Supporting Teens
Being a teenager can be a very challenging transition in life. At The Pincus Center, we offer therapy for teenagers navigating challenges like anxiety, depression, school load, stress, and questions about identity. This can also include struggling to manage thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.
We work extensively with teens questioning their gender identity. Many of our staff are trans or non-binary, allowing teens who are coming into those identities to find adult role models and a safe place to explore this side of themselves. Our therapists are also neurodiversity affirming and able to help clients explore what navigating the world with their neurotype can look like, including managing things like executive dysfunction, emotional regulation, and time management.
Our therapists work with teenage clients using flexible and creative problem-solving. Together, they use a client-centered approach to identify and build skills for managing life’s challenges. We know what questions to ask to help teens sort out who they are and learn to accept themselves. We partner with teens and their families to create supportive environments to explore individual identities while growing healthy relationships.
Common Teen Challenges
- Anxiety & Depression
- Neurodivergence (ADHD/Autism)
- Identity & Self-Esteem
- School & Academic Stress
- Social Media and Technology (Healthy relationships with technology and social media use)
- Peer Pressure & Bullying
- Family Conflicts
- Developing Healthy Relationships
- Eating & Body Image
Teen-Focused Therapy Methods
- CBT – Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- ACT – Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Principles of working with teens
- Balancing autonomy with age-appropriate guidance
- Seeing the client within the context of their household, family, peer group, community, culture, etc
- Collaboration and shared goal-setting
- Non-pathologizing of neuro- and gender- divergent experiences
- Accepting of bodies at every size, shape, and level of ability
- Sensitivity to marginalized experiences
Allison Shuff, MSW, LGSW (she/her)
Serves DC, VA
Reese Hebrank, LCSW-C (he/him)
Serves DC, MD, VA
Katie Voorman, LGPC-MD (she/they)
Serves DC, VA, MD
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