Therapist for Teen Boy
I'm in search of a therapist for my almost 18-year-old who has been struggling with anxiety, depression, and perhaps some other things he'd rather keep private from his mom. I'm most interested in finding someone with whom he can begin to build the foundation of what I imagine will be the lifelong, complicated work of prioritizing his mental health. I've been perusing the archives and have found that many of the therapists listed have moved out of the area or are no longer practicing.
Do you have anyone your kid has worked recently with that you recommend? We have no preference for a particular gender/age/sexual orientation/ethnicity of therapist at this point. Just someone authentic with integrity who can work with young people and not make it weird.
Thanks!
Parent Replies
My heart goes out to you. We have been helped by therapist Jennifer Rooney in Berkeley.
With the caveat that I am not sure if she is taking new patients -- our son sees Jennifer Polse Payne. She has an office near the Ashby BART. She has extensive experience working with teenagers (she's the clinical director at Holden High School) and is just such a gifted therapist. Our son has seen many therapists over the years. When he recently returned home from residential treatment, he specifically requested to work with her. My husband and I occasionally join our son for his sessions when it makes sense therapeutically. As someone who has seen many therapists over the years, I can personally attest that she is one of the best I have ever worked with. Good luck to you and your son.
Hi, it is good that you’re taking the initiative to seek help. My first question is if your son is fully on board to seek help too. If he is, I am confident that Dr. Dan Barrett would be able to help him. My son started seeing Dr. Barrett when he was in Junior HS for anxiety and depression as well. There was some hesitation prior to the 1st session but after that, my son never missed a session. My son is not the type to talk a lot but he seems to look forward to their weekly session. It won’t be cheap and might take a couple of years for your son to overcome his anxiety and depression but Dr. Barrett was able to help ours. This year, we’ve seen a major turnaround. He’s generally happier and engaged, doing well in school again, making new friends in college and connecting with old HS friends. I encourage you to reach out to Dr. Dan Barrett at 510-323-3344. Good luck!
We really liked Talia at Clearwater. She's young enough to relate to kids. Our son enjoyed working with her.