Blackburn Clinical Services offers one-on-one online therapy by secure video for teens ages 13 to 17 located anywhere in California, from a Los Angeles practice that also sees teens in its Mar Vista office. No diagnosis or referral is needed to start, and psychiatric care can be arranged if a teen needs it. It is the same one-on-one therapy we provide in our West Los Angeles office, delivered to your teen at home, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. For a high schooler with a full school day, practice and homework, skipping the drive is often what makes weekly therapy possible.
Call (888) 870 7405
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Therapy by secure video for teens located in California, or in our West LA office.
At a glance
- Who we see: high school age teens, 13 to 17, from private and independent, Catholic, boarding and public high schools, and their parents.
- How: one-on-one therapy by secure video, in our office at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, or a mix of both.
- When: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, with flexible scheduling inside those hours.
- Parents: family sessions, parent-only sessions and therapy for parents themselves, in the office or by secure video for clients located in California.
- More support: the Concierge Outpatient Program, a one-on-one alternative to IOP, typically 3 to 5 hours a week with no groups; teens typically stay in school.
- Psychiatry: psychiatric care can be arranged if your teen needs it; we explain how when you call.
What a video session looks like
Before the first session you get a private link. At the scheduled time your teen opens it on a phone, tablet or computer and joins their therapist. Sessions run like an office visit: one-on-one conversation, skill practice and a plan for the week ahead. Approaches such as CBT, ACT and DBT skills are chosen for your teen, not applied the same way to everyone. EMDR and Brainspotting are offered in our office, not by video.
Teen distress is common. In the CDC’s 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 39.7 percent of U.S. high school students reported persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 20.4 percent had seriously considered suicide in the past year (CDC). Video removes one of the most common barriers to getting help: finding a weekday hour that does not cost a teen half a school day in the car.
Privacy at home: practical tips
- Pick a private room with the door closed, and use headphones so the therapist’s side is not overheard.
- Use a personal device. School-issued laptops and accounts may be managed or monitored by the school.
- A parked car works when the house is full. Never join while anyone is driving.
- Give siblings and parents a plan for the hour: no knocking, no hovering in the hallway. A small fan or white noise outside the door helps.
- Agree on what parents hear. Our page on teen therapy and privacy in California explains what is usually shared with parents and what stays between teen and therapist.
When in-office therapy is the better choice
Video is convenient, but it is not right for every teen or every stage of care. We usually recommend coming to our office when:
- there are safety concerns, such as self-harm or talk of suicide;
- your teen cannot get a private space at home, or sessions keep getting interrupted;
- your teen shuts down or multitasks on a screen and does better face to face;
- you want ADHD testing or neuropsychological testing, which take place in our office.
Many families start by video and come in when it helps, or the reverse. We will tell you honestly if we think a different format or a higher level of care would serve your teen better.
Video or office: which fits your teen?
| By secure video | In our Mar Vista office | |
|---|---|---|
| Where your teen is | Anywhere in California, in a private space | 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066 |
| Often best when | Long drives, packed school days, a teen who opens up more at home | Safety concerns, no privacy at home, a teen who shuts down on a screen |
| Weekly one-on-one therapy | Yes | Yes |
| Concierge Outpatient Program (a one-on-one alternative to IOP) | Yes | Yes |
| Family and parent-only sessions | Yes | Yes |
| EMDR, Brainspotting, ADHD and neuropsychological testing | No | Yes |
Psychiatric care can be arranged for teens who need it, whichever format they use for therapy; we explain how when you call.
How are parents involved?
Parents are part of the work. Family sessions and parent-only sessions can take place by secure video or at our Los Angeles office, and each parent can join from a different place in California. Parent-only sessions give you room to talk about what you are seeing at home without your teen in the room, and parents can also book therapy for themselves, in the office or by secure video for clients located in California. Separated parents: either parent with legal custody can consent for their teen to start therapy, unless a court order says otherwise.
Fitting sessions into a weekday
Our hours are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Without a commute, the late afternoon times inside those hours become realistic for teens who would otherwise need to leave school early. Some teens join from a private space at school during a free period, if the school allows it. When clinically appropriate, we can provide documentation for your teen’s school.
Areas we see by video
We see families by video across California. These pages cover the local details for families in each area:
- Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley
- Orange County: Irvine, Newport Beach and South County
- Long Beach
- Conejo Valley: Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and Calabasas
- Santa Clarita Valley
- San Diego North County: Del Mar, Carlsbad and Encinitas
Families closer to our office can also see teen therapy on the Westside, teen therapy for South Bay families and teen therapy for San Fernando Valley families.
For an overview of teen therapy across the county, see teen therapy in Los Angeles.
Therapy for parents and adults: find pages for cities across Los Angeles County on areas we serve.
What parents can do now
- Notice patterns, not single bad days: changes in sleep, eating, friends, grades or activities that last more than a couple of weeks. Our checklist for parents can help.
- Talk with your teen about trying a session by video. For many teens, starting from their own room feels lower stakes than walking into an office. If they refuse, see my teen won’t go to therapy.
- Call us to talk through what you are seeing and whether video, in office or a mix fits your family.
Not sure where to start? Read how to choose a therapist for your teen or teen therapy online or in the office.
When to get urgent help
Video therapy is not an emergency service. If your teen talks about suicide, has hurt themselves or you fear for their safety, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or call 911. Our office is not a crisis service; use 988 or 911 first, then call us when your teen is safe.
More for families
See therapy for private school students, teen anxiety treatment, therapy for high-achieving teens, college admissions stress and teen depression signs parents miss. For a step up without a program schedule, our Concierge Outpatient Program offers typically 3 to 5 hours a week of one-on-one therapy for adolescents, with no groups.
Questions parents ask
Do you offer therapy for teens by video?
Yes. Blackburn Clinical Services offers therapy by secure video for teens ages 13 to 17 located in California, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Therapy also takes place in our West Los Angeles office, and some families mix the two.
Can parents have sessions without their teen?
Parents can book therapy for themselves by secure video if they are located in California. Parent-only sessions about your teen and family sessions can be by secure video for families located in California, or at our Los Angeles office.
Where should my teen be during a video session?
Somewhere private where they cannot be overheard: a bedroom with the door closed and headphones on, or a parked car. Use a personal device rather than a school-issued laptop, and avoid sessions while anyone is driving.
Is video therapy a good fit for every teen?
Not always. In-office sessions are usually better when there are safety concerns, when a teen cannot get privacy at home, or when a teen does not engage on a screen. ADHD and neuropsychological testing take place in our office. We talk this through with you on the first call.
Do you see families outside California by video?
We offer video therapy to families in California. If your family is outside California, call us and we can talk about other options.
Is psychiatry available?
Psychiatric care can be arranged if your teen needs it. We explain how when you call.
Can my teen get more than weekly therapy by video?
Yes, if your teen is located in California. The Concierge Outpatient Program is a one-on-one alternative to IOP, typically 3 to 5 hours a week with no groups, and teens typically stay in school with sessions within weekday hours.
Get started
Call (888) 870 7405, email info@blackburnclinical.com or contact us. Blackburn Clinical Services, 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066.
Call (888) 870 7405
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Teen therapy by secure video for teens located in California, or in our West LA office.