Teen Therapy in Virginia

Therapy for Teens Navigating Identity, Anxiety, & Growing Independence

The teen years are a time of rapid emotional, social, and identity development. As adolescents move toward greater independence, they often face increased pressure related to school, peer relationships, self-image, and expectations from others. These changes can feel overwhelming—for teens and for families.

Teen therapy at Thrive Counseling for Healing & Connection provides adolescents with a safe, confidential space to explore emotions, build insight, and develop coping strategies as they navigate anxiety, mood changes, relationship challenges, and life transitions. Our therapists support teens in strengthening emotional awareness, communication, and confidence while honoring their growing autonomy. We also offer secure online counseling for teens across Virginia, providing flexible support for busy schedules, transportation challenges, or teens who feel more comfortable meeting virtually.

Our Approach to Teen Therapy

Our approach to teen therapy is developmentally attuned, trauma-informed, and primarily talk-based. We focus on helping teens build emotional insight, coping strategies, and confidence as they navigate identity development, peer relationships, academic stress, and increasing independence. Therapy is collaborative and respectful, giving teens space to be heard while maintaining appropriate involvement and support for parents and caregivers.

Some of the concerns we see for teens today are:

  • Parents and teachers frequently placing high expectations on kids today, leading to heightened anxiety levels.

  • Peer pressure is constant and incredibly impactful. Teens often feel a strong urge to conform and gain acceptance in order to feel like they belong.

  • Social media provides a platform for anonymous critics and bullies to target their vulnerabilities.

  • Ads and programming on radio, TV, social media and print clearly lay out the ideal way to look, walk, talk and live, which creates unrealistic standards for them to live up to.

  • Family issues like divorce, illness, and arguments can make them feel confused, angry, and unsure about trusting others.

  • Teens feel pressured to join in with drinking, drugs, and sex because it's seen as normal. They hear stories of peers who have dealt with substance abuse, sexual assault, risky behaviors, pregnancy, and the emotional struggles that can come with depression, eating disorders, addiction, and thoughts of suicide.

Therapy offers teens and families a supportive environment to express concerns, improve communication, and strengthen emotional connection. At Thrive, we work collaboratively with parents while prioritizing teens’ need for privacy, respect, and autonomy as they develop their own voice and identity.

We provide:

  • Individual Therapy: Individual therapy provides a safe, confidential space for your teen to talk about anything. This gives your teen the time and attention where he or she can explore their life, find healthier coping skills, and learn new tools for thriving.

  • Group Therapy: Research has shown that teen group therapy is a very powerful tool for inspiring change in clients. We all know the impact that peers have on teens. In group therapy, that impact is a positive one, reducing stigma and isolation, and empowering lasting, beneficial change. Learn more about our teen group offerings through We Thrive Together.

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Teen therapy office at Thrive Counseling for Healing & Connection in Fredericksburg, Virginia

Evidence-Based Practices for Teens

  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
    EMDR is a powerful method for processing trauma and reducing the emotional intensity of past experiences. Our trained therapists use EMDR to help you feel more in control and less triggered by difficult memories. Learn more.

  • Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy is an evidence-based approach to healing emotional wounds by exploring the different “parts” within you—such as the inner critic, the people-pleaser, or the part that holds trauma or anxiety. At Thrive Counseling for Healing and Connection, our therapists use IFS to help you develop self-awareness, reduce inner conflict, and reconnect with your core Self—the calm, compassionate inner leader we all have. IFS therapy can be especially helpful for individuals struggling with anxiety, trauma, low self-worth, or relationship patterns rooted in past experiences.

  • Trauma-Focused CBT is an evidence-based therapy designed to help children, teens, and young adults heal from traumatic experiences. At Thrive Counseling for Healing and Connection, we use TF-CBT to gently guide clients in understanding how trauma has impacted their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Through a structured and supportive process, clients learn to reduce trauma-related symptoms such as anxiety, nightmares, and emotional reactivity. This approach combines cognitive restructuring, emotional regulation skills, and safe trauma processing to promote long-term healing and resilience.

  • At Thrive Counseling for Healing and Connection, we use mindfulness therapy, somatic therapy, and brain-based interventions to support holistic, trauma-informed healing. Mindfulness helps you stay grounded in the present moment and relate to your thoughts and emotions with more awareness and compassion. Somatic therapy for trauma focuses on how the body stores stress and emotional pain, using tools like breathwork, movement, and sensation to restore calm and safety. Our brain-based therapy techniques, informed by neuroscience, help regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and support lasting emotional resilience.

  • Ego State Therapy
    Ego State Therapy is a trauma-informed approach that helps you explore the different “parts” or “states” of self that form in response to life experiences—especially during times of stress or trauma. At Thrive Counseling for Healing and Connection, we use Ego State Therapy to support clients in understanding internal conflicts, emotional triggers, and behaviors that may feel confusing or out of sync with their goals. By working with these internal parts in a safe and supportive way, clients develop greater self-awareness, emotional regulation, and healing from past wounds. Ego State Therapy is especially helpful for those navigating complex trauma, anxiety, and attachment wounds.