School pressure and anxiety
Worry, perfectionism, procrastination, and the sense that every grade, decision, and social moment carries permanent weight.
Alireza Ehteshami, Ph.D.
Adolescent therapy · Atlanta, Georgia
Therapy for adolescents carrying more than they can easily say.
A steady, respectful space where a teenager can make sense of what they are feeling, build skills that hold up outside the office, and be taken seriously—with parents involved in ways that help.
The initial consultation is free and typically lasts 15 minutes. I will respond within 24 hours.
Pre-Licensed Professional in Clinical Psychology · Services provided under licensed supervision
Your clinician
Alireza Ehteshami, Ph.D.
I earned my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Emory University and practice at Perimeter Mood & Anxiety Program in Atlanta.
I am a Pre-Licensed Professional in Clinical Psychology, practicing under the supervision of Craig Kerley, Psy.D., Georgia license PSY002840.
The practical details
A clear first step, without a commitment.
The initial consultation is free and typically lasts 15 minutes. I will respond within 24 hours.
Parents can begin with a consultation to discuss next steps and whether my approach may be a good fit for their adolescent.
Request a free consultation- In person
- Atlanta, Georgia
- Telehealth
- For clients located in Georgia
- Payment
- Private pay · Insurance not accepted
Where therapy can begin
You may be watching your teenager struggle and wondering how much is adolescence—and how much is something more.
Parents often reach out after months of watching something shift: a teenager who has grown quieter or more explosive, grades or friendships that are slipping, tears or anger that arrive out of proportion to the moment, or a distance that no amount of asking seems to cross. Advice and reassurance may not be landing the way they once did.
Therapy gives your teen a place to think and speak without managing anyone else's reaction. It does not require a diagnosis or a tidy explanation first. We can begin with what you and your teen have each noticed and build understanding—and a plan—from there.
How therapy may help
What adolescent therapy can make room for
Adolescents rarely need convincing that something is hard. What they need is a place where the difficulty is taken seriously and something practical can be done with it.
Emotions that move fast
Anger, shutdowns, panic, or impulsive reactions that are over before anyone—including your teen—understands what happened.
Identity, friendships, and family
Figuring out who they are amid peer dynamics, social media, cultural expectations, and conflict at home that keeps repeating.
My approach
Adolescent-focused training, evidence-based tools
Teenagers do better in therapy when they are respected rather than managed.
My predoctoral internship through Emory University School of Medicine's Child, Adolescent & Young Adult Psychiatry program focused on this age group, and my clinical work has included adolescents ever since. I draw on evidence-based approaches—including DBT skills, CBT, and ACT—adapted to how a teenager actually thinks and lives, with parents involved as partners in the work.
The relationship comes first
Skills and strategies matter, but they only land inside a relationship where your teen feels genuinely respected—not evaluated, lectured, or handled.
Skills for real situations
Emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and communication skills are practiced against the actual situations your teen faces at school, online, and at home.
Parents as partners, not spectators
You receive honest communication about direction and safety, and practical guidance for the moments at home, while your teen keeps the privacy that makes therapy work.
Training & supervision
Clinical depth, applied with care.
I earned my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Emory University and completed an APA-accredited predoctoral internship through Emory University School of Medicine’s Child, Adolescent & Young Adult Psychiatry program.
I am completing a postdoctoral fellowship at Perimeter Mood & Anxiety Program. I draw from evidence-based treatments including CBT, ACT, and DBT, selecting methods according to each person’s needs rather than applying a single formula.
I am a Pre-Licensed Professional in Clinical Psychology. I provide clinical services under the supervision of Craig Kerley, Psy.D., a licensed psychologist in Georgia, license number PSY002840.
More about my background Before getting in touch
Common questions
A little more clarity before you reach out.
What if my teenager does not want to go to therapy?
Reluctance is common and workable. I do not expect a teenager to arrive enthusiastic, and early sessions are designed partly to answer their own question—whether this is a place worth talking. Many hesitant teens engage once they experience a session as their space rather than an extension of being in trouble. If your teen remains firmly opposed, the consultation can still help you think through options, including ways parents can be supported directly.
How is confidentiality handled with a minor?
At the beginning, we agree together—your teen, you, and I—on how information will be shared. Adolescents need real privacy to speak honestly, and parents need to be informed about safety and the overall direction of the work. In practice this means I keep you updated on progress and involve you when it helps, without reporting the details of sessions. If I ever have a concern about your teen's safety, you will know.
Do you offer DBT for adolescents?
Yes. I provide individual DBT-informed therapy for teens: the skills modules—mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness—taught and practiced around the situations your teen actually faces. When a comprehensive adolescent DBT program—adding a multifamily skills group, phone coaching, and a consultation team—is the better fit, that is available as well: my practice is based at the Perimeter Mood & Anxiety Program, so the fuller structure does not require starting over somewhere else.
What do the first sessions look like?
We usually begin with a brief consultation with a parent, followed by early sessions that include time with your teen alone and time with you, in a proportion that fits their age and the situation. From there, most of the work happens individually with your teen, with parent check-ins as useful. In-person sessions are in Atlanta; telehealth is available for teens located in Georgia.
Request a consultation
Begin with a brief conversation.
The initial consultation is free and typically lasts 15 minutes. I will respond within 24 hours.
Share a few scheduling details below to request an initial consultation. This form intentionally does not ask for clinical or medical information.