Teen Therapy (Ages 13+)

Teen Therapy for Anxiety, OCD, ADHD, Autism & Neurodivergence in Rockwall, Texas

Teen therapy at Bridgewell Cognitive Health provides evidence-based, developmentally attuned treatment for adolescents struggling with anxiety, OCD, ADHD, autism, emotional dysregulation, school stress, or neurodivergent-related challenges. Sessions help teens understand their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors while building practical tools for coping with stress, navigating school pressures, improving communication, and strengthening relationships. Treatment integrates CBT, ERP, ACT, DBT-informed skills, and neurodivergent-affirming approaches, offering teens a supportive environment where they can feel understood, validated, and empowered.

Services are available in-person in Rockwall and via telehealth throughout Texas.

Who Teen Therapy Is For

Man sitting on a dark green couch with tan and peach pillows, wearing an olive green hoodie and blue jeans, with a tissue box, notebook, and pen on a coffee table in front of him.

Teen therapy at Bridgewell Cognitive Health is designed for adolescents who are struggling emotionally, behaviorally, or socially—even if those struggles are not always obvious on the surface.Teen therapy may be helpful for adolescents who:

  • Experience anxiety, panic, or excessive worry

  • Feel overwhelmed by school demands or expectations

  • Struggle with emotional regulation, frustration, or anger

  • Have difficulty with focus, organization, or follow-through

  • Identify as neurodivergent, including ADHD or Autism

  • Experience sensory sensitivity or social fatigue

  • Engage in body-focused repetitive behaviors (BFRBs) such as skin picking or hair pulling

  • Feel misunderstood, disconnected, or socially isolated

  • Mask distress while appearing “high functioning”

  • Are navigating identity development, self-esteem concerns, or burnout

  • Teen anxiety therapy supports adolescents experiencing chronic worry, school stress, panic attacks, academic pressure, and fear of judgment. Treatment addresses:

    • Generalized worry and overthinking

    • Panic attacks and fear of leaving home or school

    • School refusal or avoidance

    • Social anxiety and peer-related stress

    • Health anxiety or reassurance seeking

    • Perfectionism and pressure to “perform”

    • High-achieving teens who internalize distress

    Therapy uses CBT, ACT, DBT-informed skills, and ERP (when helpful) to reduce avoidance, build coping skills, strengthen emotional regulation, and help teens feel more confident navigating stress. Parents receive guidance on communication, boundaries, and supportive strategies.

  • OCD treatment for teens is based on Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)—the leading evidence-based therapy for intrusive thoughts and compulsive behavior. Treatment supports:

    • Intrusive harm, moral, or contamination thoughts

    • Checking rituals and reassurance cycles

    • Religious or moral scrupulosity

    • Relationship OCD concerns

    • School rituals or “just right” compulsions

    • Mental rituals, rumination, and covert compulsions

    ERP helps teens challenge fears safely, reduce compulsive behaviors, and learn how to manage intrusive thoughts without relying on reassurance or avoidance. Parents learn how to respond in supportive, non-accommodating ways.

  • ADHD therapy helps teens strengthen executive functioning, organization, emotional regulation, and school-related coping. Treatment supports teens struggling with:

    • Inattention, distractibility, or procrastination

    • Forgetfulness or trouble completing work

    • Emotional reactivity or frustration tolerance

    • Disorganization at home or school

    • Difficulty managing routines or transitions

    • Feeling overwhelmed or “behind”

    • Rejection sensitivity or shame

    Therapy integrates CBT strategies, executive functioning coaching, DBT-informed emotional regulation, and ACT-based skills to help teens build confidence, reduce overwhelm, and improve daily functioning. Parents receive guidance on routines, structure, and communication.

  • Autism-affirming therapy supports autistic and AuDHD teens with sensory challenges, burnout, masking, or difficulty expressing needs. Treatment focuses on helping teens feel understood, accepted, and supported in their unique neurotype.

    Common areas addressed:

    • Sensory overwhelm and shutdowns

    • Masking fatigue and burnout

    • Rigid or inflexible routines

    • Social exhaustion or miscommunication

    • Difficulty with transitions or unpredictability

    • Identity exploration and self-understanding

    • Executive functioning support

    Therapy uses strengths-based CBT, ACT, DBT-informed skills, and collaborative problem solving. Parents receive tools for supporting autonomy, communication, and emotional regulation at home.

  • Teen-focused treatment for Body-Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs) supports adolescents experiencing hair pulling (trichotillomania), skin picking (dermatillomania), nail biting, or other repetitive behaviors driven by sensory needs, tension reduction, or emotional distress. Therapy helps teens understand the triggers behind their urges—whether emotional, sensory, or habitual—and teaches evidence-based strategies such as Habit Reversal Training (HRT), ComB (Comprehensive Behavioral Treatment), stimulus control, and DBT-informed coping skills.

    Treatment reduces shame, builds awareness, and gives teens concrete tools to interrupt urges, regulate emotions, and create healthier behavioral patterns. Parents receive guidance on supportive responses and environmental modifications that reduce triggers at home and school.

  • Many teens struggle with intense emotions, overwhelm, or difficulty managing academic pressure. Therapy helps teens understand triggers, communicate effectively, and develop sustainable coping strategies.

    Treatment helps with:

    • Emotional outbursts or shutdowns

    • Perfectionism and high-performance stress

    • School avoidance or overload

    • Anxiety around deadlines or expectations

    • Conflict with parents or teachers

    • Difficulty setting boundaries

    Approaches include DBT-informed skills, CBT, ACT, and practical tools for stress management and communication.

Specialties Treated in Individual Therapy

Frequently Asked Questions

How involved are parents in the teen therapy process?

Parents may participate in brief check-ins when clinically appropriate (See below for more detail). The goal is to support communication, maintain privacy for the teen, and provide parents with tools that reinforce progress at home.

Will sessions be private, or will I be informed about everything discussed?

Teens benefit from having a confidential space to talk. Safety concerns or issues requiring parental involvement will always be communicated. Otherwise, therapy balances privacy with parent collaboration to ensure effective support.

How long does therapy typically last?

Length varies, but many teens benefit from weekly sessions for several months. Evidence-based approaches like CBT, DBT-informed skills, and ERP are structured and goal-oriented, helping teens make steady progress.

Do you help with school accommodations or letters?

Yes. When appropriate, guidance can be provided regarding school accommodations, executive functioning support, and the documentation needed for testing or 504/IEP requests.

Do you work with neurodivergent teens?

Yes — therapy is affirming and supportive for teens with ADHD, Autism, and overlapping anxiety or emotional regulation challenges. Sessions focus on strengths, communication skills, and coping tools tailored to their neurotype.

What to Expect in Teen Therapy

A person with brown hair sitting in a brown leather armchair, writing in a notepad with a pen. A small round table with three closed notebooks is beside them, on a carpeted floor.

Teen therapy begins with a collaborative intake session where concerns, goals, history, and patterns are explored. Teens learn practical skills for managing anxiety, emotional intensity, school pressure, and social challenges using CBT, ACT, DBT-informed skills, and ERP (when needed). Sessions often include:

  • Building emotional regulation and coping tools

  • Reducing avoidance, anxiety-driven behaviors, or compulsions

  • Addressing school stress and academic overwhelm

  • Strengthening communication and self-advocacy

  • Exploring identity and neurodivergent traits

  • Improving relationships with peers and family

Therapy supports teens in developing emotional awareness, coping skills, flexibility, and confidence while honoring their developmental stage and individuality.

Parents seeking guidance outside of their teen’s individual therapy—or who are unsure whether therapy is the right starting point—may benefit from Neurodivergent consultation for parents and caregivers, which focuses on education, communication strategies, and support tailored to neurodivergent families.

How involved are parents in the therapy process?

Two people sit on a sofa with their hands clasped in their laps, a tissue box and two coffee mugs on a coffee table in front of them.

Parent involvement is an essential part of effective teen therapy. While teens benefit from having private, confidential space in their sessions, parents play a crucial role in supporting progress at home. For this reason, therapy may include:

  • Brief parent check-ins

  • Dedicated parent-only sessions

  • Joint parent–teen sessions

  • Guidance on communication, structure, and boundaries

These sessions occur when clinically appropriate and help ensure that everyone understands the tools, strategies, and goals being practiced.

To establish consistency and create a strong therapeutic foundation, all teens begin with weekly therapy sessions. This allows the therapist to build rapport, monitor progress, and provide skills that are reinforced reliably at home and school. Parent involvement is coordinated with the therapist as needed to support the teen’s growth and treatment plan.

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