For Parents
How we work together when your teen is in therapy.
Teen therapy works best when parents are part of the system around it — not in the session, but actively supporting it.
How we'll work together.
Early alignment
Near the start of therapy, Catie meets with you (and your teen) to align on goals: what you're worried about, what your teen is worried about, what success would actually look like.
Ongoing check-ins
Throughout treatment, Catie checks in with you about themes, progress, and concerns — without breaking the privacy that makes teen therapy work in the first place.
Safety escalation
If anything urgent comes up — safety concerns, major changes — you'll be brought in directly and immediately.
On confidentiality.
- Day-to-day session content is private
- Themes, progress, and clinical concerns are shared with you
- Anything involving safety is escalated immediately
What actually helps when your teen has a mental health condition.
Consistency in discipline matters more than the specific rule.
A teen with anxiety or depression can handle a firm rule. They struggle with rules that move, vanish, or only get enforced when you're already frustrated. Pick the rules that matter and hold them steady — across both parents where possible.
Consistency in recognition matters just as much.
It's easy to notice when your teen falls short and harder to catch the small movements forward. Make the small wins visible — out loud, in the moment. “I noticed you went to school today even though it was hard. That counts.”
Don't try to be the therapist.
You're the parent. That role is more important and harder to fake. Talk about feelings, but don't probe. Let the heavy lifting happen in the therapy room.
Don't outsource the relationship.
Catie is not a substitute for connection with you. Therapy works alongside the family system, not in place of it. Your relationship with your teen is still the most important variable in their life.
Resist the urge to fix.
When your teen tells you something is hard, the instinct to solve it is real. Often, what they need first is to feel heard. “That sounds really hard” goes further than you'd think.
Be patient with the timeline.
Therapy works, but it doesn't work fast. Real change is incremental. The fact that your teen is showing up is itself progress.
Watch for what's working, not just what's broken.
Note the days that are slightly better. The brain is wired to notice the negative; correcting for that bias is a parenting skill worth practicing.
Take care of yourself, too.
Parenting a child with mental health concerns is exhausting. Your own regulation is part of the equation. If your tank is empty, consider what supports your own.
Not sure whether your child needs therapy?
That's exactly what the free phone consultation is for.
Book Free Consult