer pressure and self-esteem.
-
For teens, online life is real life: the comparison, the pull of the feed, the pressure of always being reachable. We don't focus only on screen time. We look at what their online world gives them and what it costs them, and we help families find a balance that actually holds. Learn more about social media and screen use.
Our Approach to Adolescent Therapy
How teen therapy works
Our approach to adolescent therapy is depth-oriented. Drawing on psychodynamic therapy, we take time to understand who your teen is, not only the symptoms. Within that relationship, we bring in practical skills from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for managing anxiety, mood, and focus. Teens stay engaged when they feel understood by their therapist, and change lasts when it makes sense to them. When family patterns are part of the picture, we may also include parents in occasional family sessions.
Privacy, and how parents stay involved
Sessions are one-on-one, so your teen can speak freely. You are involved from the start and kept informed about progress and direction, while the details of what your teen shares stay private unless they choose to share them. If we ever have a concern about your teen’s safety, we will involve you. We explain these boundaries to you and your teen together at the first meeting.
What to expect in teen therapy
Teen therapy begins with a complimentary 15-minute consultation with a parent. From there, we meet with you and your teen, together and/or separately, before weekly one-on-one sessions begin in our Newport Beach office or online. Along the way, regular parent check-ins keep you informed about how things are progressing. Many parents wonder what therapy for a depressed teenager actually looks like. In short, it is steady, unhurried, and built around your teen.
Who you’ll work with
Our team of psychologists and counselors is led by Dr. Aaron Montgomery, PsyD, ABSNP a licensed clinical psychologist with more than 15 years of experience with children, adolescents, and young adults.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Moodiness is part of adolescence. It’s worth a closer look when changes in mood, sleep, grades or friendships last more than a few weeks, or when your teen seems to be pulling away from things they used to care about.
-
This is common. Present therapy as a space that is entirely theirs, not as a consequence. The first sessions are low-pressure, and many reluctant teens engage once they find the room is truly private.
-
Not the details. You’ll hear about the overall direction of therapy and anything that affects your teen’s safety. This privacy is what allows teens to be honest, and it is often what makes therapy work.
-
Our work is long-term and open-ended. Many teens feel some relief early on. The deeper change, in how a teen understands and handles themselves, unfolds over months to years. We review progress with you regularly.
-
Yes, for teens living in California. Many teens do best in person, and we’ll recommend what fits during your consultation. Learn about online therapy
-
We are a private-pay practice. This allows treatment to be guided by your teen’s needs rather than an insurer’s requirements: how often we meet, how long the work continues, and what is documented. It also keeps your family’s care more private. On request, we provide a superbill you may submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement. See Fees & Insurance
-
We are not a crisis service, and our office line is not monitored for emergencies. If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For urgent support, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day.
-
If focus, learning, or school performance is part of the concern, an evaluation can clarify whether ADHD, a learning difference, or anxiety is involved. It can also support accommodations for the SAT, ACT, and other exams. Learn more about psychological testing for teens.
CONTACT US
Request a Child Therapy Consultation
Choose a time on our calendar for a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation. We’ll listen to what’s going on and talk through how we can help.
Prefer to leave a voicemail or text?
OUR OFFICE
Where Newport Beach meets Irvine & Costa Mesa
We provide counseling and psychological assessment in Newport Beach from our private office at MacArthur and Jamboree in Koll Center Newport, five minutes from John Wayne Airport and UCI. Easy access from the 405, 73 and 55. Free visitor parking.
OC Psychology Center
4000 MacArthur Blvd - East Tower, Suite 600, Newport Beach, CA 92660