Especially for Teens: therapy for teens with Jeannie Wolitzer LMFT

Jeannie Wolitzer, M.S., MFT
Marriage & Family Therapy

Why should I trust you?

There is no reason for you to walk in my door the first time and trust me right off.
In fact, it is generally a good idea to reserve your trust until someone earns it. I
will have many opportunities right from the beginning to earn your trust. You will
see that I do not repeat what you tell me, I do not have secret contact with your
parents, I am open and honest about my communication with and about you.
You will also see that I will maintain respect for you and I do not judge or criticize
you no matter what you tell me. You will find that I accept you as you are and that I
want to help you make the changes that you think are right for you.

Will you make me draw or play with toys?

I can’t make you do anything and I don’t want to. If you feel like sitting and talking
about your issues, that is great. If you don’t, there are other ways to ease what’s
going on in your head and your heart and to explore improving things in your life.
Maybe you want to talk about kids at school or about music or movies that are
important to you, or maybe you do want to draw or play with toys or games All are
ways to explore who you are, how you feel about yourself and what you want, at
your own pace.

Especially for Teens:

These questions are intended to let teenagers and their parents understand the way that I develop a safe and trusting
relationship with a teenager and how part of that job involves setting clear boundaries with parents.

Will you tell my parent what I say?

As a rule I will not repeat anything you tell me to your parent or to anyone else, but to be honest, there are important exceptions to your
confidentiality that are intended to protect your safety and the safety of others:

If someone has hurt you by physical or sexual abuse or serious neglect I am required by law to report it to authorities.
If I am concerned that your safety is in serious danger, such as if I am concerned that you may be suicidal, I will tell someone,
such as a family member, of the danger.
If I am concerned that you are intending to do serious harm to a specific person I am required by law to report it.

Everything else is confidential. We can discuss details of these exceptions carefully so that you are aware of when something must
be reported and what will happen in that case.

So what do you tell my parents?

Not much without your agreement and participation. The greatest tool we have in working together is a safe and trusting relationship.
This can’t happen if I turn around and report what we discuss or if I take your parent’s direction on how the therapy should go. I may
tell your parents about dangerous situations like the ones described above and I will give them a general idea of how therapy is
proceeding to help them evaluate the benefit they are receiving for their payment.

I will listen to what your parents have to say, including when you are not present, but I will report what I discuss with them to you and I
will let your parent know this.

At the same time, I am very interested in using therapy as an opportunity to improve the communication that goes on between you
and your family. One way to do this starts with you and I discussing what would be helpful to share with your parent. We then prepare
how we want to present it and we invite your parent to a session. Another option is if you give your consent for me to discuss
information directly with your parent after we have discussed what would be helpful to share. These are ways to extend the benefit of
what we discuss in therapy to your home life

Counseling for Teens, Individuals and Families

1340 Concannon Blvd
Sunset Office Plaza, Bldg J
Livermore CA 94550

925 201 3414
jwolitzer@comcast.net