Teen Counseling in Austin, TX

Empower Adolescent Potential

The teenage years pile on pressure from every direction — school, friends, screens, the future. Therapy gives your teen a place that’s entirely theirs: to sort out what’s happening, build real skills, and find their footing. And yes — we’re good with reluctant teens.

Teen and therapist sitting together in a quiet room with one small coral pebble, felt illustration

4.9★

Average rating in our most recent client survey

15 years

Serving Austin families since 2011

4,000+

Clients served

30 therapists

With varied licensure and levels of experience

  • Brittany Tyrrell, LCSW

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker

    A Massachusetts transplant who loves family, reading, baking, traveling, and the outdoors.

  • Jadese Jasper, Internship Student

    Supervised by
    Marla Sanderson, LMFT‑S

    I love meditation, music-filled dog walks, new recipes, and history rabbit holes.

  • Craig Lesley, LPC-A

    Supervised by
    Laurie Stevens‑Beck, LPC‑S

    I'm happiest with my dogs, open-water swimming, grilling, and yoga.

  • Eleni Milliken, LPC-A

    Supervised by
    Colleen Bardelli, LPC‑S

    I recharge in nature with my dog, through movement and creative expression.

  • Karla Chamberlain, LMFT

    Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

    I love reading, writing, gardening, cooking, nature walks, and caring for animals.

  • Sydney Loza, LPC

    Licensed Professional Counselor

    I work out almost every day — it keeps me sane (my husband agrees).

  • Karla Corro, LPC

    Licensed Professional Counselor

    I love time with my three dogs and husband — hikes and road trips!

  • Sarah Becker, LPC-A

    Supervised by
    Rosalie Piedra, LPC‑S

    I'm a big hobbyist — circus arts, rock climbing, and hands-on DIY.

  • Amber Arellano, LMFT

    Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist

    Weekly dance, daily reading, and time in nature keep me grounded.

  • JonTayé Bonds, LPC-S

    Senior Therapist

    I recharge with yoga, drawing, bullet journaling, and singing in the car.

  • A good fit may be worth waiting for

    Meet therapists with waitlists.

    Compare Our Teen Counselors
  • Ash Hogle, LPC

    Licensed Professional Counselor

    I recharge with online gaming, my corgi, nature, and learning guitar.

  • Kristy Demers, LCSW

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker

    I recharge by meditating, getting outside, and being with people who lift me up.

  • Marla Sanderson, LMFT-S

    Clinical Director

    I love reading, cooking, crafting, video games, and my two rescue dogs.

  • Jinjin Lu, LPC-A

    Supervised by
    JonTayé Bonds, LPC‑S

    Austin native — pickleball, rom-coms, and “summer days” (matcha included).

  • Tori Anders, LPC-A

    Supervised by
    Doc Davis, LPC‑S

    I thrive on slow mornings, hot yoga, long walks, cat cuddles, and meaningful conversation.

  • Emma Lapin, Internship Student

    Licensed Professional Counselor

    I recharge with yoga, weight training, and a good bubble bath.

  • Giselle Otamendi, LCSW

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker

    I'm bilingual and proudly Latina.

  • Erica Speegle, LPC-A

    Supervised by
    Doc Davis, LPC‑S

    Journaling, time outside, and unstructured space for my ADHD brain to chase whimsies.

  • Leigha Rychlik, LPC-A, LMFT-A

    Supervised by
    Diana Walla, LPC‑S

    I love being outside, practicing yoga, and slow mornings to myself.

  • Alicia Ang, LCSW

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker

    I play piano and cello, teach martial arts, and love to hike and camp.

  • Margot Goralczyk, LCSW

    Licensed Clinical Social Worker

    I recharge with my dog Poppy, the harp, hiking, and “The Office.”

  • Sara Tracy, LPC-A

    Supervised by
    JonTayé Bonds, LPC‑S

    I find joy in nature, writing, hiking, and staying mindful.

  • Therapist directory

    Find someone you’ll feel comfortable talking to.

    See each therapist’s approach, specialties, availability, and credentials in our matching software.

    View Full Directory

Looking for a therapist? We’ll help you find a perfect match.

Matcha is our matching tool. It’s free, there’s nothing to sign up for, and it takes about a minute.

  • Narrow by insurance, availability, and how a therapist works
  • Save the ones you want to come back to
  • Or just describe what you’re going through, and let it find the fit

Navigate Complex Challenges

Peer pressure, academic demands, and the constant comparison engine in their pocket — teens carry more than they say. What we hear from parents most often:

  • Grades sliding, or motivation that’s simply vanished
  • Anxiety about school, friends, or the future
  • Withdrawal to their room and their phone
  • Irritability that turns every conversation into a standoff
  • Sleep schedules that are completely upside down
  • A confidence dip you can see but can’t reach

Not sure if it’s normal teenage weather or something more? Reach out — a short conversation with our team can tell you a lot, with no commitment.

Encourage Self-Discovery

Adolescence is when identity gets built. Therapy gives teens a secure, non-judgmental space to explore who they are — values, passions, fears — with an adult who isn’t grading them, raising them, or comparing them to anyone.

Will my teen even talk to a therapist?

Very often, yes — once it’s clearly their space. Plenty of teens arrive with their arms crossed, and our therapists expect that; nobody is forced to spill anything on day one.

We start where the teen is — music, games, school, whatever’s real — and let trust build at their pace. Reluctance usually softens once they realize the therapist works for them, not for their parents.

Wondering if yours would engage? Ask for a call — we’ll tell you honestly what we’d try.

Build Emotional Resilience

Stress and setbacks are inevitable; being flattened by them isn’t. Your teen learns practical tools — mindful breathing that works in a hallway, journaling, naming what’s actually happening in the moment — practiced until they hold up under real pressure.

These are the same mindfulness skills we teach adults; teens get the unwatered-down version, and it tends to earn their respect.

Strengthen Communication

Assertive communication reduces conflict at home and with friends. We help teens say what they mean without the blowup — and help you hear what’s underneath the one-word answers.

What will my teen’s therapist tell me — and what stays private?

We’re straight with both of you about this, because trust is the whole ballgame. Your teen gets real privacy: the day-to-day content of sessions stays in the room — that’s exactly why therapy works with this age group.

You get what you actually need: regular updates on themes and progress, concrete things that help at home, and immediate contact if there is ever a safety concern — always, no exceptions.

We explain these rules to your teen in the first session, with you there, so nobody has to wonder where the lines are.

Want the specifics for your situation? Ask for a call.

Prepare for the Future

College, work, independence — every transition lands easier with self-awareness and a calm nervous system. Therapy now isn’t just about this semester; it’s the foundation for the adult your teen is becoming.

We work with several insurance plans and offer clear self-pay rates — see Rates & Insurance, or get in touch and we’ll check your coverage before you begin.

The Teen Therapy Journey

From first call to confident goodbye — here’s the whole arc.

  1. 1Reach out

    A short, low-pressure conversation about what’s been going on. It takes just a few minutes, and there’s no commitment.

  2. 2Get matched

    Matcha, our custom matching platform, pairs your teen with the best-fit therapist — because a teen who clicks with their therapist actually talks.

  3. 3Everyone in the room

    The first meeting usually includes you. We set expectations together — including the privacy rules — so your teen knows this space is theirs.

  4. 4Sessions that don’t feel like class

    Real conversation and real skills — stress, friends, identity, motivation — at your teen’s pace, not a curriculum’s.

  5. 5Review, grow, graduate

    We track progress with you, respect their privacy, and say so when they’re ready — confidence that lasts is the summit.

How We Work With Teens

Every teen is different, so your therapist draws from several evidence-based approaches and follows your teen’s lead.

Mindfulness-based therapy

Noticing thoughts and feelings without being run by them — the skill underneath staying calm under pressure. Every AMC therapist is also a trained mindfulness teacher.

CBT that respects their intelligence

The link between thoughts, feelings, and actions — examined honestly, without worksheets that talk down to them.

Values & identity work

Who am I, what matters to me, what do I want — explored with curiosity instead of pressure, and without a deadline.

Stress, sleep & screens

Practical work on the big three: academic load, a phone that never sleeps, and a body that needs to.

Parent involvement, without surveillance

Regular check-ins on themes and progress — never a transcript. You stay informed; your teen stays honest in the room.

EMDR for teens

For teens carrying something heavy, EMDR helps the memory lose its charge — paced carefully, always with consent.

Find the right therapist for your teen

Choose whichever way feels easier. Scroll down to meet the AMC therapists who work with teens and request someone by name.

Or answer a few questions in Matcha, our custom AI-assisted matching tool, and we’ll suggest therapists whose experience and availability may fit your family’s needs.

Teenagers sitting together looking at their phones

What our clients are saying about us

The breathing technique, being gentle to myself, and learning to recognize when I am not living in the present moment, among other coping skills my therapist has been teaching me have helped me tremendously with anxiety. She is easy to talk to, gentle, and listens without judgement. I am so thankful I found her and recommend her to everyone.