Psychiatric care that sees the adolescent—and the whole family system
Teenagers need room to develop their own voice. They also live within families, schools, friendships, and expectations that shape how they feel and function.
Karen works directly with adolescents while involving parents thoughtfully and appropriately. Her integrated approach can include psychotherapy, medication management, parent sessions, and coordination with other professionals involved in the adolescent’s care.
A relationship built for honest conversation
Adolescents are more likely to engage when treatment feels respectful, direct, and relevant to their actual lives. Karen balances clinical structure with warmth, humor, and candor, creating a space where difficult subjects can be discussed without reducing the patient to a diagnosis.
When medication is part of treatment
Medication decisions are made carefully and revisited over time. Karen considers symptoms, physical health, school functioning, relationships, therapy progress, side effects, and family observations while keeping the adolescent’s experience central.
Parent sessions are an important part of Karen’s work with adolescents. They provide an opportunity to share relevant observations, understand the treatment plan, and develop responses that support progress at home.
The degree of parent involvement depends on the adolescent’s age, needs, treatment plan, and appropriate confidentiality boundaries.
The role of parents
Depression or persistent changes in mood
Anxiety, OCD, worry, panic, or avoidance
Attention, organization, or school-functioning concerns
Eating-disorder symptoms or concerns about food and body image
Changes in sleep, motivation, relationships, or behavior
Questions about an existing diagnosis or medication plan
Common reasons families seek care
With appropriate permission, Karen may collaborate with pediatricians, therapists, school professionals, nutritionists, and other specialists. The goal is a clearer, more connected plan across the different parts of the teen’s life.