Teen Therapy Services in Chicago, Illinois

Services Available Virtually Throughout Illinois and Indiana

Book Your Teen's First appointment today

Being a teenager today is a lot.

  • School pressure. Social media. Friend drama. College expectations. Body image. Sports. Family stress. A brain that does not seem to turn off.

  • I provide teen therapy in Chicago and virtual therapy throughout Illinois and Indiana for adolescents struggling with anxiety, OCD, eating disorders, perfectionism, and major life transitions.

  • They might tell you they are “fine,” but their sleep, mood, or eating patterns say otherwise. When anxiety, OCD, or body image struggles start interfering with school, friendships, or family life, it is a sign they need more support, not more pressure.

  • If your teen looks fine on the outside but is overwhelmed, anxious, irritable, or shutting down at home, you are not alone.

  • Even the most capable teens can feel like they are one small mistake away from everything falling apart, and that kind of pressure is exhausting to carry alone.

Therapy Can Help When Being a Teen Starts to Feel Like Too Much

Your teen might be experiencing:

  • Constant overthinking and worst-case-scenario spirals

  • Panic attacks or frequent stomachaches before school

  • Obsessive worries or intrusive thoughts

  • Pressure to get perfect grades

  • Meltdowns after holding it together all day

  • Food restriction, binge eating, or body image distress

  • Comparing themselves nonstop on social media

  • Withdrawing from friends or family

They may be high-achieving, responsible, and mature for their age. Or they may seem irritable, shut down, or “dramatic.”

Underneath it all is usually anxiety, self-doubt, or feeling like they are not enough.

Teenagers today are navigating academic competition, constant comparison, and a culture that tells them they have to be exceptional, attractive, productive, and emotionally stable all at once.

That is a lot for a developing nervous system.

Therapy for Teens Can Help With These issues

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From Overwhelmed

to Equipped

Many of the teens I work with are perfectionists.

They stay up late redoing assignments.
They replay social interactions in their head.
They obsess over how they look.
They set impossibly high standards and feel crushed when they miss them.

Or they may struggle quietly with OCD, intrusive thoughts, and compulsions that feel embarrassing or scary to talk about.

They often say, “I know it sounds dumb,” or “I should be able to handle this.”

But anxiety disorders, OCD, and eating disorders are not about willpower. They are about patterns in the brain that can absolutely be treated with the right support.

Let’s go from:

Crying after school every day
→ Having real tools to manage stress

Obsessing about grades
→ Working hard without constant panic

Avoiding food or feeling out of control around it
→ Eating consistently and confidently

Needing constant reassurance
→ Trusting yourself more

Feeling like everyone else has it together
→ Realizing you are not alone and you are not broken

Teen therapy is not about lecturing or “fixing” your personality. It is about helping you build skills, confidence, and self-trust.

The High-Functioning

Teen Struggle

Frequently Asked Questions About Therapy for Teenagers

Book Your Teens Appointment today

  • I use evidence-based approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and person-centered therapy.

    In sessions we

    • Identify anxiety and OCD patterns

    • Gradually face fears in manageable steps

    • Reduce compulsions and reassurance seeking

    • Challenge rigid, all-or-nothing thinking

    • Build emotional regulation skills

    • Address eating disorder behaviors and body image concerns

    • Focus on values and identity development

    Teens are not talked at. They are listened to.

    We move at a pace that feels safe but still growth-oriented. We practice skills in session and apply them in real life, whether that is at school, with friends, or at home.

  • If your teen struggles with anxiety or OCD, they may feel trapped in their own thoughts.

    Intrusive thoughts can feel scary and isolating. Compulsions can take up hours of their day. Avoidance can shrink their world.

    In therapy for teen anxiety and OCD, we focus on building tolerance for uncertainty, reducing compulsive behaviors, and helping them face fears without being controlled by them.

    The goal is not to eliminate anxiety completely. The goal is to help your teen function, grow, and move toward what matters even when anxiety shows up.

  • Adolescence is a common time for eating disorders and chronic dieting to develop.

    Between sports culture, social media comparison, and body changes during puberty, teens can quickly become hyper-focused on food and weight.

    Therapy for teen eating disorders focuses on:

    • Normalizing eating patterns

    • Reducing restriction or binge cycles

    • Challenging food rules

    • Building a healthier relationship with movement

    • Decreasing body checking and comparison

    We also address the perfectionism and anxiety that often drive eating disorder behaviors.

    Your teen deserves to enjoy their teenage years without obsessing about calories or hiding their body!

  • When appropriate, I collaborate with parents to support progress at home. This may include psychoeducation, communication strategies, and guidance around how to respond to anxiety, OCD, or eating behaviors.

    The goal is not to blame. It is to build a supportive, informed environment that reinforces growth.

  • With consistent teen therapy in Chicago or virtual therapy in Illinois and Indiana, you may notice:

    • Fewer meltdowns and shutdowns

    • More flexible thinking

    • Reduced compulsions and reassurance seeking

    • Healthier eating patterns

    • Improved confidence

    • Better emotional regulation

    • More open communication

    Your teen may still be thoughtful and driven. They just will not be running on constant anxiety.

    Adolescence is a critical time for building coping skills and identity. Getting support now can change the trajectory of their young adulthood.

    If your teen is overwhelmed, anxious, stuck in OCD loops, or struggling with food and body image, therapy can help.

    They do not have to figure this out alone.

    And neither do you.