Welcome to Teen Therapy Center. My name is Kent Toussaint. I'm the founder and clinical director.
We are a group private practice here in Woodland Hills, California. We are filled with therapists
who are fun loving, professional, warm, and we specialize in helping kids, teens and families
live happier lives. And we do that because we speak teenager and we speak parent. And we are often
the interpreter in between the two to help bridge those gaps to make sure that teenagers are
finally understanding parents, parents are understanding teenagers. And we're helping
develop greater communication, better empathy, healthier boundaries within the family.
But when we understand a kid or a teenager, we also have to understand what it's like to be a little
kid and a young adult and a parent. Because when you're a teenager, you're in this amazing transition
period where you got 1 foot as a kid and 1 foot in the adult world. And it's confusing and it's frustrating.
You know, I know we've been teenagers. Your teenagers
are going through it for their very first time. And so my job, or our job as therapists is to help
them go through that. We do that through individual therapy, family therapy, and sometimes
group therapy, depending on what your kids needs are. There are a variety of issues we deal with,
obviously. Self esteem issues, school motivation, anxiety, depression, attention issues,
autism spectrum, anyone who identifies multi, exceptional or two E. We work with those people
every day. Kids who are their families are going through divorces or even sometimes when they're
blending families together. Those can be very nuanced, complicated issues. And sometimes
having a therapist to help bridge the gap, help increase and develop better communication
is really helpful. Thanks for stopping by. Please check out our website. Give us a call. We're
happy to provide a complimentary phone consultation so you can ask all your questions. We can
provide you the answers so you feel comfortable choosing us. And
if somehow what you're asking for is outside of our scope, we're happy to provide you other resources
so you can find the referrals you need to get the help you need for you and your family. Thanks
again. My name is Kenta Tussant. This is Teen Therapy Center, and we look forward to talking
to you soon.
PRIORITIES: SCHOOL VS. CONNECTION
It’s not unusual for parents to find themselves spending hours every evening helping their kids with homework, only to feel completely frustrated by the end of it—maybe even wanting to bang their heads against the wall! If your child is struggling, it might be time to consider whether they need accommodations. But before diving into that, let’s step back and ask a bigger question: Do you want to prioritize your child’s performance in school, or your relationship with them?
You can do both, but it’s worth asking yourself which is more important. Your child’s self-esteem and sense of identity are deeply shaped by how they feel in their relationship with you. If they constantly feel like they’re letting you down, school is going to become even more of a battle, and that can affect their entire educational journey.
IT’S NOT WHAT, IT’S HOW
Is the material they’re learning in 4th grade important? Sure. But nothing in their homework is so crucial that it can’t be learned later. What’s truly irreplaceable is the bond you share. If your child feels supported, loved, and appreciated by you as they grow, it will be much easier for them to love and appreciate themselves. They’ll be more likely to come to you when they face bigger challenges down the road.
Final though: try not to get caught up in the “my kid needs straight A’s so they can get into Harvard” mindset. Success is more about how they approach learning, not necessarily which school they end up at. Your role in shaping their attitude toward school and life is far more influential than any grade they receive or college they attend.
Clinical Director Kent Toussaint answers your parenting questions every Wednesday at 12:00pm in our weekly segment Tips On Teens on Facebook Live. Have questions about parenting kids and teens? Send them to: TipsOnTeens@TeenTherapyCenter.com. We love to hear from you!
Head on over to our Facebook page every Wednesday at 12:00pm to watch LIVE! Check out our page here – https://www.facebook.com/TeenTherapyCenter/
If you have more questions or would like more information, please contact our Clinical Director, Kent Toussaint at 818.697.8555.