Parent-Teen Relationship Therapy

When Every Conversation Seems to Turn into Conflict

Parenting a preteen or teenager can be a challenging phase—even when you have a strong relationship.

As children become more independent, parents may find themselves navigating more disagreements, stronger emotions, changing expectations, and a growing need for autonomy. Conversations about school, responsibilities, technology, friendships, or rules can quickly turn into arguments.

You may feel like you've tried explaining, reminding, encouraging, setting consequences, or giving more space—and nothing seems to help.

Sometimes the problem isn't that either the parent or the teen is doing something “wrong.” The family may simply be caught in a pattern that isn't working anymore.

I work with parents in two ways: (1) as the sole client or (2) in parent consultations for a teen client. The main difference between these two ways is the frequency of sessions.

When parents are the only ones attending therapy sessions, we work on parenting issues and explore the source of the parenting stress more deeply. As the sole client, parents typically meet with me more regularly. When the teen child is the official client, I meet with parents less frequently, usually monthly. Sometimes the teen is present; other times the teen is not. The goal is to facilitate communication between parent and teen and to give parents tools that help them feel more equipped to face the challenges that come with the role of parent.