Help for teens struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, and trauma in San Diego
As a parent, you see your teenager struggling. They might seem detached, overwhelmed by school or social drama, or consumed by a level of anxiety that feels heavy for their age. They might be moody, withdraw into their screens, or experience physical symptoms like headaches or stomach aches from stress.
In a dynamic environment like San Diego—with its high expectations, competitive schools, and demanding social scene—the pressure on today's teens is immense.
I'm Allie Evans, LMFT, and I specialize in teen therapy in San Diego. My goal is to move past the resistance and defensiveness, creating a non-judgmental, confidential space where your teen can finally breathe and process. I offer effective virtual therapy that supports them through:
Overwhelming Anxiety: Test stress, social anxiety, and college pressure.
Identity & Self-Esteem: Navigating who they are and finding authentic confidence.
Depression & Withdrawal: Coping with feeling flat, unmotivated, or hopelessness.
Family Conflict: Improving communication, processing parents’ divorce, reducing tension at home.
San Diego Teen Therapy
My Effective Approach: Building Trust & Core Self
Teens need a therapist who is warm, authentic, and clinically effective. My sessions are not just surface-level discussions; they are grounded in relational and evidence-based therapies that work specifically with the teenage mind and developing nervous system.
The Core Teen Therapeutic Modalities
My approach combines deep-listening with actionable tools, focusing on the teen's internal world:
IFS (Internal Family Systems): Teaches the teen to understand their inner critics, self-sabotaging behaviors, and intense emotions as parts that are trying to protect them. This dramatically reduces shame and increases self-compassion.
Somatic & Nervous System Regulation: Crucial for teens with anxiety. We use simple, practical tools to recognize and down-regulate the physical signs of stress and panic in their body.
Attachment-Focused: We strengthen the teen's sense of self and their ability to form healthy, secure bonds, which is vital for navigating friendships and future relationships.
The most powerful outcome is this: your teen learns how to trust their own voice and navigate challenges from a place of grounded strength, rather than fear or reactivity.
Healing happens both in the session and at home. While the primary relationship is between your teen and me (ensuring trust and confidentiality), I provide consistent support for you, the parent.
We schedule regular parent check-ins to discuss:
Effective, practical communication strategies.
How to set supportive boundaries.
Understanding the developmental needs behind challenging behaviors.
This collaborative approach ensures that the changes your teen makes in therapy are supported and sustained by a calmer, more connected home environment.
The essential parent component
I provide expert virtual therapy to teenagers across the entire state of California, including all communities within the San Diego area.
Virtual sessions are highly effective for teens as they allow them to attend sessions comfortably from their own space, minimizing school disruption and maximizing privacy.
Contact me today to schedule a consultation or find a time that works for your teen.