Teen Therapist in Atlanta: Therapy for Teens and Their Parents
Teens want to be heard and given freedom. Parents want to be heard and able to set limits. Both can happen.
I like teenagers. Really.
I love rebellious teenagers. I love unhappy teenagers. I love teenagers who can't fit in. A few years ago I treated an 18-year-old whose bumper sticker said it all: "I Hate Everything." How is that for summing up a world view in three words? I remember being there not too long ago. (OK, maybe 50 years is long ago.)
I talk openly and directly with teens about peer pressure, sex, body image, grades, why parents "just don't understand," and the struggle of fitting in while being your own person.
Individual and family therapy, together
I go back and forth between seeing the teenager alone and seeing the family, including siblings and stepparents when it helps. I think a combination of the two is the only way to get change that lasts. Before we start, the teen and the parents both hear exactly how confidentiality works, so nobody is surprised.
What do teenagers want? To be heard, accepted and given some freedom. What do parents want? To be heard, accepted and able to set limits. My job is to help both sides find the middle ground.
What brings families in
Lying, sneaking out, failing classes, refusing school, constant fighting, a phone that never leaves their hand, a teen who has gone silent, anxiety, sadness, and drinking or drugs. I deal head-on with alcohol and drug use, and with school, grades and attendance.
What the first session is like
I usually start with the teen and parents together, then spend part of the time with each. Teens: you don't have to want to be here. Most don't, at first.
Parents: come ready to talk about what you have tried and what you want. By the end of the first session we will have agreed on what we are working on.
Common questions
What ages do you see?
Teenagers of any age, and young adults who are still tangled up with their families. I always involve parents for teens who live at home.
Will you tell me what my teenager says?
Not word for word. Teens need some privacy to be honest. Anything about safety, I share. I explain the rules to everyone in the first session.
My teen is drinking or using. Can you help?
Yes. Teen substance use is a family problem, and I treat it that way. See my page on alcohol, drugs and the family.
My teen won't come. Now what?
Come without them. Parents changing how they respond is often what gets a reluctant teen through the door, and sometimes it's enough on its own.
Read more from Dr. Gore
Other ways I help
- Family Therapy For kids, parents and whole families. I work on the patterns that keep a family stuck, not just the person who got sent in.
- Alcohol, Drugs & the Family For the person drinking or using, and for the family around them. Stopping, not slowing down, and what to do when they won't get help.
Verified & Credentialed
