A Better Approach to Adolescence from Therapists Who Specialize in Teens
Most of us remember the turmoil of being a teenager, happy one minute, angry the next, then crying for reasons you couldn’t even name. Between the ages of 13 and 17, young people experience a whirlwind of physical, emotional, and social change. They become hyper-aware of their identity, their peers, and their place in the world. Without the right support, teens can make rash decisions with long-lasting consequences.
At Innovative Family Therapy in Louisville, KY, our licensed teen counselors provide a safe, confidential space for adolescents to explore what they’re feeling, why they’re feeling it, and how to handle it. We work with teens facing depression, anxiety, peer pressure, family conflict, self-harm, substance use, and the everyday stress of growing up.
We see teens in-person at our Louisville office and offer secure teletherapy throughout Kentucky and Indiana.
Meet Your Teen Counselors
Five of our licensed clinicians specialize in working with teenagers:
Crashonda Duncan, MFT Associate, Associate CADC
Marriage and Family Therapist Associate and Associate Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Crashonda’s CADC credential makes her especially well-suited for teens dealing with substance use, vaping, or addictive behaviors.
Sandra Pollard Nelson, MFT Associate, EMDR Trained
Specializes in working with children, teens, parenting, and trauma. Sandra’s EMDR training is particularly valuable for teens processing traumatic experiences — bullying, loss, abuse, family disruption — in a developmentally appropriate way.
Hannah Welling, LPCA
Licensed Professional Counselor Associate. Hannah works with teens navigating anxiety, school stress, identity, family changes, and the typical (and not-so-typical) challenges of adolescence.
Kathy Begley, LPCA
Licensed Professional Counselor Associate. Kathy supports teens through emotional regulation challenges, anger, and family conflict.
Hannah Smith, Clinical Counseling Intern
Hannah sees teens at a reduced rate ($45 per session, $65 initial) under licensed supervision. A great option for families seeking quality teen therapy at a lower price point.
Want to see the full team? Meet all our therapists →
What Is Teen Counseling?
Teen counseling, sometimes called adolescent therapy, is one-on-one mental health support designed specifically for young people aged 13 to 17. Unlike adult therapy or child therapy, teen counseling acknowledges the unique developmental moment your teenager is in: a brain that’s still developing, an identity that’s forming, social pressures that feel all-consuming, and a need for privacy and autonomy.
At Innovative Family Therapy, your teen meets confidentially with their counselor. Parents are kept informed appropriately. But the teen gets enough privacy to do the real work. This balance is what makes teen therapy effective.
Our Approach to Teen Therapy
We use evidence-based modalities specifically suited to how teenagers think, feel, and respond.
Your teen’s counselor will tailor the approach to who your teen is, what they’re working through, and how they best engage. There is no one-size-fits-all.
10 Signs Your Teen May Benefit From Counseling
We believe any teen can benefit from counseling. Adolescence is hard for everyone. But certain signs suggest your teen needs professional support sooner rather than later:
- Depression — persistent sadness, withdrawal, mood swings, or loss of interest in things they used to love
- Involvement in illegal activities — theft, vandalism, fighting, or other behaviors crossing legal lines
- Running away — recent attempts or threats
- Substance abuse — alcohol, drugs, vaping, or prescription misuse
- School avoidance or sudden academic decline — especially if they were previously engaged
- Self-harm — cutting, burning, hair-pulling, drinking, drugs, or other intentional self-injury, including excessive risk-taking
- Sudden change in friends or activities — abandoning old friends or things they loved
- Eating problems — restriction, binge eating, purging, or rapid weight changes
- Inappropriate anger or violent behavior — frequent outbursts, aggression, destruction of property
- Mood and sleep changes — sleeping significantly more or less, loss of interest, withdrawal from family
If you’re noticing any of these signs, especially self-harm, substance use, or talk of wanting to die, please don’t wait. Call us at (502) 612-9129 for help, or see the crisis resources at the bottom of this page.
Conditions & Challenges We Treat in Teens
Our teen counselors work with adolescents navigating.
How to Prepare Your Teen for Counseling
Most teens aren’t initially excited about starting counseling. That’s normal, and not a sign that therapy won’t work. Here’s how to support them:
- Don’t frame it as punishment. Therapy is care, not consequence. Avoid threats or ultimatums.
- Let them have input. Many teens respond well to being included in the decision: which therapist (we can offer options), when sessions happen, what they want help with.
- Be honest about why. Your teen probably already knows something is off. Be specific and non-blaming about what you’re noticing.
- Reassure them about privacy. Many teens worry their parents will hear everything they say. Reassure them that what they share with their therapist is confidential.
- Offer to support, not control. Let them lead what they share with you about sessions.
- Be patient. It often takes 2–4 sessions for a teen to warm up to their counselor. Don’t pull the plug too early.
Benefits of Teen Counseling
The skills teens learn in counseling don’t just help them get through adolescence; they last for life:
- Identifying the root cause behind difficult behaviors, instead of just managing symptoms
- Stronger sense of self and self-worth — central to navigating adolescence
- Healthier coping skills — replacing self-harm, substance use, or avoidance with better tools
- Better emotion regulation — managing big feelings without being run by them
- Treatment for anxiety and depression — including evidence-based interventions that work
- Communication skills — for school, friendships, dating, and family
- Decision-making skills — increasingly important as teens face higher-stakes choices
- A trusted adult outside the family — sometimes that’s exactly what a teen needs
What to Expect at Your Teen’s First Session
Your teen’s first session at Innovative Family Therapy is 90 minutes long. We use this time to meet your teen, hear from you (the parents) about what’s been going on, build initial trust, and start mapping the work ahead.
The structure of the first session typically looks like:
- A brief check-in with parents and teen together
- One-on-one time with your teen so they can speak freely
- A brief wrap-up with parents to share next steps (without violating your teen’s privacy on what was shared)
Subsequent sessions are typically 50–60 minutes long for individual teen sessions (or 30 minutes for shorter check-ins). You and your teen’s therapist will set the cadence, usually weekly to start.
On confidentiality: Your teen’s sessions are confidential. Your therapist will not share specific details of what your teen discusses without their consent, except in the case of imminent risk to themselves or others, suspected abuse, or court order. This privacy is what allows teens to actually open up. Your therapist will be transparent with you about what they share and what they don’t.
Investment & Insurance
Innovative Family Therapy is a private-pay practice. We do not bill insurance directly. For teen counseling especially, many families prefer private pay because it means more privacy for their teen’s records (no diagnostic codes attached to their permanent mental health record via insurance) and no insurance-imposed session limits.
Our Teen Counseling Fees:
- Initial session (90 minutes): $165
- Ongoing teen counseling sessions (50–60 minutes): $110
- Half-session (30 minutes): $55
Reduced-rate option: Our Clinical Counseling Intern Hannah Smith sees teens at a reduced rate: $45 per regular session and $65 for the initial session. She works under licensed supervision and is a great option for families seeking quality teen therapy at a more accessible price point.
Payment options:
- We accept most HSA and FSA cards (use pre-tax dollars for your teen’s mental health)
- We can provide a superbill for out-of-network insurance reimbursement (check with your insurance about adolescent mental health out-of-network benefits)
Frequently Asked Questions
We work with teens ages 13 to 17. For older adolescents transitioning to young adulthood, our adult therapy services may be a better fit. For younger kids (ages 3–12), we offer dedicated child therapy.
Not specifically — and that’s intentional. Your teen’s sessions are confidential, which is what allows them to actually open up. Your therapist will share general themes and progress with you, and will absolutely break confidentiality in cases of imminent risk to your teen or others, suspected abuse, or court order. The first session covers this in detail.
Resistance is incredibly common. Don’t frame therapy as punishment. Try to include your teen in the decision-making (which therapist, when, what to work on). Many initially-resistant teens are doing real work within 2–4 sessions. If your teen is in immediate danger and refuses care, please call 988 or 911.
Yes. Our therapist Crashonda Duncan is an Associate Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) and brings specialized training to teen substance use work. Vaping, marijuana use, alcohol, and prescription drug misuse are all areas she addresses.
Yes, please reach out. Self-harm is a sign your teen is in significant emotional distress and needs support. If your teen is in immediate danger (suicidal thoughts with a plan, an active emergency), please call 988 or 911 first, then call us to set up ongoing care.
Yes, we offer secure video sessions for teens throughout Kentucky and Indiana. Some teens actually prefer telehealth for the comfort and privacy of their own space; others do better in person. Your teen’s therapist will help you decide what works best.
It varies. Some teens make significant progress in 10–15 sessions for a specific issue. Others, especially those processing trauma or managing ongoing mental health conditions, may benefit from longer-term support. Your therapist will share their honest assessment after the first few sessions.
School counselors do important work, but they’re focused on academic support and immediate crisis management. And they’re shared across hundreds of students. Private teen therapy offers longer sessions, deeper clinical work, evidence-based modalities like CBT and DBT, and ongoing partnership with your family.
Why Choose Innovative Family Therapy for Your Teen?
- Five licensed therapists specializing in teen work — so we can match your teen with the right fit
- Specialty expertise on staff — CADC for substance use (Crashonda Duncan), EMDR for trauma (Sandra Pollard Nelson)
- Evidence-based modalities — CBT, DBT, Motivational Interviewing, EMDR
- A family systems perspective — we understand your teen exists in a family, school, and peer system; we treat them within context
- Confidentiality your teen can trust — the foundation of real teen therapy
- No waiting list — when your teen is struggling, time matters
- In-person at our Louisville office and teletherapy throughout Kentucky and Indiana
- Reduced-rate options via our Clinical Counseling Intern
- Private-pay practice with HSA/FSA accepted — full privacy, no insurance gatekeeping
- Founded by Chelsey Gorham, MSC, LMFT, GC-C — a Louisville-based Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Grief Counselor
Explore All Our Counseling Services
Innovative Family Therapy supports your whole family, at every stage of life. If someone you love needs help too, explore our other services:
Help Your Teen Through This Stage of Life
Adolescence is hard. Your teen doesn’t have to do it alone. And neither do you. Our licensed teen counselors in Louisville, KY are here to help your teen build the skills, self-awareness, and resilience to thrive.
Call us at (502) 612-9129 or schedule online. There’s no waiting list, and we’ll match you with the right teen counselor on the first call.
Need Help Right Now?
If your teen — or you — is in crisis, please call 911 or call or text 988 (the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline). You can also visit your nearest emergency room. The 988 Lifeline is available 24/7, free, and confidential, and offers specific support for adolescents. Therapy is for ongoing mental health care. In an emergency, please use the resources above.
Other resources for teens in crisis:
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
The Trevor Project (LGBTQ+ youth): 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678-678
