THERAPY SERVICES

Therapy for Adolescents & Teens

Some days it’s hard to find words for what’s going on inside. Together with adolescents and their families, we make room for it—so your teen can feel safer and more grounded.

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Close-up of a teenager wearing a white t-shirt with the word “self” in a heart design, symbolizing self-identity, growth, and support for adolescents and teens in therapy.

BASED IN REDONDO BEACH, CA

A Safe Space for Teens to Explore and Heal

Adolescence can be a time of growth, discovery, and challenge — filled with new emotions, pressures, and transitions. Therapy provides a safe, supportive space where teens can talk openly, gain insight, and learn to navigate what they’re feeling with greater confidence and self-understanding.

At Catherine Alvarado, LMFT & Associates, our therapists help adolescents and teens explore emotions, relationships, and experiences that may feel overwhelming or confusing. We aim to build trust and connection first, creating a space where each session feels collaborative, nonjudgmental, and empowering.

Helping Adolescents Navigate Stress, Change, and Connection

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Therapy can help teens manage anxiety, stress, and mood changes; improve communication and relationships; and build healthy coping skills for school, friendships, and family life. Sessions are tailored to meet each teen where they are — honoring their individuality, pace, and readiness to engage in the process.

For parents, therapy also provides insight and guidance to better support your teen at home. Whether your teen is struggling with self-esteem, emotional regulation, or major life transitions, our goal is to help them feel more grounded, capable, and connected.

ADOLESCENCE is full of changes

Therapy offers tools to navigate them with confidence.

common concerns

Adolescent & Teen Therapy Can Help With

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  • Anxiety and stress management

  • Depression and mood challenges

  • Relationship concerns and communication struggles

  • Life transitions and major changes

  • Grief, loss, and emotional healing

  • Self-esteem, boundaries, and confidence building

  • Trauma recovery and PTSD support

  • Work-related stress and burnout

  • Emotional regulation and healthy coping skills

  • Personal growth, self-awareness, and clarity

  • Standard EMDR Therapy

    Standard EMDR therapy is delivered in 45–50 minute sessions, giving space to process distressing experiences within the traditional therapy hour.

  • Intensive EMDR Therapy

    Two-hour EMDR intensive sessions offer additional space for structured reprocessing beyond the standard 50-minute format.

  • Adjunct EMDR Therapy

    Adjunct EMDR therapy offers the option of standard or intensive EMDR sessions, scheduled as needed alongside ongoing work with a primary therapist.

  • Somatic Therapy

    Focuses on how trauma and stress are held in the body, using awareness, movement, and grounding techniques to support nervous system regulation.

  • Attachment-Focused Therapy

    Explores early relationship dynamics and how they influence present-day patterns in trust, connection, and emotional safety.

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

    A skills-based approach that helps build emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and healthier ways of relating to self and others.

  • Narrative Therapy

    A collaborative approach that helps separate people from their problems and rewrite the internal stories that shape identity, behavior, and self-worth.

  • Internal Family Systems & Parts Work

    A gentle method that explores and supports the inner “parts” of a person — including those carrying pain, fear, or protection — to restore balance and healing from within.

  • Play & Art Therapy

    Creative, nonverbal approaches that support emotional expression, healing, and self-awareness—especially helpful for children or those who find it hard to put feelings into words.

  • Mindfulness-Based (MBCT)

    An approach that combines mindfulness practices with cognitive strategies to reduce anxiety, manage mood, and increase present-moment awareness.

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Catherine alvarado, lmft & associates

Adolescent & Teen Therapists in the South Bay

At Catherine Alvarado, LMFT & Associates, our therapists specialize in supporting adolescents and teens who may feel overwhelmed by anxiety, stress, self-esteem struggles, or family and school pressures. Teen therapy provides a safe space to process emotions, work through challenges, and develop healthy coping skills that can support long-term growth and resilience.

We offer therapy for adolescents and teens navigating concerns such as social anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, friendship or relationship challenges, and major life transitions. Sessions are designed to help teens feel more understood, supported, and equipped to handle the ups and downs of adolescence with confidence.

Therapy is available in person at our holistic space in Redondo Beach and online across California, making teen therapy accessible to families throughout the South Bay, including Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach, Torrance, Palos Verdes, and El Segundo. If you’re looking for adolescent or teen therapy in Redondo Beach or searching for a trusted South Bay teen therapist, our team is here to provide compassionate care and guidance.

Resources to improve your mental health, increase your self-awareness, and invite growth.

Blog
Staying Calm and Connected When Your Teen’s Emotions Run High
parenting teens, teen emotions, emotional regulation, parent-teen relationships
Staying Calm and Connected When Your Teen’s Emotions Run High
parenting teens, teen emotions, emotional regulation, parent-teen relationships

Big emotions are a normal part of adolescence, but they can feel overwhelming for both teens and parents in the moment. Understanding why emotions escalate and how to respond with steadiness can help reduce power struggles and preserve connection during challenging interactions.

Read More →
parenting teens, teen emotions, emotional regulation, parent-teen relationships
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