6 San Francisco Teen Counselors [Available Now]
Being a teen isn’t easy. Adolescence is full of change—in body, mind, relationships, and identity. Teens today also face unique pressures from school, social media, and the world around them. At Stillpoint Therapy Collective, our San Francisco therapists are here to provide a safe, confidential space to process feelings, build coping skills, and feel less alone.
Jump to a therapist
Annie Patyk: Good fit for teens overwhelmed by anxiety and perfectionism
Bayley Azevedo: Good fit for LGBTQIA+ teens
Kara Sunwell: Good fit for creative, neurodivergent, and highly sensitive teens
Jen Ottman: Good fit for high-achieving teens
Amber Godwin: Good fit for teens who have experienced trauma
Tina Salomon-Tripp: Good fit for teens struggling with depression
Not sure which therapist is right for your teen? Reach out so we can help match them.
Meet our San Francisco teen therapists
Annie Patyk
Good fit for teens overwhelmed by anxiety and perfectionism
If your teen is the "good kid" who looks fine on the outside but is quietly burning out underneath, I might be a great fit. I help teens and young adults untangle the anxiety-perfectionism loop: the overthinking, the fear of disappointing people, the pressure to have it all figured out. My style is direct, warm, and full of humor, which tends to land well with teens who've rolled their eyes at therapy before. Together, we'll quiet the inner critic and help your teen build real self-trust.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #148824
Specialty Areas: Anxiety and chronic stress, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, overwhelm and burnout, young adults and college students
Bayley Azevedo
Good fit for LGBTQIA+ teens
I'm a queer therapist who loves working with LGBTQIA+ teens navigating identity, coming out, first relationships, and all the messy stuff in between. My approach is relational, psychodynamic, and trauma-informed, which means we move at your teen's pace with plenty of room for humor, honesty, and the hard stuff. I pay close attention to the unique pressures queer and trans teens face at school, at home, and online, and I work hard to create a space where they feel fully seen.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #140730
Specialty Areas: LGBTQIA+ individuals and relationships, self-esteem, anxiety and depression, communication, boundary setting, trauma
Kara Sunwell
Good fit for creative, neurodivergent, and highly sensitive teens
I love working with teens who've always felt a little "different"—the artists, the deep feelers, the neurodivergent kids, and the ones who experience the world more intensely than their peers. My approach is creative and non-traditional, blending Hakomi (mindfulness and somatics) and creative arts with practical tools from CBT and solution-focused therapy. We'll honor your teen's unique inner world while building real skills they can use to cope with anxiety, build self-confidence, and navigate a world that often expects everyone to look the same.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #149166
Specialty Areas: Anxiety, trauma responses, identity exploration, creativity blocks, neurodivergence and high sensitivity, grief, low self-confidence
Jen Ottman
Good fit for high-achieving teens
I work with teens and young adults who appear to have it all together on the outside but inside feel anxious, overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves. Many of my teen clients are navigating academic pressure, complicated family dynamics, or major transitions like applying to college or leaving home. My approach is insight-driven and relational, which helps teens build real self-awareness, not just surface-level coping skills. We'll work on quieting self-criticism, clarifying what actually matters to them, and strengthening their sense of self.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #153153
Specialty Areas: Anxiety and stress, identity and self-worth, relationship and family dynamics, life transitions, support for high-achievers
Amber Godwin
Good fit for teens who have experienced trauma
I help teens carrying the weight of difficult past experiences, whether that's a single overwhelming event, ongoing family or relational trauma, or the deeper-rooted developmental trauma that shapes how safe they feel in their own body. My approach is holistic and trauma-informed, drawing on my ongoing training in Somatic Experiencing. With teens, we move gently, at the pace their nervous system can handle, so healing feels doable instead of re-traumatizing. My warm, grounded style helps teens feel safe enough to actually open up.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #153153
Specialty Areas: Anxiety and stress, identity and self-worth, relationship and family dynamics, life transitions, support for high-achievers
Tina Salomon-Tripp
Good fit for teens struggling with depression
If your teen is moving through life flat, numb, withdrawn, or weighed down by something they can't quite name, I'd love to help. Depression in teens can often look like more than just sadness; it can also show up as irritability, low motivation, sleeping too much, losing interest in the things they used to love, or a quiet hopelessness underneath. My approach is relational, psychodynamic, and attachment-based, so we'll get underneath the symptoms rather than just managing them. As a mom to three sons, including teenagers, I also bring a real understanding of what this season is like.
Credentials: Associate Marriage and Family Therapist #149177
Specialty Areas: Depression, low self-esteem, loneliness, identity issues, young adult individuation, family dynamics, communication, guilt and shame
What sets our practice apart from other San Francisco teen counseling practices
In-person and virtual options. We offer hybrid care. Meet us at our San Francisco office on Post Street, our East Bay office in Albany, our LA office in Santa Monica, or schedule secure telehealth from anywhere in California—whichever works better for your teen's schedule.
LGBTQ+ identified and LGBTQ+ affirming therapists. Our team includes queer and trans therapists, and every clinician is deeply experienced in gender- and sexuality-affirming care.
A diverse team of clinicians. Our therapists bring a wide range of identities, backgrounds, and clinical trainings, so we can thoughtfully match your teen with someone who actually fits.
Neurodivergent-affirming care. We work with ADHD, autistic, and highly sensitive teens in a way that honors how their brains actually work.
Somatic and trauma-informed training. Several of our clinicians are trained in body-based approaches like Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Brainspotting: methods that are especially helpful for teens who struggle to put feelings into words.
Evening availability. We know teens have full schedules with school, activities, and social lives. Several of our clinicians offer evening sessions.
FAQs about teen therapy
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Anxiety, depression, or mood changes
School stress and academic pressure
Social struggles, bullying, or isolation
Identity exploration (gender, sexuality, values)
Family conflict or divorce adjustment
Low self-esteem or self-criticism
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We approach teen therapy with warmth, respect, and collaboration. Sessions may focus on:
Building coping and regulation skills
Exploring identity and self-expression
Improving communication and boundaries
Processing emotions in safe ways
Supporting relationships at home and school
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There’s no wrong time to start therapy, but common signs that your teen could benefit from support include
Persistent anxiety, sadness, or irritability,
Withdrawal from friends or activities they used to love,
Sleep or appetite changes,
Slipping grades,
Big mood swings, or
Saying things like "I don't know what's wrong with me."
If something has felt off for more than a few weeks—or if your teen is asking for support—it's worth reaching out. They don't need to be in crisis to start therapy.
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The level of parental involvement depends on your teen's age, what they're working on, and what builds the most trust. For most teens, the therapy relationship itself stays confidential, which helps them open up. We typically check in with parents periodically, share themes (not specifics) when it's helpful, and offer family sessions when they'd support progress. We'll talk through expectations together in the first session.
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Yes, teen therapy is often covered by insurance. At Stillpoint Therapy Collective, our therapists are out-of-network with insurance. If your plan offers out-of-network benefits, we can provide a superbill each month that you submit for possible reimbursement. We can walk you through what this looks like during your free consultation call.
Start teen therapy in San Francisco today
Every teen deserves a space that’s truly theirs. Therapy can give your teen the support and tools they need to feel seen, understood, and capable of navigating life’s challenges.