Being a teenager or young adult can mean navigating a lot of expectations about who you're supposed to be, what you should accomplish, and what your future should look like.

There can be pressure to fit in, stand out, succeed, make the right decisions, and somehow know exactly who you are all while you're still discovering what matters to you.

At Mountain View Therapy, we offer affirming, virtual Narrative Therapy for teens ages 12 and older and young adults throughout Massachusetts.

We believe young people have important knowledge about their own lives, even when the adults around them don't always recognize it.

Therapy can be a place to explore your experiences, question expectations, and discover possibilities that feel more like your own.

Being a Teenager Is Complicated

There's a lot happening during the teenage years.

Friendships change. Family relationships shift. School brings expectations and pressures. Questions about identity, belonging, and independence can become more important. And sometimes, the people around you have very different ideas about what you should be doing or who you should become.

You might be feeling anxious, overwhelmed, misunderstood, disconnected, or unsure where you fit. You might be navigating friendships, family conflict, gender or sexuality, neurodivergence, or the pressure to meet other people's expectations.

Or maybe you're not sure how to describe what you're experiencing.

Therapy doesn't have to be a place where adults tell you what you're doing wrong or how you need to change. We believe teens deserve conversations where their perspectives are taken seriously, their experiences are respected, and their voices matter.

Navigating Young Adulthood

You don't have to have your future figured out.

Young adulthood often comes with the expectation that you should be becoming independent, making important decisions, and building a life that looks a certain way.

Maybe you're starting college, entering the workforce, exploring relationships, moving away from home, or reconsidering plans that once seemed clear. You might be questioning whether the path you're on is actually the one you want.

There can be excitement in these transitions, but also uncertainty, pressure, grief, and confusion.

Narrative Therapy creates space to explore the expectations you've inherited, the stories you've developed about yourself, and the values you want guiding your decisions.

You don't need a five-year plan to begin these conversations.

Things we might explore together

• Identity, self-understanding, and belonging

• Friendships, dating, and relationships

• Family expectations and growing independence

• Anxiety, depression, and feeling overwhelmed

• School, college, and academic pressure

• Neurodivergence and different ways of experiencing the world

• Gender, sexuality, and LGBTQIA+ experiences

• Social media, comparison, and self-image

• Boundaries, communication, and conflict

• Life transitions and uncertainty about the future

• Grief, loss, and changing relationships

•Finding your voice and identifying what matters to you

You don't have to see your experiences reflected in this list to reach out. These are simply some of the conversations we might explore together.

Your Story Is Still Unfolding

You are more than the labels, expectations, and problems others might associate with you.

Sometimes young people become known by a particular story.

Maybe you're the anxious one, the difficult one, the responsible one, the quiet one, or the one who never seems to meet expectations. These descriptions can become so familiar that they start to feel like the whole truth.

Narrative Therapy invites us to question those stories.

Where did they come from? Who helped shape them? How have they influenced the way you see yourself? And what experiences might tell a different story?

We're interested in the moments when you've shown courage, creativity, care, resistance, determination, or a commitment to something important even when those moments have gone unnoticed.

We don't believe a therapist gets to decide who you are or who you should become. Instead, we hope to help you explore the many stories that make up your life and the possibilities you want to pursue.

LEARN MORE ABOUT NARRATIVE THERAPY →

For Parents & Caregivers

Supporting a young person doesn't mean having all the answers.

Watching your child navigate challenges can bring up a lot of questions. You may be worried about their well-being, unsure how to support them, or struggling to understand experiences that are different from your own.

We know that parents and caregivers often reach out because they care deeply about the young people in their lives.

Our approach begins with respect for young people's perspectives and a belief that they deserve meaningful opportunities to participate in conversations about their own lives.

We also recognize that family relationships and the larger systems surrounding young people can influence the challenges they experience.

Depending on the circumstances and the young person's needs, therapy may include conversations about how parents and caregivers can offer support while respecting a young person's growing independence and sense of self.

Our goal isn't to assign blame or decide who's right. It's to create opportunities for greater understanding, connection, and possibility.

Meet Our Teen & Young Adult Therapist

Explore their profiles to learn more about their approaches and find someone who feels like a good fit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can teens have private conversations with their therapist?

Yes! We believe teens deserve a space where they can speak openly, explore their experiences, and have their perspectives taken seriously.

Confidentiality is an important part of building trust in therapy. At the beginning of treatment, your therapist will explain what information can remain private, when a parent or caregiver may need to be involved, and any legal or safety-related limits to confidentiality.

For clients under 18, these arrangements depend on their age, circumstances, and applicable Massachusetts law.

Will parents or caregivers be involved in therapy?

That depends on the young person, their circumstances, and what would be most helpful.

We recognize that parents and caregivers can be important sources of support. We also believe young people need opportunities to develop their own voices and make sense of their experiences.

Your therapist will work with you to discuss what involvement might look like while respecting the young person's privacy and growing independence.

Do both parents need to consent to therapy for a minor?

When parents share legal decision-making authority, Mountain View Therapy generally requires consent from both parents before beginning therapy with a child or teen under 18.

If obtaining consent from a second parent isn't possible or appropriate, we'll ask for more information about the circumstances and why consent cannot be obtained. We may also request relevant custody or legal documentation to determine how to proceed.

Our goal is to respect families' different circumstances while making sure we have the appropriate consent to provide care.

Does my teen have to want therapy?

We know that sometimes parents and caregivers are more enthusiastic about therapy than the young people they're hoping to support.

Rather than assuming a teen needs to be convinced that something is wrong with them, we're interested in understanding their perspective.

What do they think about therapy? What concerns might they have? Are there things in their life they'd like to be different?

We believe meaningful therapy begins with curiosity, collaboration, and respect for the young person's own experiences.

Do you offer virtual therapy for teens and young adults?

Yes! Mountain View Therapy is a fully virtual practice offering online therapy throughout Massachusetts for clients ages 12 and older.

Sessions take place through a secure video platform. Clients need a private space where they feel comfortable talking, along with a reliable internet connection.

What if I'm not sure which therapist would be a good fit?

That's okay! Finding someone you feel comfortable talking with is an important part of therapy.

We encourage you to explore our clinicians' profiles and notice whose interests and approach resonate with you.

Our referrals coordinator can also help you explore available therapists who work with teens and young adults.

Do you accept insurance, including MassHealth?

Yes! Mountain View Therapy accepts many insurance plans, including participating MassHealth plans.

Coverage and clinician availability vary by insurance plan. Our referrals team can help you explore your options before scheduling.

We also offer sliding-scale self-pay options.

LEARN MORE ABOUT INSURANCE & GETTING STARTED →

Finding the right therapist matters

Every clinician at Mountain View Therapy practices Narrative Therapy, but each brings different interests, experiences, and ways of connecting with people.

We encourage teens, young adults, and caregivers to explore our therapist profiles and consider who might feel like a good fit.

Our referrals coordinator can also help you explore which clinicians have availability and experience working with your age group and the topics you're interested in discussing.

Ready to get started?