Ages 13 to 18
Teen counseling in Sugar Land, TX
One-on-one counseling for teens at my office in Sugar Land Town Square. In some cases, sessions can be online, when you, your teen and I agree it’s a good fit. Parents are part of the team.
Anand Vyas, Ph.D., LPC, NCC (Dr. V)
A parent or guardian books the call. Your teen is welcome to join.
Maybe this sounds familiar
It’s 11:30 on a school night. The house is quiet, but your teen is still awake, phone glowing, replaying something a friend said at lunch and worrying about tomorrow’s test. In the morning it’s a stomachache, a slammed door, or a quiet “I’m fine.”
What parents notice
- Grades slipping, or straight A’s that never feel good enough
- More time alone, less talking
- Stomachaches or headaches before school
- Snapping over small things
- Up late, exhausted in the morning
What teens often feel
- “My brain won’t turn off at night.”
- “Everyone else has it figured out.”
- “If I mess this up, everything falls apart.”
- “I have to check it one more time.”
- “I don’t even know why I’m upset.”
Common triggers
- Tests and grades
- Group chats and social media
- Friendships and breakups
- Bullying
- Sports and activities
- College pressure
- Changes at home
None of this means something is wrong with your teen. It usually means they are carrying more than they can sort out alone, and the right support can help.
Your teen is not the only one
These struggles are common. Here is what large U.S. studies found:
- 4 in 10high school students had two weeks or more in the past year when they felt so sad or hopeless that they stopped some usual activitiesCDC, 2023
- About 1 in 3teens ages 13 to 18 have had an anxiety disorder at some pointNIMH
- Nearly 1 in 5teens ages 12 to 17 had a major depressive episode (two weeks or more of depression) in the past yearSAMHSA, 2023
- Nearly halfof teens ages 13 to 17 said social media makes them feel worse about their body imageU.S. Surgeon General, 2023
- At least 1 in 100kids and teens have OCDIOCDF
The good news: these are some of the most studied challenges teens face, and research shows counseling can help. Every teen is different, and results vary. You don’t have to figure it out alone.
Sources: CDC, Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2023 (opens in a new tab); National Institute of Mental Health, Any Anxiety Disorder (opens in a new tab); SAMHSA, 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (opens in a new tab); U.S. Surgeon General, Social Media and Youth Mental Health (opens in a new tab); International OCD Foundation, Who Gets OCD? (opens in a new tab)
Teen counseling can help with
- School stress and test anxiety
- Worry, panic and fears
- Low mood and losing interest in things they used to enjoy
- Perfectionism and pressure to be perfect
- OCD: unwanted thoughts and the rituals that follow
- Anger and reactions that feel too big
- Social anxiety and friendships
- Bullying and peer pressure
- Screen time and social media
- Self-esteem, self-image and confidence
- Sleep problems
- Focus and organization, including ADHD
- Big changes, such as a move or parents’ divorce
How I help, in plain words
Make sense of it
Together, we find what sets the feelings off and what may be underneath them. Then we look at what your teen thinks, how their body reacts, what they do next and what keeps the cycle going.
Find what works for your teen
We look for what suits your teen’s personality and life, so they can feel calmer, handle big feelings and face hard things one small step at a time.
Practice, with parents in the loop
Between sessions, your teen tries what we work on, at school and at home. With your teen’s permission, I share what helps you support them.
Not one-size-fits-all
Every teen gets a plan that fits them. I draw from several approaches, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), Internal Family Systems (IFS) and motivational interviewing. For OCD, I use exposure and response prevention (ERP), a form of CBT.
Counseling is more than a list of techniques. In the room, I notice tone, body language and what is hard to say out loud, and I adjust in the moment. A worksheet or an AI chatbot can’t replace that.
Other options for teens 13 and up
Life coaching and mindfulness sessions are not counseling, therapy or psychotherapy, and they are not meant to take the place of counseling.
How it works
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A free 15-minute call A parent or guardian books the call, and your teen is welcome to join. We talk about what is going on and whether I am a good fit.
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Consent Both parents or guardians give consent for their teen to be in therapy. If there is a custody order or divorce decree, please send me a current copy before the first session.
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A first session and a privacy plan At the first session, which is 90 minutes, the parents, your teen and I agree on how privacy will work.
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Step by step, at your teen’s pace Follow-up sessions are 75 minutes, one-on-one. When it helps, and with your teen’s consent, I meet with parents on their own to go over the plan.
In person Sugar Land Town Square, 2277 Plaza Drive, Suite 250, with garage parking nearby.
Online, in some cases When you, your teen and I agree it’s a good fit. Your teen then needs to be in Texas during the session, in a private space, with a steady internet connection and headphones.
After school Weekday after-school appointments are available.
Privacy, and parents on the team
Will you tell me what my teen says?
Not every detail. If I shared everything with parents, a teen might not feel safe trusting me. So, with your teen’s permission, I share what will help you understand what is going on and connect better with your teen. Some things may take time before your teen is ready to share them with you. If there is ever a concern about your teen’s safety or anyone else’s, I will share what is needed to keep everyone safe, as the law and my professional ethics require.
Parents are part of the team
My sessions are one-on-one, so I don’t offer traditional family therapy with the whole family in the room. Parents can still be closely involved. When it helps, and with your teen’s consent, I meet with parents on their own, without your teen present, to go over the treatment plan and help you understand what your teen is facing. I also share practical ideas you can use at home to support your teen and help the family connect better.
Recognizing Anxiety in Kids & Teens: A Parent’s Guide. Don’t Miss These SignsWatch on YouTube (opens in a new tab) Common questions
My teen doesn’t want to come. What can I do?
It’s normal for a teen to be wary of something new. Invite them to join the free 15-minute call with me. They can ask questions, or just listen.
How many sessions will my teen need?
Every teen is unique. After the first assessment and the first couple of sessions, I talk with you about how often to meet and how many follow-up sessions may be needed.
How can I help my teen get the most out of counseling?
Think of it as one team: your teen, you and me. A few things help a lot:
- Keep sessions regular, even in busy weeks.
- After a session, a simple “I’m glad you went” works better than a lot of questions.
- Notice and praise effort, not only results.
- At home, try the ideas I share with you, and tell me what works and what doesn’t.
- Let me know about big changes at home or at school.
My teen wants to stop. What should I do?
This is common. Some teens want to stop when counseling starts asking more of them, like practicing between sessions. Others worry about what it costs the family. It’s natural to want to know what is going on. Still, guilt, pressure and comments like these can make a teen shut down:
- “Tell me everything your therapist taught you.”
- “Why aren’t you doing those things?”
- “Did you tell your therapist about me or our family?”
Instead, tell me, and you, your teen and I can talk it through together. I explain more in my video Child & Teen Therapy Secrets: 3 Mistakes Parents Must Avoid (opens in a new tab).
Do you see children younger than 13?
Yes, I work with children from age 8, at my office in Sugar Land Town Square. In some cases, sessions can be online, when you, your child and I agree it’s a good fit. You can read about anxiety in children on the Psychotherapy & Counseling page.
Do you take insurance?
I don’t accept insurance, but you may be eligible for out-of-network reimbursement. I can provide a superbill, a specialized invoice you can submit to your insurance company. The Common Questions page explains how it works.
What if my teen is in crisis?
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. You can call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7). Teens can call Crisis Intervention of Houston’s TeenTalk line at (832) 416-1199, and Fort Bend ISD students can call the district’s 24/7 TalkLine at (281) 240-8255. For a local 24/7 crisis line, call Texana Center (Fort Bend County, including Sugar Land) at 1-800-633-5686. My office is not a crisis service.
Not sure where to start? Try a free self-check: a few private questions, not a diagnosis.
Scheduling an appointment has never been so easy
The best way to set up an appointment is to schedule a free 15-minute call.
This free 15-minute call does not establish a therapist-client/patient relationship as this is not counseling and/or life coaching.
We offer evening appointments!
Schedule your free 15-minute call with Dr. V using the button below. It’s fast and easy, and new times are added almost every day, so book now!
Book a free 15-minute call with Dr. V- Mon to Fri
- 11 am to 8 pm
- Sat
- 11 am to 3 pm for kids’ and teen mindfulness, as the schedule permits
