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Teen + Young Adult Therapy in Tampa, Florida + Online (FL, NY, WA)

Helping Teens & Young Adults Feel Safe, Understood, and Hopeful Again

Journey Forward Somatic Therapy offers child and family therapy in Tampa and online throughout Florida, New York, and Washington.

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Why does this stage of life feel so much harder than you expected?

There’s a lot changing all at once. School gets more demanding. Friendships shift. Expectations get higher. Decisions about college, work, relationships, and the future can suddenly feel like they carry so much weight.

Maybe anxiety is making everyday things harder than they should be. You’re struggling to stay focused, keep up with responsibilities, or figure out what you actually want. You might feel overwhelmed, disconnected, unsure of yourself, or frustrated that things seem easier for everyone else.

For parents, it can be difficult to watch your teen or young adult struggle and not know how to help. You want to support them without pushing too hard, while giving them space to become more confident and independent.

If you’re looking for support with stress, ADHD, life transitions, or simply figuring out what comes next, therapy for teens, young adults, and college students in Tampa can help.

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When things start feeling harder, it might look like...

  • Lying awake worrying about school, friends, family, or things that “might” happen
  • Frequent meltdowns, shutdowns, or emotional reactions that feel bigger than the situation
  • Refusing to go to school, struggling with separation, or avoiding everyday responsibilities
  • Withdrawing from friends, sports, hobbies, or activities they used to enjoy
  • Physical complaints like stomachaches, headaches, or feeling sick when stress is high
  • Acting out, defiance, irritability, or angry outbursts that feel hard to manage
  • Struggling with focus, organization, motivation, or keeping up with schoolwork
  • Becoming more withdrawn, secretive, or disconnected from family
  • Feeling overwhelmed by friendships, social pressure, or changes at home or school
  • Constant tension in your home, even during moments that are supposed to feel calm

Child and teen therapy in Tampa can help you understand what’s happening beneath the surface and give your child or teen practical tools to feel safer, more regulated, and more confident in everyday life.

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What Is Therapy for Teens & College Students?

This stage of life comes with a lot of pressure.

This stage of life comes with a lot of pressure.

School, friendships, family expectations, relationships, college decisions, work, and questions about the future can all start to pile up at once. You may be dealing with anxiety, ADHD, burnout, low motivation, big emotions, or the feeling that you should have things figured out by now. Sometimes you know exactly what is wrong but still feel stuck. Other times, you just know that something feels off.

Therapy gives teens and college students space to understand what is actually going on.

Therapy gives teens and college students space to understand what is actually going on.

It is a place to talk openly, make sense of patterns, and build skills that make everyday life feel more manageable. You can work through stress, difficult experiences, relationship challenges, executive functioning struggles, and the uncertainty that often comes with growing into more independence.

At Journey Forward Somatic Therapy Tampa, we use:

At Journey Forward Somatic Therapy Tampa, we use:

CBT, somatic approaches, trauma-informed therapy, and practical support for ADHD and executive functioning. Together, we can look at what is contributing to the stress, build regulation and coping skills, and help you feel more confident handling school, relationships, responsibilities, and whatever comes next.

Areas Therapy & ADHD Support Can Help With

Here are some of the areas therapy can help with:

Anxiety & Worry

When worry starts affecting school, relationships, sleep, or everyday decisions, therapy can help you understand what is fueling the anxiety and build tools to feel more grounded and in control.

ADHD & Executive Functioning

ADHD can make it harder to stay organized, manage time, start tasks, follow through, or regulate emotions. Therapy and ADHD support can help you build strategies that work with your brain instead of constantly feeling behind.

Stress & Overwhelm

Between school, work, relationships, responsibilities, and expectations about the future, it can feel like there is always something demanding your attention. Therapy can help you slow things down and find more manageable ways to cope.

Trauma & Difficult Experiences

Experiences from the past can continue to affect how you feel, react, and relate to other people. Trauma-informed therapy offers space to process what happened at a pace that feels safe and supportive.

Depression & Mood Changes

Feeling disconnected, unmotivated, irritable, or like you have lost interest in things you used to enjoy can make everyday life feel heavy. Therapy provides space to understand what is happening and work toward feeling more connected to yourself again.

School & Academic Pressure

Grades, deadlines, college applications, exams, and expectations can quickly become overwhelming. Therapy can help with perfectionism, test anxiety, procrastination, burnout, and finding healthier ways to manage academic pressure.

Life Transitions

Starting high school, graduating, leaving home, beginning college, changing majors, entering the workforce, or figuring out what comes next can bring up a lot of uncertainty. Therapy can help you adjust while building confidence in your own decisions.

Friendships & Relationships

Friendships, dating, family relationships, boundaries, and conflict can feel complicated during this stage of life. Therapy can help you better understand relationship patterns, communicate more clearly, and feel more confident being yourself around others.

Emotional Regulation

When emotions feel intense, unpredictable, or difficult to manage, therapy can help you recognize what is happening in your body, understand your triggers, and respond in ways that feel more intentional.

Identity & Self-Confidence

Figuring out who you are can come with a lot of pressure, comparison, and second-guessing. Therapy can give you room to explore your values, understand yourself more clearly, and build confidence that feels genuine rather than forced.

How We Approach Supporting Your Family

Here are some of the tools and approaches we may draw from in child therapy and teen coaching:

  • Play Therapy – Using play as the language of healing for young children
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns
  • Somatic Therapy – Body-based approaches to release stress and regulate emotions
  • Trauma Therapy for Children – Processing trauma through gentle, age-appropriate techniques
  • Art Therapy – Creative expression as a pathway to healing
  • Mindfulness-Based Strategies – Teaching present-moment awareness and calm
  • Family Therapy – Improving communication and connection at home
  • Parent Coaching – Equipping you with tools to support your child
  • Trauma-Informed Care – Creating safety and trust as the foundation
  • ADHD & Executive Functioning Support – Building organizational and regulation skills
  • School Collaboration – Partnering with educators when needed
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Meet our team

Match With a Child + Teen Therapist or Coach in Tampa, Florida

At Journey Forward Somatic Therapy Tampa, our trauma-informed approach to Child Therapy, Teen Counseling, and ADHD Coaching helps your child step out of old patterns that keep them stuck. With real connection and compassionate support, we’ll help your family move toward a home life that feels calmer, more connected, and deeply fulfilling.

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Credentials: Jessica Gonzalez, MS · Adolescent & Young Adult Specialist · Certified Coach
Focus Area: Supporting teens, college students, and young adults through life transitions, ADHD, and stress.
Approach: Jessica brings a unique blend of therapeutic tools and coaching rooted in positive psychology and school-based coordination.
Payment: Self-Pay

Jessica Gonzalez, MS

Somatic Coach | ICF Certified

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Credentials: Ketsia Alexandre, PhD, MS · Teens & Adults
Focus Area: ADHD, anxiety, depression, and life transitions · Bilingual therapy in Creole & French
Approach: CBT with a mind-body focus · Shares her own ADHD journey to connect authentically
Payment: Optum, UnitedHealthcare, Oxford, Oscar, Aetna, HSA, and self-pay

Dr. Ketsia Alexandre, PhD, MS

ADHD & Couples Specialist | Doctoral Therapist

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Got a question?

Questions About Child Therapy

If your child’s struggles persist for several weeks, interfere with daily life (school, friendships, family), or cause them significant distress, therapy can help. Trust your instincts as a parent. A free 15-minute consultation can help you determine if therapy is the right next step.

We work with children of all ages, from toddlers through young adults. Our approaches are tailored to each developmental stage—from play therapy for little ones to CBT and coaching for teens.

 

For young children, yes—and that’s powerful. Play is how children communicate and process emotions. Play therapy is a research-backed approach that creates real, lasting change. For older children and teens, we use age-appropriate modalities including talk therapy, CBT, and somatic techniques.

Parent involvement depends on your child’s age and needs. We create a custom care plan with you. Younger children typically benefit from more parent involvement and coaching, while teens often need more independent space with periodic family sessions.

We accept Cash Pay for those that want to ensure confidentiality. While we are considered an “Out-of-network Provider” with other payors, we are happy to provide documentation for out-of-network benefits for potential reimbursement. Having options allows you to choose the right therapist for trauma therapy, anxiety therapy, or burnout relief without insurance restrictions.

Every child is different. Some families see improvement in 8-12 sessions for specific issues like school anxiety. Others benefit from longer-term support, especially for trauma, ADHD, or complex behavioral challenges. We’ll discuss realistic timelines during your consultation.

Both. We offer in-person child therapy in Tampa/Brandon and online therapy for families throughout Florida, New York, and Washington. Many families find online therapy convenient and just as effective, especially for teens.

Resistance is completely normal. We create a welcoming, non-threatening environment where children feel safe. Most kids warm up quickly once they realize therapy isn’t scary and we’re on their side. We can discuss strategies during your consultation.

Yes. Nicole Grannie has training in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and experience supporting neurodivergent children. We tailor our approaches to meet each child’s unique needs and celebrate their strengths.

Absolutely. We specialize in school stress, anxiety, behavioral challenges, and academic pressure. Jessica Gonzalez is an educational consultant who can collaborate directly with schools when appropriate and with your permission.

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How Child + Teen Therapy Can Help Your Family

Over time, child therapy can create real, noticeable shifts in how your child feels and how your family functions together. While every family’s journey looks different, many parents begin to notice things like:

  • Meltdowns that once spiraled now feel more manageable and shorter
  • Your child sleeping better and waking up less anxious
  • Seeing them smile and laugh more often, like their old self
  • Improved behavior at school and better relationships with teachers
  • Your child using words to express feelings instead of acting out
  • Less tension in your home and more moments of connection
  • Feeling equipped with tools to support your child during hard moments
  • Your child building confidence and resilience to face challenges
  • Family communication improving and relationships strengthening

“The most important thing a parent can do is create a safe space for their child to feel all their feelings.” — Dr. Becky Kennedy

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How To Get Started

You're ready to help your child go from struggling to thriving, but getting started with therapy can feel a little intimidating. We're committed to making it feel easy and comfortable from day one. Whether you'd like to book online or give us a call, we're here and ready to connect with you.

Book a Free 15-Minute Consultation

Contact Info

Email:
hello@somatictherapytampa.com
Phone: (813)407-3679

We Speak English, Spanish, and Creole.

📍Location

Our therapy practice is based in Brandon, Florida, offering in-person sessions to the greater Tampa Bay area. We also provide secure virtual therapy to clients throughout Florida, Washington, and New York.

Serving:

  • Tampa, FL and surrounding areas

  • Seattle, WA and the greater Puget Sound region

  • New York, NY and across the state


Get Matched

Not sure which therapist is the right fit?

Take our quick matching quiz. It only takes 2 minutes to find your best-fit therapist.

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