Therapy for Kids and Teens in Tacoma, WA
Sometimes, raising kids and teens feels like living with a stranger who has access to your pantry, your car, and your last nerve. One minute they are fine, the next everything is a crisis. Conversations that used to feel easy suddenly feel loaded and tense. You feel like you’re walking on eggshells, and wondering whether you’re being “too strict,” “too lenient,” or missing something important.
Instead of saying “I’m overwhelmed!, your kids tell you that they hate you and slam the door in your face. Sadness shows up as sarcasm, and stress shows up as apathy and tension. Meanwhile, you’re expected to hold boundaries and keep things moving. ”If you’re questioning your parenting, your instincts, or whether this is “normal,” you are not alone. And no, this isn’t a phase that you just have to push through until it passes.
Many parents feel stuck between wanting to help and not knowing how. Maybe you’re worried about pushing your kids too hard, or making things worse if you say the wrong thing. This uncertainty can be exhausting when you’re just trying to do your best.
At Wandering Pine Wellness, we provide therapy for tweens and teens ages 10 to 18 in Tacoma, focused on helping young people regulate emotions, cope with stress, and navigate changes in identity. We help kids and teens make sense of what they are feeling without minimizing it or turning therapy into another lecture. Our approach is practical, evidence-based, and developmentally appropriate. No gimmicks. No blaming parents. And no expectation that your teen should just “snap out of it” or magically mature faster.
Teen Therapy Rooted in Understanding and Support
Therapy for kids and teens looks different than therapy for adults. Sessions are structured, playful, and tailored to your child’s developmental stage.
Our therapists use a combination of DBT-informed skills and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to help kids and teens:
Identify and name their emotions
Learn calming and coping strategies
Improve communication with family and friends.
Explore identity, self-esteem, and future goals.
We believe every teen deserves to feel heard, supported, and empowered to thrive. Parents are an important part of the process. Depending on your child’s needs, therapy may include parent check-ins, coaching, or collaborative sessions so skills carry over into daily life.
Increase their confidence
Process difficult or confusing experiences
Improve emotional flexibility
Create healthy habits and practices
DBT Therapy for Emotional Regulation
Some kids feel everything intensely. That is not a flaw. It just means they need support learning how navigate feelings that feel all-consuming. DBT therapy for kids and teens focuses on:
Emotional awareness
Distress tolerance skills
Impulse control
Flexible thinking
Coping strategies that actually work for kids
TF-CBT and Solution Focused Therapy
Not all trauma looks dramatic or obvious. For tweens and teens, trauma can come from events that adults may unintentionally minimize, such as bullying, medical experiences, sudden losses, family conflict, accidents, or ongoing stress that never quite lets their nervous system settle. When something feels too big or confusing to process at the time, it often shows up later as mood changes, anxiety, emotional reactivity, avoidance, or shutdown.
Our Tacoma child and teen therapist use Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), which is an evidence-based approach designed specifically for kids who have experienced trauma or significant stress. It helps them understand how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected, while giving them tools to manage intense feelings in a way that feels safer and more controlled. Therapy moves at your child’s pace and focuses on building stability before ever asking them to talk in detail about what happened.
Parents are an important part of TF-CBT. Caregivers receive guidance and support so skills learned in session actually show up at home, at school, and in everyday life. The goal is not to force your child to relive difficult experiences, but to help them regain a sense of safety, confidence, and control. Over time, many families notice improved emotional regulation, fewer outbursts or shutdowns, and a child who feels more like themselves again.
Our Approach
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Anxiety in teens can look like constant worry, trouble sleeping, irritability, or avoiding school and friends. Left untreated, it can interfere with academics, relationships, and self-esteem. Our teen anxiety therapy helps your child build resilience and confidence.
In therapy, teens learn how to:
Identify triggers and manage racing thoughts
Build healthy coping skills for stress and school pressure
Reduce social anxiety and increase confidence with peers
Practice relaxation and mindfulness techniques
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Teen depression is more than just sadness, it often shows up as withdrawal, irritability, low motivation, or changes in eating and sleeping. Our therapists provide compassionate, evidence-based support to help teens process emotions and reconnect with joy.
Counseling helps teens:
Understand and manage feelings of sadness, anger, or hopelessness
Improve motivation and daily functioning
Strengthen communication with parents and friends
Develop coping tools to handle tough days
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Adolescence can be an especially challenging time for LGBTQ+ teens. They may face bullying, isolation, or struggles with identity and family acceptance. Our affirming therapists create a safe space where LGBTQ+ youth can feel seen, respected, and supported.
Therapy provides:
A safe, affirming space for self-expression
Support for coming out and navigating identity
Help building confidence and resilience against stigma
Family support and guidance when needed
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Teens who have experienced trauma whether bullying, loss, or abuse may struggle with nightmares, anger, withdrawal, or anxiety. Our trauma focused therapy, including TF-CBT, helps adolescents process painful experiences and begin healing.
Therapy supports teens by:
Creating a safe space to talk about experiences
Teaching coping skills for triggers and flashbacks
Helping parents understand and support their teen’s healing
Building resilience and emotional safety for the future
Meet Alexandrea Rebar, Therapist for Kids and Teens
Alexandrea Rebar, LICSW provides therapy for kids and teens in Tacoma, Washington and has over a decade of experience.
Alexandrea works with kids who experience anxiety, depression, trauma, and the effects of trauma or major life stressors. She often works with kids and teens as they navigate changes in identity and relationships. Her approach is warm, structured, and grounded in evidence-based care.
Alexandrea uses DBT and TF-CBT to help kids and teens navigate life stressors, while also supporting parents in understanding what their child needs. Sessions are collaborative, and designed to meet kids where they are, not where adults think they should be.
She accepts Aetna, Cigna, and Premera insurance. If you have a different insurance plan, she can help you with out-of-network reimbursement.
Parent Support in Teen Therapy In Washington State
We help parents feel confident, supported, and involved in their teen’s healing journey.
Why Parents Matter in Teen Therapy
Teen therapy isn’t just about the individual teen, it’s about the whole family. Parents play a vital role in supporting their child’s emotional growth. Research shows that when parents are involved in therapy, teens make faster and more lasting progress.
You may be asking yourself:
“How can I best support my teen at home?”
“What role should I play in therapy sessions?”
“How do I respond when my teen pushes me away?”
Our therapists provide guidance, tools, and reassurance so that you don’t have to walk this journey alone.
How We Support Parents
At Wandering Pine Wellness, we believe in equipping parents with practical strategies and emotional support. Parent participation looks different for every family, but often includes:
Family Check-Ins: Opportunities to review progress and discuss concerns.
Parent Coaching: Guidance on setting healthy boundaries and improving communication.
Skill Reinforcement: Helping parents support coping strategies at home.
Conflict Resolution: Tools for managing disagreements without escalation.
Our goal is to make therapy a team effort, strengthening the bond between parent and teen while giving both the tools to thrive.
Insurance Accepted for Child Therapy In Tacoma
Aetna
Allied Benefit Systems - Aetna
Anthem Blue Cross
Blue Cross of Idaho
Christian Brothers Services - Aetna
Cigna
Health Scope - Aetna
Meritain
Nippon
Premera Blue Cross
Trustmark Health Benefits - Aetna
Trustmark Health Benefits - Cigna
Trustmark Small Business Benefits - Aetna
United Healthcare Shared Services
Private pay rate: $175/session
Your Family Deserves Support
Kids and families deserve a safe place to grow, heal, and be heard. Whether your child is facing anxiety, depression, trauma, or identity challenges, our licensed therapists in Tacoma is here to guide your kids and support you as a parent. Together, we can help your teen build resilience, confidence, and hope for the future.