Someone who cares about you probably sent you the link to my website.
Maybe your mom. Maybe a school counselor. Possibly you looked this up yourself, which is a different situation, and if so, hello! I am happy you’re here!
Either way: read this, and then decide what you think. You're allowed to think it's not for you.
Something you may be wondering
You may be wondering, “Is she going to tell my parents everything I say?”
No
What you say in therapy is private. That's not a nice thing I'm saying to get you in the door; it's how therapy works!
There are limits
and I'd rather you hear them from me now rather than later. If you're in danger, or someone else is, I have to tell someone. Beyond that, what you tell me stays between us. Your friendships, your family, and what you're actually thinking about are not told to your parents.
I will walk you through what the line is between what I have to share and what stays in session during our first meeting. You can ask me any questions you have about it at any time!
Your parents
will hear from me in general terms about how things are going. This is not a word-for-word retelling of our conversations.
What actually happens.
You come in. You sit down. We talk for fifty minutes.
That's most of it. Sometimes we work on something specific, such as a situation with a friend, a way to handle what happens in your chest before a test, a conversation you need to have but can't figure out how to start. Sometimes we just think out loud about something confusing.
You don't have to arrive with a topic. You don't have to cry. You don't need a diagnosis, a crisis, or a “good enough” reason.
Some sessions will feel challenging or immediately useful. Others may feel boring. That's normal, and it's not a sign it isn't working.
What you get to decide.
What we talk about
What we don't talk about, including for a long time, including forever
How fast we go
Whether you say "I don't want to talk about that," you totally can, and I will respect any boundaries you set
You’re not going to be told what is wrong with you. I don’t work that way, because that doesn’t work.
What I am not going to do
BE YOUR FRIEND
I'm not going to try to be your friend. I'm an adult with training, not a peer, and pretending otherwise would be weird for both of us.
JUDGE YOU
I'm not going to judge you based on anything that you share with me in session.
FORCE YOU
I'm not going to make you talk about something before you're ready.
TAKE SIDES
I'm not going to take your parents' side or yours. My job is to pay attention to what's actually going on for you.
A little bit about me
I'm Chelsea. I'm a licensed clinical social worker, and I work almost entirely with girls between twelve and eighteen. This is what I chose to do, not a population I ended up with, and I love the work I get to do with teen girls!
My office is in San Francisco at the Healing Arts Building. There's a pink velvet couch, a teal swivel chair, comfy pillows, and tons of natural light! Most people have told me it feels comfortable in the space, not clinical.
I also meet with people over video if that's easier or more comfortable for you.
I want you to know:
You don’t have to decide right now.
If you're not sure, come once. One session, and then you tell whoever's asking what you think.
If it's not for you, you'll know quickly, and saying so out loud is allowed.
If you want to ask me something before any of this happens, you can email me directly at chelsea@theattunedpractice.com. You don't need your parents to do that for you.