Teen Counseling Denver, CO
Helping Teens Build Healthy Relationships—with Friends, Family, and Themselves
Are you a parent of a teen who is struggling with relationships at school or with the family?
Are you a teen who feels lost in figuring out who they are and no matter how hard you try relationships keep getting more difficult?
Teenage years are when you are trying to learn more about yourself and develop relationship skills. If this feels difficult it can impact self-esteem, confidence, and relationships for years to come. During this time friendships change, romantic feelings develop, and family relationships can feel tense as teens search for independence. At Authentic Connections, our teen therapists help young people navigate these challenges with understanding, insight, and practical tools for real-life relationships that can have a lasting impact on the years to come.
Helping Teens Make Sense of Their Relationships
The teen years are a time of powerful change and discovery. Friendships deepen, family dynamics shift, and many teens begin exploring romantic relationships for the first time. Each of these areas plays a key role in shaping a teen’s confidence, identity, and sense of belonging — but they can also bring confusion, stress, and conflict.
At Authentic Connections, we help teens make sense of these experiences and learn how to build relationships that feel supportive, respectful, and authentic.
Friendships and Peer Connection
Peers become a major part of life during teenage years. When friendships change or tensions arise, it can shake a teen’s confidence. Social media, group dynamics, and pressure to fit in can amplify that stress. Therapy provides a space to talk openly about these experiences, develop self-awareness, and practice communication skills that help teens feel grounded and connected — even when friendships shift.
Family Relationships
Home should feel like a place of comfort — but during the teen years, it can sometimes feel like everyone’s speaking a different language. Parents are trying to stay connected while giving their teen space to grow, and teens are learning how to be independent without feeling misunderstood. It’s a big transition for both sides.
Small disagreements about curfews, chores, or screen time can quickly turn into bigger arguments. Teens may pull away, and parents may worry they’re losing touch. In therapy, we help bridge that gap and give teens space to share what’s really going on beneath the surface and how they can communicate that with their parents.
Teen Romantic Relationships
First relationships are full of emotion, excitement, and lessons about love and self-worth. Teens may experience heartbreak, jealousy, or uncertainty about what healthy love looks like. Our therapists help teens explore these feelings, set boundaries, and recognize what respect and care look like in dating and romantic contexts. This can be a difficult area for parents to navigate with their teens while balancing their own relationship experiences and their own reactions to their child dating for the first time. This is when it can be beneficial to have outside support.
What to Expect in Teen Counseling
Starting therapy or trusting your teen with a therapist can feel overwhelming. Here are a few things that you can expect to happen in teen counseling
Building communications skills: Our therapists will help your teen explore what they are feeling, understand their needs, and how to effectively communicate that with others.
Regulating Emotions: Emotions can feel overwhelming and out of control at times and in therapy we will help provide skills to regulate these emotions so that your teen doesn’t feel driven or controlled by waves of stress, sadness, anger, disappointment, and hurt. This will also help any symptoms of anxiety or depression they may be feeling.
Set Boundaries: Boundaries in relationships help identify how you are willing to be treated. Your teen will learn their boundaries and how to communicate them so that when issues arise in peer or romantic relationships they know they can make changes if they don’t like how their are treated or how that relationship makes them feel.
Build confidence: Teen years are a time to explore and develop their identity and this can lead to feeling self-conscious and unsure of yourself. In therapy there will be space for your teen to explore who they are, what their values are, and what’s important to them.
Common Topics Discussed in Teen Counseling
Issues in building friendships
Friendship conflict
Conflict with parents
Struggles related to divorce, blended families, or new relationships
Teen breakups
Grief and loss
Self-esteem and confidence
Dating
Academic stress
Transition to college
Depression and anxiety
Trauma
Take the First Step - Healthy Relationships are Learned, Not Luck
Let’s help your teen build the skills and confidence they need to thrive—at home, with friends, and in their future relationships. To schedule a free 15-minute consultation to find out more about in-person or online teen therapy with us, please visit our contact page or click the link below!
In-person and Remote Options for Teens in Colorado
We have offices are conveniently located on the North Denver (Lower Highlands) , South Denver (Denver Tech Center), and Colorado Springs. Can’t make it into the office? No worries – we’ve got you covered with virtual therapy.
Teen Counseling in Denver Tech Center, Greenwood Village Co
Our Colorado Springs office is located at 2720 E Yampa St in Colorado Springs. It is 3 miles from downtown Colorado Springs and an easy drive from the highway.
Our Denver Tech Center (DTC) office is located at 5350 S Roslyn St in Greenwood Village. It shares a parking lot with the Landmark near Comedy Works South, Hapa Sushi Grill and Sake, and JING Denver.
Teen Counseling in Colorado Springs, Co
Teen Counseling in Lower Highlands, Denver Co
Our Lower Highlands office is located at 2460 West 26th Avenue in Denver. It is right on i25, across the street from the downtown REI, and a few blocks from the Empower Stadium, The Downtown Aquarium, and Elitch Gardens
Therapists Who Work With Teens
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Jillian Snyder, LCSW - Licensed Clinical Social Worker
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Dr. Veronica Scherbak - Psychologist Candidate
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Dr. Courtney Phillips - Psychologist Candidate
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Danielle Cevis, MA - Doctoral Trainee
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Caroline Lee, MA - Doctoral Trainee
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Dr. Melanie Gomez - Licensed Psychologist and Clinical Director
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Dr. Rachel Hughitt - Psychologist Candidate
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Dr. Rebekah DePretis - Licensed Psychologist
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Meaghan Horsley, MA - Doctoral Trainee
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Karina Ernst, MA - Doctoral Trainee
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Erin Murray, MA - Doctoral Trainee
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Liz Anthony, MA - Doctoral Trainee