Child & Teen therapy

We see children ages 6 to 12 and teens ages 13 to 19. If you are looking for support for a child or teen, reach out and we will match your child with the right therapist. For children under 6, we usually offer parenting support or family therapy that includes you and your child. Clients who are 18 or older consent to their own care, and they can choose whether to include their parents.

You do not have to wait until things get worse. Common signs include grief after a loss or breakup, family conflict or changes at home, peer pressure or bullying, falling grades, angry outbursts, worry that will not settle, low mood or lack of motivation, body image concerns, and obsessive or compulsive behaviors. If something feels off, a free consultation is a good place to talk it through.

Therapy gives your teen a safe place to say what they are really thinking and feeling. Their therapist helps them build coping and relationship skills and work through pressure from school, friends, family, and the future. Teens set the pace, and the therapist will explain how parents are kept in the loop.

In general, what a teen shares in therapy is kept private so they can speak openly. Their therapist will usually share overall progress and ways you can help at home, without retelling the details of sessions. There are legal limits: therapists must act when there is a risk of serious harm to your teen or someone else, or when abuse is suspected, as California law requires. Your therapist will walk you both through this at the start.

Parents are an important part of the work. Depending on your teen’s needs, their therapist may check in with you, offer guidance for home, or invite you into some sessions. We also offer parenting support if you want your own space to talk through what you are facing, and family therapy when the whole family would benefit.

That is very common. A good place to start is sharing why you are looking for support and asking what they would want from a therapist. Our therapists build trust gradually and let your teen set the pace, so therapy does not feel like a punishment. If you are not sure how to bring it up, call for a free consultation and we will help you plan the conversation.

Yes. Many teens carry high expectations from school, family, and themselves, and it can show up as anxiety, perfectionism, exhaustion, or shutting down. Therapy helps your teen sort out what is theirs and what is pressure from outside, build healthier ways to cope, and find motivation that is not driven by fear. Their therapist can also help you and your teen talk about expectations without it turning into a fight.

Our therapists support teens with anxiety, depression, attention and focus challenges, grief and loss, school and social stress, bullying and peer pressure, anger, puberty and identity questions, body image concerns, and family changes. You can read more about anxiety therapy, depression therapy, ADHD therapy, and trauma therapy.

Our therapists provide therapy and support for you and your teen. They do not prescribe medication or provide psychological testing. If a formal evaluation or a medication consult would help, your teen’s therapist can coordinate with your pediatrician, a psychiatrist, or a psychologist. For attention and focus concerns, therapy can still help your teen with emotions, routines, and school stress.

Divorce, separation, and blended-family changes can leave teens feeling torn, angry, or responsible. Therapy gives your teen a steady place to process those changes, and their therapist can guide you on how to talk with your teen and keep adult conflict away from them. When it helps, we can include parents in sessions or offer family therapy.

Oak and Stone Therapy is an Asian American-led, multicultural team. Many of the teens we see are balancing the expectations of home with the culture of school and friends, and many parents are carrying their own family history. Our therapists approach these dynamics with cultural humility and curiosity, without pressuring anyone to choose between cultures. You can learn more on Who We Are.

Yes. Teens are welcome to explore who they are in a respectful, nonjudgmental space, and their therapist will not push them toward any particular outcome. Therapy focuses on your teen’s wellbeing, and it can also help parents who want to understand and support their child.

Yes. We offer in-person sessions at our Los Angeles office in Koreatown, Highland Park office, and Pasadena office. Online sessions are available through a HIPAA-compliant platform for clients located in California. You can learn more about online therapy in California.

Many ups and downs are a normal part of growing up. It may be more than a phase if the change lasts for weeks, keeps getting worse, or starts to affect school, friendships, sleep, appetite, or family life, or if your child seems very different from their usual self. You know your child best, so trust your instinct. A free consultation is a low-pressure way to talk it through and decide on next steps.

Yes. Meltdowns and anger often mean a child’s feelings are bigger than their skills for handling them. Therapy helps your child or teen name what they feel, calm their body, and try new ways to cope, and it helps you respond in ways that lower the intensity at home. Sometimes there is more underneath, such as worry, sensory overload, or grief, and the therapist will help you sort that out.

Yes. School avoidance is often a sign of something underneath, such as worry, bullying, trouble with friends or learning, low mood, or a hard change at home. Therapy helps your child or teen put words to what is going on, build coping skills, and take steps back toward school at a pace that feels manageable. Your therapist can also help you talk with the school about supports, and reaching out early usually makes the road back easier.

Bullying, whether in person, online, or in group chats, can leave kids anxious, ashamed, or afraid to go to school. Therapy gives your child or teen a place to talk about it without being judged, rebuild confidence, and practice ways to respond and set boundaries. Their therapist can also help you decide how to approach the school and advocate for your child’s safety. If your child is being threatened or is in danger, contact the school and local authorities right away.

Loneliness and friendship struggles are a very common reason families reach out. Therapy helps your child or teen understand what makes connection feel hard, whether it is shyness, worry, differences in how they think or feel, or past hurts, and practice the skills that help friendships grow. It is also a place to feel understood by one steady adult, which often makes it easier to try with peers.

Yes. Our therapists help children and teens look at how online life affects their mood, sleep, friendships, and self-esteem, and what they may be coping with when they turn to screens. They also help parents set limits that are firm but not punishing, so screen time does not become a daily battle. Often the screen is not the whole problem, and therapy looks at what is underneath.

Yes. Many of the children and teens we see think, feel, and process the world differently, including those with ADHD, sensory sensitivities, or a highly sensitive temperament. Therapy can help with big emotions, friendships, school stress, and building skills that fit how your child’s mind works, and we involve parents so support at home and school fits too. Our therapists do not provide psychological testing, so if you are wondering about a formal evaluation, we can help you think through next steps and coordinate with your pediatrician or a psychologist. You can read more about therapy for parents of children with special needs and ADHD therapy.

Yes. Many BIPOC children and teens, including Asian American kids, carry things their classmates do not: racist comments or jokes, being one of the few who look like them at school, switching between how they act at home and at school, and pressure to represent their whole community. Therapy gives your child or teen a space to talk about race, belonging, and identity without having to explain themselves first, and to grow in confidence about who they are. Our team is Asian American-led and multicultural, and you can meet our therapists to find a good fit.

Oak and Stone Therapy does not provide emergency or crisis services. If your child or teen is in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. If they need emotional support right now, you can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, at any time. If you are worried about their safety, please tell us when you reach out so we can talk about the right level of care.

Our Pasadena office is close to South Pasadena, San Marino, La Cañada Flintridge, Altadena, Sierra Madre, and East Pasadena.

Our Highland Park office is close to Eagle Rock and Mount Washington, and our Los Angeles office in Koreatown is close to Hancock Park, Windsor Square, Larchmont Village, Mid-Wilshire, Mid-City, and Miracle Mile.

Many of the teens we meet are carrying heavy expectations from demanding private, magnet, honors, and high-performing public schools, and from families who want the best for them. We help them find steadier ground, with less fear of falling short.

Yes. Teens in demanding private, magnet, honors, and high-performing public schools often carry pressure that is hard to see from the outside: heavy workloads, constant comparison, fear of disappointing their family, and the sense that rest has to be earned. Therapy gives your teen a place to say how tired or afraid they really are, build habits that do not depend on perfect results, and rediscover what they care about apart from grades. You can read more about anxiety therapy.