The kid who used to tell you everything now answers in one word from behind a closed door. Maybe it's the grades, or the friends you don't hear about anymore, or a heaviness you can see but can't name. You don't want to push them further away. You don't want to do nothing, either.
Teenagers do better with one place that's fully theirs — a room where they can say the thing out loud without managing anyone else's reaction. Our therapists specialize in children and teens, and children, teens, and whole families are who we work with most. You don't need the right words to start, and neither does your teen. Tell us about why you're here, and we'll take it from there.
What teen therapy is
A space that's actually theirs.
Teen therapy is one-on-one time with a therapist who takes your teenager seriously. Not a lecture with a co-pay, and not a report line back to you. The privacy isn't a loophole; it's the ingredient. When a teen trusts that the room is theirs, the real conversation can start.
Someone to talk to who isn't you.
That's not a knock on you. Teenagers are working out who they are apart from their parents, and some things are easier to say first to a steady adult who isn't in the middle of it. A therapist doesn't replace you. They help your teen find the words that eventually make it home.
You're still in the picture.
You'll know how the work is going and how to help at home, and you'll be involved in the way that fits your teen's age. What gets shared, what stays private, and where privacy has its limits are worked out openly at the start, with you and your teen in the conversation.
- School pressure is running the show: grades, college talk, the fear of falling behind.
- Worry or a low mood has settled in and isn't lifting on its own.
- Friendships, social media, or the phone have become a source of hurt instead of connection.
- Anger or irritability is showing up at home in ways that don't feel like your kid.
- They're wrestling with who they are, and you want them to have a safe place to do it.
- Your family is going through a change, like a move, a divorce, or a loss, and your teen is carrying it in their own way.
most of this page talks to your parents, but the therapy is yours. You get a say in who you see. What you talk about in session isn't reported back word-for-word to anyone. Privacy does have limits, and your therapist will be straight with you about exactly where they are, before you've shared anything. No tricks, no fine print.
Teen therapy is one-on-one support built around your teenager. If your child is younger, child therapy is built for that age. If the whole household is feeling the strain, family therapy brings everyone into the room. And if worry or attention is the loudest part, see how we work with anxiety and ADHD.
What to expect
Getting a teenager into therapy can feel like the hardest step. Here is exactly what happens, so there are no surprises for you or for them:
- 1
Reach out.
Fill out our short contact form or call us. Tell us about why you're here, in your own words. No clinical language needed. Do you have a preferred therapist? You can tell us that too.
- 2
We coordinate for you.
A care coordinator, not a therapist, follows up to talk through therapist fit, language preferences, availability, and cost. You choose from there. Scheduling and cost questions stay with our care team, so your teen's time is for therapy.
- 3
Meet the therapist.
A consultation is available before anyone commits. Fit matters double with teenagers, so this step is your teen's too: it's their chance to size up the therapist and decide the room feels safe.
- 4
Begin.
Early sessions are about trust. Your teen's therapist gets to know them at their pace, and works out with all of you, up front, what stays private and how you'll be involved, in the way that fits your teen's age. Nobody is left guessing about the plan, including your teen.
Our approach
We take time to match your teen with a therapist who fits, including language. Depending on the therapist, sessions are available in Korean, Mandarin, or Taiwanese.
Your teen's therapist also pays attention to the world around them: the pressure at school, the life on the phone, and the way culture and generational differences can widen the gap between parents and teens. Families of every background are welcome here, and the space between how you grew up and how your teen is growing up is something we work with all the time.
Our approach is strengths-based. Therapy here is never about labeling your teenager or treating them like a problem to be managed. We start with what's already strong in them, and we build from there — toward a teen who feels understood, at home and inside their own head.
Who you'll work with
Nabi Family Therapy is a group practice of experienced therapists across four California offices. Our team includes licensed therapists and supervised associate therapists, and children, teens, and families are the heart of our work. We match your teen with the therapist who fits, rather than asking you to figure that out alone.
Logistics
- Where: In person at our offices in Manhattan Beach, Arcadia, Irvine, and Burbank, California.
- Telehealth: Online sessions are available for clients who are physically in California or Oregon at the time of the session.
- How long and how often: Your teen's therapist will talk openly with you and your teen about what makes sense.
- Getting started: Requests go through our care team, who coordinate scheduling with you. There is no instant online booking, on purpose: matching comes first.
Fees and insurance
We believe you should understand cost before you begin, not after. When you reach out, our care coordinator will walk you through the cost for the therapist your teen is matched with, before you commit to anything.
- Session fees: Sessions are $175–250. Sliding scale spots are limited but available.
- Insurance: We are currently in-network with Cigna PPO, Aetna PPO, Optum/United Health, and Anthem Blue Cross, in California. Availability varies by therapist, please contact us to verify.
- Private pay: Sliding-scale spots are available for students, single parents, caregivers, essential workers, seniors, and others facing hardship. FSA and HSA payments are accepted.
- Out-of-network: We provide superbills you can submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement.
You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate of what your care will cost. Learn about your right to a Good Faith Estimate.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Will I know what my teen talks about in session?+
You'll always know how the work is going and how you can help at home. What you won't get is a word-for-word replay, and that's on purpose: teen therapy goes somewhere real when your teen trusts that the room is theirs. Your teen's therapist will sit down with both of you at the start and make the ground rules clear — what stays private, what gets shared, and where privacy has its limits — so nobody is guessing, including your teen.
What if my teen doesn't want to go?+
Very common, and not a dealbreaker. Therapy a teen is dragged into rarely goes anywhere, so we don't start there. A consultation before anyone commits gives your teen a low-stakes way to meet the therapist and decide for themselves whether the fit feels right. And if it doesn't, tell our care team; matching is what they do.
Will I be part of my teen's therapy?+
Yes, in the way that fits your teen's age and what they're working on. For some families that means occasional check-ins with the therapist; for others it grows into family therapy alongside the individual work. What it never means is being shut out — or your teen feeling watched. You, your teen, and the therapist work out the shape of it together.
Can my teen do therapy online?+
In-person sessions are available at our four California offices. We also offer secure online therapy for clients who are physically in California or Oregon.
How much does it cost?+
Cost depends on the therapist your teen is matched with and whether insurance applies. Our care coordinator will go over the numbers with you before the first session, so there are no surprises.
Every teenager needs a place where they can take a breath and be themselves, and every family deserves a place to belong.
When you're ready, reach out and tell us about why you're here. Our care team will take it from there.