Teen therapy with a therapist teens actually talk to.
Dr. Audrey Kteily is a PhD teen therapist licensed in Texas, New Jersey, and New York. For more than 20 years she has helped teens work through anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, school pressure, ADHD, self-harm, and identity questions — and helped their parents know how to help. Every session is online, from your teen's own space.
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What does a teen therapist do?
A teen therapist is a licensed mental health professional who specializes in adolescents, usually ages 12 to 18. Teen therapy gives a young person a private, judgment-free place to talk, understand their emotions, and learn practical coping skills for issues like anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem, and family conflict — with parents involved in a way that respects the teen's privacy.
The teen years are an amazing transformation. Teens are figuring out who they are, what they believe, and where they fit — all while their brains, bodies, and friendships change fast.
Most of that is healthy growth. But sometimes the pressure piles up: a teen who used to be chatty goes quiet, grades slide, a friend group falls apart, or a parent finds something on a phone that stops them cold. That's when a teen therapist helps.
Dr. Audrey's teen therapy is collaborative and direct. She doesn't lecture, and she doesn't pretend teen problems are small. Teens get real tools — including DBT skills for big emotions — and parents get guidance on what to say, what to stop saying, and how to support progress at home. When family patterns are part of the problem, she pairs individual sessions with family therapy.
Normal teen behavior or a sign your teen needs therapy?
Moodiness and wanting privacy are part of growing up. The difference is usually how long it lasts, how intense it is, and whether it's getting in the way of school, friends, sleep, or family life.
| Typical teen behavior | Signs it may be time for a teen therapist |
|---|---|
| Wants more privacy and time with friends | Pulls away from friends and family; spends most of the time alone |
| Moody for a day or two after a bad week | Sad, irritable, or hopeless most days for two weeks or more |
| Stressed before big tests | Panic, stomachaches, or refusing school; avoiding homework entirely |
| Sleeps in on weekends | Big changes in sleep or appetite; constantly exhausted |
| Argues about rules and curfews | Rage, frequent explosive conflict, or risky behavior |
| Self-conscious about looks or grades | Harsh self-talk, "I'm worthless," or constant self-doubt |
| Grades dip during a hard semester | A sharp, sustained drop in grades or loss of interest in everything |
| Experiments with style and identity | Distress, bullying, or rejection around sexual orientation or identity |
| Wears long sleeves sometimes | Unexplained cuts, burns, or bruises; hiding skin in warm weather |
Help for the teen issues families face most
Online teen therapy for adolescents across Texas, New Jersey, and New York.
Self-Esteem & Confidence
When a teen isolates or keeps putting themselves down, poor self-esteem is often the first sign of something bigger, like depression. Therapy helps teens challenge harsh self-talk and build real confidence.
School & Social Anxiety
Test anxiety, grade pressure, college applications, homework avoidance, and fear of judgment from peers. Teens learn to calm their bodies, manage worry, and stop avoiding what scares them.
Teen Depression
Teen depression often looks like irritability, withdrawal, or "laziness." Dr. Audrey helps teens name what they feel, rebuild routines and connection, and gives parents a plan for supporting them.
ADD & ADHD
Organization, focus, and emotional regulation skills for teens, plus parent coaching and school strategies. Dr. Audrey doesn't prescribe medication, but she coordinates with your teen's doctor when medication is part of the plan.
Self-Harm & Cutting
Self-harm is usually a way of coping with overwhelming emotions. Dr. Audrey responds quickly, focuses on safety, and uses DBT skills to replace self-harm with healthier ways to get through intense moments.
LGBTQ+ Teens & Identity
Affirming support for teens exploring sexual orientation or gender identity, coping with bullying or rejection, or deciding how and when to come out — and for parents learning how to support them.
Anger, Mood Swings & Big Emotions
Explosive arguments, slammed doors, and emotional shutdowns. DBT-based skills teach teens to ride out intense feelings without hurting themselves or their relationships.
Parent–Teen Conflict
When every conversation turns into a fight, communication needs repair on both sides. Parent and family sessions help everyone get heard and agree on fair limits.
Life Changes & Social Pressure
Divorce, a move, grief, a breakup, friendship drama, social media stress, and the pressure to grow up fast. Teens get a steady place to process change.
Know the warning signs in teens
Teens don't always say they're struggling. Watch for changes in appetite or sleep, pulling away from friends and activities, falling grades, alcohol or drug use, giving away belongings, or talking about being a burden, feeling hopeless, or not wanting to be here.
If your teen is in crisis, get help now.
Online therapy is not an emergency service. If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For urgent support any time, day or night, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
DBT skills that help teens handle big emotions
Dr. Audrey is C-DBT certified. Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches four skill sets that are especially helpful for teens dealing with intense emotions, self-harm, mood swings, and conflict.
Mindfulness
Noticing thoughts and feelings without getting swept away by them.
Distress Tolerance
Getting through a crisis moment without making it worse.
Emotion Regulation
Understanding emotions and lowering how often and how hard they hit.
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Asking for what you need and saying no while keeping relationships intact.
What to expect, step by step
Simple for parents to start, comfortable for teens to stick with.
Parent request
A parent or guardian submits the form or calls. The office responds within one business day and sends intake paperwork and consent forms.
Getting to know your teen
Dr. Audrey meets with parents and the teen to understand what's happening, explains confidentiality to everyone, and sets goals together.
Weekly teen sessions
Your teen logs in from a private space. Sessions focus on real skills, real conversations, and what's happening in their life right now.
Parent check-ins
Regular parent sessions or family sessions keep you informed on progress and give you tools to support your teen at home.
How to talk to your teen about starting therapy
Many teens resist at first. These approaches make it far more likely they'll give it a real try.
Lead with care, not blame
"I've noticed you seem stressed lately, and I want you to have someone in your corner" lands better than "You need help."
Explain the privacy
Teens open up when they know most of what they share stays between them and the therapist, except for safety concerns.
Give them some choices
Let your teen pick the time, the room they log in from, or whether a parent joins the first few minutes.
Ask for three sessions
"Try it three times, and then we'll talk about it" is a fair deal most teens will accept.
Teen therapy in Texas, New Jersey & New York
Dr. Audrey is licensed in all three states and sees teens anywhere in them through secure online sessions. Your teen needs to be physically located in one of these states during each session.
Teen therapist in Texas
Dr. Audrey has been a teen therapist for Texas families for more than 20 years, starting from her Coppell practice. Now fully online, she provides teen therapy statewide.
Teen therapy in New Jersey
As a New Jersey Licensed Professional Counselor, Dr. Audrey offers online teen therapy in all 21 counties, with after-school Eastern Time sessions.
Teen therapist in New York
Dr. Audrey is a New York Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a primary office address at 1159 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10065. She provides online teen therapy across the state.
Why teens open up to Dr. Audrey
Teens can spot a fake from a mile away. Dr. Audrey is real with them: she's warm, direct, and doesn't talk down to anyone. She's a proud Ravenclaw and a Hamilton fan who still builds with Legos, and teens tend to relax once they realize therapy with her isn't what they expected.
Behind that easygoing style is serious training: a PhD in Family Studies, C-DBT certification, more than 20 years of clinical experience, and licenses in three states. Her practice is LGBTQ+-friendly and LGBTQ+-owned.
- ✓PhD in Family Studies — Texas Woman's University
- ✓Master's in Counseling — Dallas Baptist University
- ✓LPC-S Texas · LPC New Jersey · LMHC New York
- ✓C-DBT Certified — Dialectical Behavior Therapy
- ✓Certified Family Life Educator (CFLE)
- ✓LGBTQ+ affirming — aligned with GLSEN and the Human Rights Campaign
What parents say about teen therapy with Dr. Audrey
She is saving my teen and my family.
It can be tough working with a depressed teenager who doesn't like to share her feelings, but Audrey was patient and understanding week after week.
Questions parents ask about teen therapy
Straight answers about teen therapy, privacy, and getting started in Texas, New Jersey, or New York.
Teen therapy is counseling designed specifically for adolescents, usually ages 12 to 18. A licensed teen therapist helps a young person understand their emotions, build coping skills, and work through issues like anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, school stress, and family conflict, while involving parents in a way that respects the teen's privacy.
Consider a teen therapist if changes in mood or behavior last more than two weeks, are intense, or get in the way of school, friendships, sleep, or family life. Common signs include withdrawing from friends and family, persistent sadness or irritability, a sharp drop in grades, changes in sleep or appetite, harsh self-criticism, explosive anger, substance use, or any sign of self-harm.
Dr. Audrey treats a wide range of teen issues, including anxiety, school and social anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, ADD and ADHD, self-harm and cutting, anger and mood swings, LGBTQ+ and identity concerns, parent-teen conflict, grief, divorce, and other life changes.
Dr. Audrey's teen therapy is for adolescents ages 12 to 18. She also provides young adult therapy for ages 18 to 29 and family therapy for parents and children together.
For most teens, yes. Research on telehealth therapy shows outcomes comparable to in-person care for most concerns, and many teens find it easier to open up from their own space. Online sessions also remove the drive to an office, which makes weekly sessions easier to keep around school and activities.
Mostly, yes. Teens open up when they trust their conversations are private, so Dr. Audrey keeps the details of what a teen shares between them. Parents receive general updates on progress, and confidentiality does not apply when there is a risk of serious harm to the teen or someone else. Dr. Audrey explains these limits to both teens and parents at the start of therapy.
Yes. Parents complete intake and consent, and Dr. Audrey holds regular parent check-ins or family sessions so parents understand what is happening and how to help at home. The balance between teen-only sessions and family sessions depends on the teen's needs and is decided together.
That is common. Lead with care instead of blame, explain that most of what they share stays private, let them make some choices like the time or the room they log in from, and ask them to try three sessions before deciding. Many reluctant teens engage once they meet a therapist who listens without lecturing.
Yes. Dr. Audrey is C-DBT certified and uses Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills with teens who struggle with intense emotions, self-harm, mood swings, or frequent conflict. DBT teaches four skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness.
No. Dr. Audrey is a licensed counselor, not a prescriber. She provides therapy and skills training, and with your permission she coordinates with your teen's pediatrician or psychiatrist when medication is part of the treatment plan.
Yes. Dr. Audrey has been a Licensed Professional Counselor in Texas since 2001 and an LPC-Supervisor since 2004. She provides online teen therapy statewide, including Coppell, Las Colinas, Grapevine, Carrollton, Addison, Farmers Branch, Dallas, Plano, Frisco, Austin, Houston, and San Antonio.
Yes. Dr. Audrey is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in New Jersey and provides online teen therapy to families in all 21 New Jersey counties, with after-school Eastern Time appointments.
Yes. Dr. Audrey is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in New York State and provides online teen therapy across all five NYC boroughs, Long Island, Westchester, the Hudson Valley, and upstate New York. Her primary business address is 1159 2nd Ave #157, New York, NY 10065.
For teens under 18, a parent or legal guardian completes the intake paperwork and consents to treatment. In separated or divorced families, the office may ask for custody or parenting-plan documents showing who can consent. Your teen must be physically located in Texas, New Jersey, or New York during each session.
Dr. Audrey is an out-of-network provider and can provide a superbill you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. Ask your insurer about out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits. Call (888) 718-7045 or email admin@draudrey.net for current rates.
If your teen is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. For urgent support at any hour, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or text HOME to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. Online therapy is not an emergency service.
Related services
Your teen doesn't have to figure this out alone.
Dr. Audrey is accepting new teen clients for online therapy across Texas, New Jersey, and New York. Start with a quick request — we'll be in touch within one business day.
Request a Teen Therapy SessionPrefer to talk first? Call (888) 718-7045