Therapy for a sixteen-year-old in DC?

February 15, 2012 8:04 PM

Looking for a CBT or similar therapist for a sixteen-year-old in the DC area, and help for dealing with parents. Snowflake details inside.

My sixteen-year-old sister just told me that she's been having panic attacks, usually in response to our parents yelling at her. She just asked if she could spend the weekend at my house, after our mother's response to a yelling-induced panic attack was to yell at her to stop having a panic attack.

Anxiety runs in our family, and I didn't start to manage mine until I'd already crashed and burned out of college. I'd like to help her get her anxiety managed before any major disasters. She and I have in common a dislike of New Agey language-- I didn't do well in therapy until I began CBT, which worked for me because it's more goal-oriented and task-based.

I'd also really appreciate any tactics for dealing with our parents, who have been... let's call it skeptical of my own efforts in therapy. Our mom is a very anxious person who refuses to admit to anything of the sort, and both parents are fairly controlling and authoritarian.

Any therapists in the DC area who sound like a good fit for my sister? And any recommendations for dealing with the parents?

posted by nonasuch to health & fitness (4 answers total)

What part of DC and what insurance do you have? My parenting listserv has recommendations.
posted by k8t at 8:16 PM on February 15, 2012

They're in the Potomac/Bethesda area, and have Blue Cross Blue Shield, I believe.
posted by nonasuch at 8:19 PM on February 15, 2012

A lot of BC/BS therapists in the area are pretty full. There's been a real run on therapists on those panels recently. Check your memail.
posted by OmieWise at 5:25 AM on February 16, 2012

Dialectical Behavior Therapy has helped a lot with my anxiety. It's got a lot of worksheets and tasks, and has been effectively used in the Trauma Resolution and Integration Program that I attended for a few years.

Being yelled at for having anxiety attacks probably counts as trauma (I would say definitely, but I am not a therapist, I am not your therapist, etc!)
posted by bilabial at 6:01 AM on February 16, 2012