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emotional wounds
power struggles
separation anxiety
trouble focusing
sibling rivalry
disruptive behavior
defiance & disrespect
Couple Hugging

Life as a teenager is a balancing act, with academic pressures, social dynamics, and emotional growth all demanding attention. These years are filled with opportunities but also challenges that can leave teens feeling overwhelmed or unsure of themselves. Between schoolwork, friendships, and figuring out who they are, it’s easy for teens to feel stuck or uncertain. Sessions are designed to be a space where teens can breathe, feel understood, and gain tools to manage life’s challenges.

Navigating adolescence can be almost as tough for parents as it is for your teen. Communication can get strained and everyday conversations can become difficult. One moment they may be up, full of energy, and the next, withdrawn or irritated. It’s hard to predict whether they’ll be open to conversation or shut down.

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 Explore Our Specializations

Shalini Mongia, MFT

Teen
Therapy

in Pleasant Hill and Alamo, CA

family conflicts
peer pressure
academic stress
body image
social media
substance use
big life changes
Couple Hugging

Life as a teenager is a balancing act, with academic pressures, social dynamics, and emotional growth all demanding attention. These years are filled with opportunities but also challenges that can leave teens feeling overwhelmed or unsure of themselves. Between schoolwork, friendships, and figuring out who they are, it’s easy for teens to feel stuck or uncertain. Sessions are designed to be a space where teens can breathe, feel understood, and gain tools to manage life’s challenges.

Navigating adolescence can be almost as tough for parents as it is for your teen. Communication can get strained and everyday conversations can become difficult. One moment they may be up, full of energy, and the next, withdrawn or irritated. It’s hard to predict whether they’ll be open to conversation or shut down.

Life as a teenager is a balancing act, with academic pressures, social dynamics, and emotional growth all demanding attention. These years are filled with opportunities but also challenges that can leave teens feeling overwhelmed or unsure of themselves. Between schoolwork, friendships, and figuring out who they are, it’s easy for teens to feel stuck or uncertain. Sessions are designed to be a space where teens can breathe, feel understood, and gain tools to manage life’s challenges.


Navigating adolescence can be almost as tough for parents as it is for your teen. Communication can get strained and everyday conversations can become difficult. One moment they may be up, full of energy, and the next, withdrawn or irritated. It’s hard to predict whether they’ll be open to conversation or shut down. Building family cohesiveness helps ensure everyone feels understood and connected, even when things get tough. By offering support to both teens and parents, therapy strengthens the bond between family members and promotes a more balanced, harmonious household.


Evidence-based approaches like Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) offer practical tools for growth. Teens gain skills in mindfulness, emotional regulation, and social  while processing difficult experiences. Each session provides a safe environment to build meaningful connections and grow into a stronger, more self-assured individual.

  • Navigating awkwardness or judgments from others

  • Learning to pause, manage anger, make healthy choices

  • Working through loss, heartbreak, or painful experiences

  • Building resilience to bounce back when life get tough

  • Managing mood swings or unpredictable emotional shifts

  • Planning online life/screen times with balance and limits

  • Growing from social struggles like exclusion or bullying

  • Addressing self-doubt in friendships and social interactions

  • Forming strategies to balance school, friends, self-care

  • Navigating the pressures of fitting in and standing out

What We Work On:

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Dr. Daniel Siegel

empathy, not punishment, helps teens develop 

better self-regulation and decision-making skills

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In-Network With:

Our Preferred Evidence-Based Treatments

  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an empirically supported treatment that helps change distressing thought patterns that contribute to anxiety and depression. Through CBT, you'll learn to identify and challenge negative thoughts, reframe irrational beliefs, and replace them with healthier, more realistic perspectives. CBT also focuses on breaking patterns of self-doubt and worry by learning how to re-evaluate situations and adopt more constructive thinking. These tools empower you to make lasting changes in how you think and respond.

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness principles to help individuals manage emotions, navigate challenges, and improve relationships. It focuses on four key areas: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. By building these skills, DBT empowers individuals to replace destructive patterns with practical, lasting strategies that promote resilience, balance, and a greater sense of control in daily life.

  • TF-CBT helps by combining practical coping skills with gradual exposure to difficult memories. It starts by teaching relaxation techniques, emotional regulation, and ways to challenge unhelpful thoughts. Once a strong foundation is built, individuals slowly and safely process their trauma with the support of a therapist. This approach reduces fear and distress, strengthens personal resilience, and fosters healthier ways of thinking and relating to others.

  • Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) is a short-term, goal-oriented approach that emphasizes finding practical solutions. It focuses on what you want to achieve, guiding you to take clear steps toward your goals. By building on your strengths, SFBT encourages you to do more of what works and change what doesn't. This effective, time-efficient approach ensures rapid progress while fostering long-term results.

  • Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a proven, client-centered approach designed to help individuals overcome ambivalence and create lasting change. It focuses on exploring personal motivations and values, guiding clients to take actionable steps toward their goals. MI is highly effective in treating issues like addiction, unhealthy behaviors, and low motivation by strengthening confidence and commitment, empowering clients to drive their own positive transformations.

  • Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) is a proven approach that that helps couples break negative cycles and strengthen emotional bonds. In therapy, partners identify patterns of conflict and learn techniques like emotional validation and replacing reactive behaviors with empathetic responses. EFT targets underlying emotional triggers, promoting healthier attachment while deepening intimacy. It’s particularly effective for couples facing disconnection, insecurity, and trust issues, leading to genuine understanding and lasting change. This therapy is effective for emotional withdrawal, fear of abandonment, and attachment wounds, creating stronger, more secure relationships.

Interested In:
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Let's Connect
Interested In:
Insurance Preference:
Location Preference

Let's
Begin

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3189 Danville Blvd, Ste 250
Alamo, CA 94507

395 Taylor Blvd

Pleasant Hill, CA 94523

© 2025 Shalini Mongia, MFT

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