Metro Atlanta Counseling for Teens and Young Adults

The teenage and young adult years are some of the most formative and most demanding periods of a person’s life. Academic pressure, social challenges, identity questions, and shifting family dynamics can all pile up at once. For many young people, these pressures don’t just feel difficult; they start to interfere with daily functioning.

At CNSL, we believe no young person should have to work through these challenges alone. Our team of experienced therapists serves teens and young adults through individualized counseling services in a safe, judgment-free space. We are here to support you and your family.

Who Our Therapists Serve

Young people come to us for many different reasons. Some are struggling with specific mental health concerns, while others are simply trying to make sense of a difficult season of life. Our therapists are equipped to support:

• Teens dealing with stress, anxiety, or depression: Your teen is struggling with pressure, mood changes, isolation, worry, sadness, anger, or feelings of being overwhelmed that are affecting their daily life.
• Children and teens facing emotional or behavioral challenges: Your child or teen is having a hard time coping, communicating, regulating emotions, or managing relationships at home, at school, or with peers.
• Young people working through big emotions: Your child or teen is trying to make sense of their identity, school pressure, friendships, family changes, or other growing-up challenges.
• Teens whose anxiety affects school, friendships, or independence: Anxiety makes school performance, social situations, transitions, and building confidence harder for your child or teen.

If any of these scenarios sound familiar, know that support is available. Our team is here to help your family take that next step.

Reasons Teens and Young Adults Seek Counseling

There are many reasons teenagers or young adults may seek counseling services. At CNSL, our therapists can help teens and young adults who are struggling with:

• Substance abuse issues. There is often pressure on young people to consume alcohol or use illicit substances, which can come from various sources like their peers or social media. If your teen is struggling with substance abuse or addiction, getting help from a professional is important for their physical and mental well-being, as well as their future.
• Relationship problems. Romantic relationships, familial relationships, and friendships can all be difficult to navigate as a young person when emotions run high and feelings are especially intense. Counseling can provide coping tools and a new perspective for teens who are struggling.
• Academic performance. Whether in high school or college, academic performance can start to slip when a young person becomes overwhelmed. Identifying the cause of the issue and determining the best methods and techniques for support is important.
• Behavioral and anger management issues. Behavioral and anger issues can be very problematic for a young person who is trying to navigate life successfully, even leading to run-ins with the law in some cases. Learning how to manage emotions effectively to prevent behavioral outbursts is a key skill.
• ADHD. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can cause a wide range of issues, from difficulty with attention, organization, and time management to impulsiveness and mood swings. For some children with ADHD, symptoms fade as they age. But when symptoms persist into the teenage years or adulthood, learning skills to manage the condition effectively as a young adult can be critical to success.

How Does Teen and Young Adult Counseling Work at CNSL?

Getting started with counseling is a straightforward process. Here is what you can expect:

• Goal-Setting: Your teen or young adult will work with their therapist to identify what they want to achieve from therapy. We believe young people should be active participants in their own care.
• Exploring Beliefs and Patterns: Together, the client and therapist will examine deeply held beliefs and perceptions that may be contributing to distress, working to reframe those that no longer serve them.
• Building Skills: Clients learn practical tools to manage emotions, communicate with others, and handle life’s challenges with greater confidence.

These steps are not a rigid formula. Every treatment plan we create is tailored to the individual client, because we know that no two people, and no two experiences, are exactly alike.

Registration and Communication Involving Minors

Please note that clients under the age of 18 are considered minors and cannot be treated as adult clients. Accordingly, a parent, legal guardian, or caregiver must serve as the primary contact on the client’s account. All intake paperwork, scheduling, appointment notifications, and communication outside of therapy sessions will be managed through the primary contact listed in our system. Minors are not permitted to sign their own forms or handle their own scheduling.

Please be aware that our system allows only one email address and one phone number to be designated as the primary contact. As a result, all automated communications, including intake forms, appointment reminders, and check-in notifications, will be sent exclusively to that primary contact. Unfortunately, we are unable to send these automated messages to a secondary parent, legal guardian, or caregiver.

Maintaining a single primary contact helps ensure clear and consistent communication regarding the client’s care and appointments. It also helps prevent confusion or conflicting instructions, such as one individual confirming an appointment while another attempts to cancel or reschedule it.

Because only one individual can be designated to receive these communications, you may wish to manually forward any relevant emails or notifications to the secondary parent, legal guardian, or caregiver. However, due to the secure nature of some of our communications, we cannot guarantee that forwarded messages will be delivered successfully or function as intended.

To protect the privacy of our minor clients, therapists are required to remain HIPAA-compliant. This means that the details of what a minor shares or expresses during therapy sessions are kept confidential between the client and the therapist, except in specific situations where safety is a concern or when information must be shared by law (such as risk of harm or abuse).

Divorce and Custody Cases

Our therapists are not custody evaluators and cannot make any recommendations on custody. If in need of these services or if going through a high-conflict divorce, we can refer you to a licensed professional who does work in these areas and provides custody evaluation if needed.

If applicable, at the first intake session we require a copy of any most current standing court order demonstrating the custodial rights of each parent and/or the parenting agreement that is signed by both parents and the judge. This copy can be sent to client.coordination@cnsl.com and to the rendering therapist. If there are changes or amendments to any parenting plans, then it is the responsibility of the parents to provide the new order to the therapist immediately.

In most cases, we need to have contact and written/signed consent with/from both legal guardians before we see the child for counseling. In the case there is a final decision-maker on health-related issues who wants the child to be seen for counseling even in the case the other parent does not agree; it is at the discretion of your therapist as to whether the child will be seen.

We will be in contact with both parents who share in the legal custody of the child being seen for counseling and will offer and encourage opportunities for both parents to participate in parent consultations along the way.

Family sessions may be recommended and, depending on the case, may need to see the child with each parent separately, along with siblings and/or other significant family members who live in the homes where the child lives. This will be up to the discretion of the therapist.

Why Choose CNSL for Teen and Young Adult Counseling?

Families choose CNSL because we combine clinical expertise with a genuine commitment to each client’s well-being. Our therapists bring extensive training and real-world experience to every session. We accept most major insurance plans and offer multiple office locations across the Metro Atlanta area, as well as telehealth options, making it easier to access care when and where you need it.

Most importantly, our team creates a space where young people feel safe being honest. That openness is often the foundation of meaningful progress.

Contact CNSL Today

Counseling for teens and young adults can be an important part of supporting them during a difficult time in their lives. At CNSL, we understand the value of counseling services, and our therapists are committed to a patient-focused experience. To learn more about our services and how we can help, whether you are a parent worried about your teen or a young person who knows you need some help, please reach out to us to schedule an appointment.

FAQs About Teen and Young Adult Counseling in Georgia

Which of our therapists work with teens and young adults?

Telehealth Therapists

For scheduling: Call: (678) 384-4911 / Email: client.coordination@cnsl.com

Elana Durden Offers EMDR services for ages 18+

Jessica Coleman

Erin Smith

Shannon Dixon

Alpharetta – Old Milton Parkway

To schedule at this location, Call: (678) 384-4911 / Email: client.coordination@cnsl.com

David Febles Works with ages 15+

Ashlee Pratt Works with ages 8+

Denise Sunga Works with ages 15+

Olivia Dedels Works with ages 16+

Adam Stephens Works with ages 15+

Cason Carman Works with ages 12+

Gillian DellaPiana Works with ages 15+

Atlanta Integrative Psychiatry

To schedule at this location, Call: (404) 994-8282 / Email: client.coordination@cnsl.com

Robert Smith II

Veronica (Vonnie) Slater

Blairsville

To schedule at this location, Call: (678) 384-4911 / Email: client.coordination@cnsl.com

Julia Cornman Works with ages 6+

Marietta

To schedule at this location, Call: (678) 384-4911 / Email: client.coordination@cnsl.com

Bonita (Bonnie) Klopach Works with ages 3+

Madonna Mezzanotte Works with ages 10+

Ashlee Pratt Works with ages 8+

Megan Walsh Works with ages 7+

Denise Sunga Works with ages 15+

Allison Hogan Works with ages 12+

Bailey Paris Works with ages 5+

Kailey Austin Works with ages 8+

Logan Jackson Works with ages 3+

Sunshine Counseling – Alpharetta

To schedule at this location, Call: (678) 740-3990 / Email: inquiry@sunshinechildcounseling.com

Jamila Allen Works with ages 5+

Crissy Himelstein Works with ages 3+

Lauren Wallace Telehealth Play Therapist works with ages 3+

Casey Reynolds-Purcell Works with ages 3+

Alyssa Ealy Middleton Works with ages 5+

Lori Winston Works with ages 5+

Desiree’ Lewis Works with ages 6+

Paige Kieltyka Works with ages 3+

Leenah Abboud

Karli Littlefield Works with ages 3-14

Sarah Norris Works with ages 6+

Woodstock - Churchill Court

To schedule at this location, Call: (678) 384-4911 / Email: client.coordination@cnsl.com

Madison Medford Works with ages 14+

Leigh Bowerfind Works with ages 3+

Laura Madinger Works with ages 15+

Woodstock - South Cherokee Lane - Building 1200

To schedule at this location, Call: (678) 384-4911 / Email: client.coordination@cnsl.com

Ashlee Pratt Works with ages 8+

Karen Dodge Works with ages 2+

Julia Nailor Works with ages 12+

Brittany Ott Works with ages 12+

Denise Sunga Works with ages 15+

Leigh Bowerfind Works with ages 3+

Shannon Dixon Works with ages 8+

Katie Cooley Works with ages 3+

Logan Jackson Works with ages 3+

Cathryn Heeter Works with ages 3+

Woodstock - South Cherokee Lane - Suite 730

To schedule at this location, Call: (678) 384-4911 / Email: client.coordination@cnsl.com

Ashlee Pratt Works with ages 8+

Morgan Mitchell Works with ages 5+

Brittany Ott Works with ages 12+

Laura Seipel Works with ages 13+

Allison Hogan Works with ages 12+

Cason Carman Works with ages 12+

Kailey Austin Works with ages 8+

Logan Jackson Works with ages 3+

Woodstock - Towne Lake Parkway

To schedule at this location, Call: (678) 403-1120 / Email: townelakeoffice@cnsl.com

Victoria Saladna Works with ages 11+

Abigail Shetler Works with ages 12+

Tiffany Peeler Works with ages 11+

Kimberly Meredith Works with ages 5+

Danielle O’Kelly Works with ages 5+

Morgan Kraut Works with ages 11+