Why treat the teen and the family together?
A teenager rarely struggles in isolation. Slammed doors, slipping grades or long silences ripple out to parents and siblings, and the way the family responds shapes what happens next. That is why Dr. Audrey looks at the whole picture, not just the person who was referred.
Her approach starts with a careful assessment of what is going on and what matters most right now. From there, she builds a plan around your family, with regular check-ins so progress does not stall.
Concerns Dr. Audrey helps teens and families with
ADD and ADHD
Help for families affected by attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, including routines, communication and the frustration that builds on all sides.
Sexual orientation and identity
Support for teens with questions about sexual orientation or identity, and for families navigating the coming-out process. The practice is LGBTQ+-friendly and LGBTQ+-owned.
Autism spectrum and sensory processing
Support for families of children on the autism spectrum or with sensory processing differences, with a focus on strengths, social understanding and family communication.
Cutting and depression
Help for teens struggling with depression, self-harm, grief, loneliness, isolation or questions about meaning in life. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or 911; the practice is not a crisis service.
Anxiety
Support for teens and adults overwhelmed by fears, worries or panic attacks.
Performance pressure
Families can unintentionally place heavy expectations on children and teens around grades, sports or college. Dr. Audrey helps ease that pressure without lowering the bar on effort.
What parents learn in the process
Teens are busy. They need time with friends, and that includes phone and computer time. Still, a wise parent expects a teen to play an active role in the family rather than disappearing into a bedroom. Dr. Audrey shows parents how communication and listening make that expectation realistic.
Her parenting work includes practical strategies for staying firm and warm at once, responding to a moody teen without escalating, and creating a calmer atmosphere at home. Read more about adolescent issues and how she approaches them.
Online sessions help here too. Many teens talk more freely from their own room than from an office couch, and a parent who works late can still join from a laptop. Dr. Audrey adjusts the mix of individual, parent and family sessions as things change, so the plan keeps fitting your household instead of the other way around.
The family systems lens
Family systems theory proposes that each of us first learns about ourselves, our emotions and close relationships inside the family we grow up in. Those early lessons follow us into friendships, marriages and parenting. Dr. Audrey's PhD is in Family Studies, and you can read about her family systems counseling in more depth.
When the strain is between the adults, she also offers marriage counseling and couples therapy, since a steadier partnership often makes parenting easier.
About Dr. Audrey
Dr. Audrey Kteily, PhD, LPC-S, LMHC, CFLE has more than 20 years of experience and is a published author in the field of family dynamics. She is a Certified Family Life Educator and holds C-DBT certification in Dialectical Behavior Therapy. She is licensed in Texas, New Jersey and New York and sees clients located in those states by secure video.
A Coppell police officer who watched her connect with teens wrote a letter about it called The Gift. You can also read what families say on the reviews page.
Getting started
Confidence, study habits and social skills are easier to build before a crisis than after one. Send the secure request form or text or call (917) 905-3183, and you will hear back within one business day.