Therapy for Teens at Catholic and Faith-Based High Schools

Teens at Catholic and other faith-based high schools struggle with the same things as any teen, including anxiety, depression, stress, substance use and family conflict, and many families want a therapist who will take their faith and values seriously while keeping their teen’s trust. Blackburn Clinical Services in West Los Angeles offers one-on-one therapy for teens 13 to 17, in our office or by secure video for clients located in California, and family sessions, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Our clinicians respect your family’s faith and values and can include them in your teen’s care when your family wants that.

Who this is for

• Parents of teens at Catholic high schools, Christian, Jewish, Muslim or other faith-based schools, and families for whom faith is central at home
• Families who have been referred by campus ministry, a school counselor, a youth leader or a member of the clergy
• Parents who worry that a therapist might dismiss or undermine their values
• Teens who want a private place to talk, including about questions they are not ready to raise at school, at home or in their faith community

What families often worry about, and how we approach it

• “Will the therapist respect our faith?” Yes. A teen’s faith, practices and community are part of who they are, and for many teens they are a real source of strength. You are welcome to tell us what matters to your family, and your teen can bring faith into sessions as much or as little as they like.
• “Will therapy push our teen away from what we believe?” Our role is to help your teen with mood, anxiety, stress, behavior and relationships, in a way that respects your family’s faith and values.
• “Will the school or our community find out?” Not from us. We share information with a school, a counselor or anyone else only with written permission. See teen therapy and privacy in California for what parents are told and the limits of privacy.
• “Is it a sign of weak faith to need therapy?” Many families see prayer, community and professional care as working together. Getting help for anxiety or depression is no different from seeing a doctor for any other health problem.

Situations that come up in faith-centered families

Every family and every school is different, and none of these apply to everyone. These are situations teens and parents often bring to therapy:

• Pressure to be the “good kid.” Teens who feel they must be a model student, child and member of their community may hide anxiety, depression or mistakes for a long time. See therapy for high achieving teens.
• Guilt and shame. A teen may feel intense shame about substance use, relationships or other choices, which can make it harder to ask for help.
• Religious or moral worries that will not let go. Some teens have repeated, distressing thoughts about sin, morality or doing something wrong, followed by checking, confessing or seeking reassurance over and over. This can be a form of OCD, which is treatable. See OCD treatment for teens.
• Questions about faith or identity. Teens may be questioning beliefs, sexuality or gender, and fear how family or school will react. Therapy gives them a private place to think, and family sessions can help everyone stay connected. See therapy for LGBTQ teens and their parents.
• School discipline worries. Students at schools with conduct codes may avoid telling anyone about vaping, drinking or other problems because they fear consequences. Outpatient therapy is separate from the school.
• Grief and loss. The loss of a grandparent, parent or friend can raise hard questions about faith as well as sadness. See grief and loss in teens.

What therapy at Blackburn looks like

• An assessment first, with your teen and with you, to understand what is going on and what would help.
• One-on-one therapy in our office or by secure video for clients located in California, using approaches such as CBT, DBT, ACT, EMDR and Brainspotting (Brainspotting in our office only) where appropriate (AACAP on psychotherapy for teens).
• Family sessions to help parents and teens talk about values, expectations, rules and disagreements without losing each other.
• Working alongside others, with permission. If your family would like us to coordinate with a school counselor, a pastor, rabbi, imam or youth leader, we can do so only with your written permission, and we share only what you authorize.
• Psychiatry, if medication may be part of the picture; psychiatric care can be arranged.
• More support when needed. The Blackburn Concierge Outpatient Program offers typically 3 to 5 hours a week of focused one-on-one therapy, with no groups, as an individualized alternative to traditional IOP.
• Weekday hours: Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM, scheduled within those hours around the school day where possible. When clinically appropriate, we can provide documentation for your teen’s school.

What parents can do now

• Lead with care, not judgment. “I have noticed you seem weighed down lately, and I love you no matter what” opens more doors than questions about what your teen did wrong.
• Separate the behavior from the person. You can hold your values and still make it safe for your teen to tell you the truth.
• Talk with a trusted adult in your community if that helps you, and consider professional help alongside that support.
• Call us first if you are unsure. Parents usually make the first call; your teen does not need to be on the line. If your teen is reluctant, see what to do when your teen will not go to therapy.

When to get urgent help

If your teen is in danger right now, call 911. If your teen talks about wanting to die, is harming themselves, or you are worried they might, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, any time of day. You can call 988 as a parent for advice about what to do next.

Questions

Can therapy include our faith and values?

Yes, when your family wants that. Our clinicians respect your family’s faith and values and can include them in your teen’s care, and your teen can bring faith into sessions as much or as little as they choose. Psychiatric care can be arranged when needed.

Will you tell my teen’s school that they are in therapy?

Only with your written permission. Without it, we share nothing with the school, including whether your teen has been seen. With permission, we can speak with a counselor and, when clinically appropriate, provide documentation for your teen’s school.

Can you work with our pastor, rabbi or youth minister?

Yes, if your family wants that and gives written permission. We share only what you authorize.

My teen is questioning their faith. Will therapy make that worse?

Therapy does not push a teen toward or away from faith. It gives your teen a safe place to think, and family sessions can help you stay close while you talk about hard questions.

My teen keeps confessing or asking for reassurance about doing something wrong. Is that a problem?

Sometimes repeated, distressing religious or moral worries are a form of OCD. It is treatable, and an assessment can help sort out what is going on.

What are your hours?

Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Therapy takes place in our office at 12326 Venice Blvd in West Los Angeles, or by secure video for clients located in California.

More for families: therapy for private school students, how to find a therapist for your teen and teen depression signs parents miss.

Get started

You can also email info@blackburnclinical.com or contact us.

Sources

• AACAP: Psychotherapy for Children and Adolescents (Facts for Families)
• 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline