Counseling for Teens in Fairfax, VA

In View Counseling provides professional counseling for teens in Fairfax, VA, and online across Virginia & Washington, D.C. supporting adolescents as they navigate anxiety, depression, stress, emotional regulation, and family or school challenges. Our therapists specialize in working with teens who feel overwhelmed, misunderstood, or emotionally reactive, helping them build coping skills, confidence, and resilience during this critical stage of development.

Are you concerned that your teen is struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, or unsafe behaviors, including excessive internet or cell phone use, and harmful self-image from Instagram?

Yet do you feel like every conversation with them results in conflict, withdrawal, or a dead-end?

The adolescent brain is changing every day. While your teen’s intellectual knowledge is expanding, it might be taking time for their emotional skills to catch up. As a result, your teen may experience their feelings intensely and struggle to manage their stress. With tension building, you may have noticed excessive arguments, avoidance, and maybe even self-harm. Instead of engaging in the activities and relationships that used to enrich your teen’s life, lately, they’ve turned away from them.

It’s hard to be around a teen who is often grumpy and insists on being left alone, but this is when they need the support of an adult the most. Working with a therapist, your teen can balance their budding independence with newfound skills for emotional awareness and stress management. Through the guidance and individualized support we offer at In View Counseling, you’ll be able to reconnect with your teen, by providing them with support and structure so they aren’t alone.

Many Teens Battle Emotional And Cognitive Symptoms

Unfortunately, mental health issues among teens are on the rise. The vast majority of disorders affecting adults can develop during the adolescent period. It’s estimated that by the time they reach 18, one in three teens meets the criteria for an anxiety disorder in the DSM-5.¹ Such symptoms might include:

Agitation and restlessness
Difficulty concentrating
Insomnia and fatigue
Muscle tension
Irritability

These symptoms can impact teens’ self-esteem and relationships, leading to setbacks in physical health, academic performance, and social situations.

Anxiety is not the only issue affecting teens, however. Depression and other mood disorders—including bipolar disorder—are expected to affect about 14 percent of the teenage population.² The rise in these statistics directly correlates to an increase in teen suicide, making suicide the second leading cause of death among individuals ages 15 to 19.³

What Causes Teens To Struggle?

Today’s youth are under immense pressure to be the best at everything they do—the best student, athlete, socialite, family member, etc. In the NOVA community, there is a high bar to succeed—it’s easy for teens to feel like they are never doing good enough. For girls, in particular, these pressures lead to increased instances of bullying, disordered eating, and perfectionist tendencies. Add these expectations to the comparison culture fueled by social media, and it’s no wonder that this group of individuals develops mental health symptoms at alarming rates.

In the people-pleasing, perfectionistic mindset that teens battle, it’s particularly difficult to self-advocate or ask for help. As a result, teens typically don’t reach out for support until their symptoms have worsened so much that they are in crisis and/or a parent intervenes.

As a teen, it’s important to understand that striking a balance is possible—you can maintain your academics, relationships, and individual goals without feeling overwhelmed and out of control. Teen therapy at In View Counseling allows you to break the cycles leading to counterproductive thoughts, unhealthy behaviors, and impossible expectations.

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Therapy For Teens At In View Counseling

Many teens choose not to disclose their true feelings out of concern that they will upset their parent(s) or be judged. However, a therapist offers trained, unbiased perspectives on a wide range of issues affecting teens. Therapy is a safe space to process distressing events, difficult emotions, and unhealthy behaviors.

Our therapists are passionate about working with teens from all backgrounds, including those who identify as LGBTQ, neurodiverse, or otherwise marginalized. Using a combination of evidence-based and person-centered therapies, we offer our teen clients individualized treatment planning to improve coping and stress management skills.

What To Expect

Parent work is a key component of counseling for teens. During the intake, parents and guardians are involved in submitting paperwork and invited to the first session to help inform treatment goals. Throughout the counseling process, parents will participate by learning tools and strategies to reinforce their teen’s progress in therapy.

We use demonstrated therapeutic methods, effective in helping teens overcome a wide variety of cognitive, social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Some of the approaches that may be used in counseling for teens are:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - allows clients to understand how thoughts, feelings, and actions are connected
Family Systems – recognizes the strengths and value of each part in order to have more alignment within the Self as a whole
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) - offers lifelong skills for coping, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness
Solution-Focused Therapy – creates goal-oriented incentives, focusing attention on the solution rather than the problem
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy – creates a pathway for understanding the influence of the past on current thoughts and behaviors

Through these evidence-based modalities, our teen clients can develop skills for managing strong or unpleasant emotions in adaptive ways while simultaneously reducing triggers. As we support and empower them to work toward specific goals, they will gain clarity on the strengths, values, and perspectives that will move them closer to their goals. In time, cognitive, emotional, and physical symptoms will improve.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Counseling

How can counseling help my teen?

Teen counseling helps adolescents better understand and manage their emotions, cope with stress, and improve communication skills. Therapy can support teens dealing with anxiety, depression, mood changes, low self-esteem, academic pressure, family conflict, or difficulty regulating emotions. Our goal is to help teens feel more confident, understood, and equipped to handle challenges both now and in the future.

What issues do you work with in teen therapy?

At In View Counseling, we work with teens experiencing:

Anxiety and excessive worry
Depression or low mood
Emotional reactivity and anger
School stress and academic pressure
Social challenges and peer conflict
Family or sibling conflict
Life transitions and identity development

Our therapists tailor counseling to each teen’s unique needs and strengths.

Do parents participate in teen counseling?

Parental involvement depends on the teen’s age, needs, and treatment goals. We often include parents for:

Initial intake and goal setting
Periodic check-ins or parent sessions
Support with communication strategies at home

At the same time, teens are given appropriate privacy so they can feel safe opening up in therapy.

How do I know if my teen needs counseling?

Your teen may benefit from counseling if you notice:

Increased irritability or emotional outbursts
Withdrawal from family or friends
Ongoing anxiety or sadness
Declining school performance
Difficulty managing stress or frustration

You don’t need to wait for a crisis — therapy can be helpful even when concerns feel “small” but persistent.

Is teen counseling confidential?

Yes. Confidentiality is an important part of teen therapy. We explain confidentiality clearly to both teens and parents. While parents may receive general updates, the specific details shared in sessions remain private unless there is a safety concern or legal requirement to disclose.

Do you offer teen counseling in Fairfax, VA?

Yes. In View Counseling provides teen counseling in Fairfax, Virginia, and also offers virtual therapy options when appropriate. We serve teens and families throughout the Northern Virginia area.

How long does teen therapy usually last?

The length of therapy varies depending on your teen’s goals and needs. Some teens benefit from short-term counseling focused on a specific issue, while others engage in longer-term therapy for ongoing support and skill building. We regularly review progress and adjust the treatment plan as needed.

How do I get started with counseling for my teen?

Getting started is simple. Parents can reach out to schedule an initial consultation where we discuss concerns, answer questions, and determine whether teen counseling at In View Counseling is a good fit for your family.

Schedule a free consultation here to find out if In View Counseling is right for your teen or if there are other resources better suited to their needs.

Relief Is On The Horizon

Adolescence is often a complicated and challenging time of life. The therapists at In View Counseling can help your teen discover who they are, identify their potential, and give them tools for effectively managing anxiety, depression, and stress.

For more information, you can schedule a free, 15-minute consultation by contacting us.

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