Blackburn Clinical Services offers one-on-one therapy for teens ages 13 to 17 on the Westside of Los Angeles, serving Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Bel Air, Venice and Culver City from our office at 12326 Venice Blvd in Mar Vista. Video sessions are available for teens located in California, and psychiatric care can be arranged. Parents take part through family sessions, by video or in the office. Appointments are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, so this page focuses on what Westside parents ask most: how to fit therapy around the school day, how to protect sleep and homework, and what a parent’s role is once a teen starts.
Call (888) 870 7405
Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Our office is about 3.5 to 6 miles from most Westside neighborhoods.
At a glance for Westside families with teens
- Who we see: teens 13 to 17 from private and independent, Catholic, boarding and public high schools, plus parents in family sessions.
- Where: in our office at 12326 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90066, or by secure video for clients located in California.
- How far (straight line): about 3.5 miles from Santa Monica, about 4 miles from Brentwood, and about 6 miles from Bel Air and Pacific Palisades.
- When: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, with flexible scheduling within those hours.
- Psychiatry: psychiatric care can be arranged if your teen needs it; we explain how when you call.
- Adults in your family: neighborhood details for adults are on our Santa Monica, Brentwood and Pacific Palisades pages.
What teen care options are there for Westside families?
| Option | What it is | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly one-on-one therapy | A regular session with the same therapist, using approaches such as CBT, DBT skills and ACT | Our Mar Vista office, or by secure video for teens located in California |
| Family and parent-only sessions | Parents working with the therapist, with or without their teen | Video or our Mar Vista office |
| Concierge Outpatient Program | A one-on-one alternative to IOP, typically 3 to 5 hours a week, no groups; teens typically stay in school | Our office, or by secure video for clients located in California |
| EMDR and Brainspotting | Trauma-informed approaches, used when they fit | Our Mar Vista office only |
| ADHD and neuropsychological testing | Evaluation of attention, learning and related concerns | Our Mar Vista office |
| Psychiatric care | Evaluation and medication management for teens who need it | Can be arranged and coordinated with the therapist |
Not sure whether video or the office suits your teen? Read teen therapy online or in the office. For an overview of all teen care, see teen therapy in Los Angeles.
Fitting therapy into a school day
Because we see teens Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, the schedule is the first thing to solve. What usually works:
- One fixed weekly time. A consistent slot is easier for your teen, for you and for the school than a time that changes every week.
- Use the short drive. From most of the Westside the trip is short enough that a session can fit into part of a school day rather than all of it. Try the drive once at the time you are considering.
- Look at the weekly school schedule together. A lighter day, a free period, a later start or an earlier dismissal can all open a window. Ask your teen’s school how it handles appointments during the day.
- Documentation for school. We can provide documentation for your teen’s school when clinically appropriate, shared only with your written permission.
- Keep your teen in the decision. Teens are more likely to keep coming when they help choose which class or activity the time comes from.
Protect sleep while you protect the schedule
Sleep is already scarce in high school. In the CDC’s 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, only about 24 percent of U.S. high school students got 8 or more hours of sleep on an average school night, and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 8 to 10 hours for teens 13 to 18 (CDC YRBS). The CDC notes that too little sleep can make concentrating harder and affect mental health. When you pick a session time, think about what it pushes later into the night, such as homework or practice.
The parent’s role once therapy starts
- Making the first call. Parents usually call first. We ask what you are seeing and talk through whether our office fits.
- The assessment. We meet with your teen and with you to understand what is happening at school, at home and with friends.
- Family sessions. Parents learn what helps, what to stop doing and how to respond when things get hard. See family services.
- Privacy. At the start, your teen’s therapist explains to both of you what stays between therapist and teen and when safety comes first. Teens tend to open up more when they trust that.
- Schools and counselors. We share information with a school, counselor or anyone outside the care team only with written permission.
- Getting them there. Consistency is the parent’s biggest contribution. Try not to quiz your teen after each session; ask how they are, and let them share what they want.
Westside teens and the Palisades Fire
For many Westside teens, the January 2025 Palisades Fire changed homes, schools, routines and friendships. Federal health officials note that wildfires affect not only survivors but also eyewitnesses and people who followed the coverage (SAMHSA). Trouble sleeping, irritability, worry when the wind picks up, or falling behind in school months later are common. Our therapists use trauma-informed approaches such as EMDR and Brainspotting (offered in our office only) when they fit. See trauma and PTSD treatment. SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline is available by call or text at 1-800-985-5990.
When more than weekly therapy is needed
Our Concierge Outpatient Program is an individualized alternative to traditional IOP for adolescents: typically 3 to 5 hours a week of focused one-on-one therapy, no groups and no fixed hour requirements, beginning with a biopsychosocial assessment. Because it is built one-on-one, the schedule can be arranged around school within our weekday hours.
When to get urgent help
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. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health’s 24/7 help line is 1-800-854-7771.
More for families
Families at independent and private high schools can see therapy for private school students. Also see adolescent services, anxiety treatment, ADHD testing and areas we serve.
Nearby cities: parents who want therapy for themselves can see our pages for Malibu and West Hollywood.
Questions parents ask
Will my teen have to miss school for therapy?
Appointments are Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, so some sessions overlap the school day. From most of the Westside the drive is short, and we work with families on one fixed weekly time that disrupts school as little as possible.
Can you provide a note or documentation for my teen’s school?
Yes, documentation for your teen’s school when clinically appropriate, shared only with your written permission.
What will I as a parent be told about my teen’s sessions?
At the start, your teen’s therapist explains to both of you what stays private and when safety means parents are told. Parents also take part in family sessions.
Can a parent come to the first appointment?
Yes. Parents usually make the first call and take part in the assessment along with their teen.
My teen was affected by the Palisades Fire. Can you help?
Yes. Our therapists use trauma-informed approaches when they fit, including EMDR and Brainspotting in our office, and other approaches in our office or by secure video for clients located in California. Family sessions for parents take place by video or in our office.
How often will my teen come in?
Most teens start with weekly one-on-one sessions. If more support is needed, the Concierge Outpatient Program offers typically 3 to 5 hours a week of one-on-one therapy with no groups.
Is there a teen therapist on the Westside near Santa Monica and Brentwood?
Yes. Blackburn Clinical Services sees teens 13 to 17 at 12326 Venice Blvd in Mar Vista, about 3.5 miles from Santa Monica and about 4 miles from Brentwood in a straight line, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, with some Saturday therapy appointments.
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 in our West LA office or by secure video for clients located in California, with family sessions by video or in the office.