Dylan Spradlin, MA, MSW, LCSW, LICSW (they/them)
Neurodivergent-Affirming Therapy for Teens
Online Therapy in Washington and Montana for sensitive, intense, anxious, grieving, or big-feeling youth who need care that actually fits.
When your child is struggling, the whole family feels it.
Maybe your teen is holding it together at school and falling apart at home.
Maybe they are anxious, angry, shut down, perfectionistic, exhausted, grieving, masking, avoiding, panicking, refusing, or trying very hard to look like they are fine.
Maybe they melt down over something that looks small from the outside but clearly is not small in their body. Maybe they cannot get started, cannot stop, cannot sleep, cannot face school, or cannot explain what is wrong without getting more upset.
You may have tried promises of a new phone—or threats of taking the phone away. Reassurance in the gentle, calm voice your therapist has nurtured in you, balanced with the logic-iest logic. School conferences with teachers. Advice from popular podcasts, Instagram reels, and bestselling authors.
And asking them what is going on in every tone of voice you can think of, hoping one of them will finally reach them.
Some of it may have helped a little.
Some of it may have made things worse.
Your teen is not broken. And you are not overreacting for wanting support.
Your teen may want it, too.
They may even be reading this with you. Hi, if you are.
Their behavior is communicating something. Therapy can help us listen.
Therapy that does not ask your child to become smaller.
I provide neurodivergent-affirming therapy for teens and older preteens who need care that fits how their nervous system actually works.
I do not treat sensitivity, intensity, ADHD, autism, AuDHD, PDA traits, grief, anxiety, shutdown, or big emotions as problems to erase.
We work to understand what is happening underneath the behavior, build self-understanding, support regulation and self-trust, and create more room for safety, expression, and repair.
This is not about making your teen easier to manage.
It is about helping them feel more connected to themselves—and more supported in the relationships that matter.
What Sessions Can Actually Be Like
Teen therapy does not have to mean sitting upright on a couch, making eye contact, and explaining your feelings in complete sentences.
Your teen can move, fidget, draw, look away, sit on the floor, walk outside, use objects in their room, show me their pet, listen to music, turn the camera off for a while, or talk about something sideways before they are ready to talk about the actual thing.
We may use conversation, art, music, storytelling, metaphor, humor, body awareness, nervous-system education, games, or whatever helps your teen stay present without feeling like they are being interrogated by an adult with a clipboard.
Because sessions are virtual, your teen gets to be in their own space. That can make it easier to show what real life actually looks like—not just the cleaned-up version they think they are supposed to bring to therapy.
I also include parent support, because teens do not heal in isolation from the relationships and environments they live inside.
Teen therapy may help with:
Anxiety, fears, worries, avoidance, or panic
Big emotions, anger, meltdowns, shutdown, or burnout
ADHD, autism, AuDHD, PDA traits, or sensory sensitivity
Perfectionism, shame, people-pleasing, or fear of disappointing others
Grief, loss, divorce, family change, or major transitions
School stress, masking, social overwhelm, or difficulty attending
Naming needs, boundaries, feelings, or asking for help
Ruptures in connection with parents or caregivers
Stressful or traumatic experiences that are still showing up in the body or behavior
Your child is not too much.
They may be overwhelmed.
They may be sensitive.
They may be communicating through behavior because words are not available yet, not safe yet, or not enough yet.
And yes, they may also be making everyone in the house feel a little too much sometimes.
Therapy can help your teen feel more understood, more connected to themselves, and more supported by the adults around them.
And it can help you feel less alone in trying to understand what they need.
Parent involvement
Parents and caregivers are part of the work.
Depending on your teen’s age, needs, and comfort, this may include parent check-ins, parent sessions, brief updates, or support around how to respond at home without escalating shame, fear, or disconnection.
At the same time, teens need a space that is actually theirs. I do not give parents a play-by-play of what is discussed in session. I may share general themes, progress, or ways you can support your teen, but the details of their private conversations belong to them.
The exception is safety. If I am concerned that your teen may be at risk of harming themselves, someone else, or is otherwise unsafe, I will involve you, with them, and we will make a plan together.
This does not mean you have to do everything perfectly. It means you get support, too.
And, frankly, sometimes you need a place to say, “I love this kid more than anything, and I have absolutely no idea what to do right now,” without someone handing you a sticker chart.
Ready to Begin?
Start with a free virtual consultation.
We’ll talk about what is happening, what kind of support you are looking for, and whether virtual youth therapy feels like the right fit for your child and family.
You do not need to have the whole story organized before we talk.
FAQS
Common Questions About Teen Therapy
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II primarily work with teens and older preteens when virtual therapy is a good clinical fit.
Because sessions are online, your teen needs to be able to use a tablet, phone, or laptop with some independence, follow links, and reconnect if the connection drops. They do not need to sit still, make perfect eye contact, or “perform therapy correctly.” We will decide together whether virtual therapy feels appropriate for your teen and family.
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Yes. I provide neurodivergent-affirming therapy for ADHD, autistic, AuDHD, PDA-profile, gifted, sensory-sensitive, anxious, intense, and otherwise big-feeling teens.
I do not use approaches that try to make neurodivergent teens appear more “normal” at the cost of their wellbeing. The goal is more self-understanding, regulation, connection, and support that actually fits.
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Teen therapy may help with anxiety, shutdown, school stress, masking, grief, big emotions, perfectionism, sensory overwhelm, identity questions, parent-child conflict, social stress, burnout, or feeling misunderstood.
We look underneath the behavior or symptoms to understand what your teen’s nervous system may be trying to communicate.
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Parents are part of the work, but not in a way that takes over your teen’s space.
Depending on your teen’s age, needs, comfort, and consent, parent involvement may include check-ins, separate parent sessions, support around what is happening at home, or help understanding how to respond with more steadiness and connection.
Confidentiality is still a priority with teen clients, and we can discuss the limits of what this looks like. -
Virtual teen therapy does not have to look like sitting still and staring into a screen.
Your teen can move, draw, fidget, look away, sit on the floor, use objects in their room, show me their pet, take movement breaks, or turn the camera off when needed. Sessions may include talking, creativity, nervous system education, playfulness, reflection, or simply following what helps your teen feel safe enough to show up.
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Honestly, that depends.
Some teens are hesitant because therapy has felt awkward, forced, shaming, pointless, or like yet another adult trying to fix them. We can usually work with hesitation if there is at least a little willingness to try.
They do not have to be thrilled about therapy. Most people are not lining up outside in a party hat.
But if your teen is firmly opposed, therapy may not be the right starting place. Parent support can still help you understand what is happening and respond differently at home.
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No. I do not provide therapy in high-conflict custody cases or situations where therapy may become part of ongoing legal or court-related disputes.
My role is to support the emotional wellbeing of the teen within the therapeutic relationship, not to provide custody evaluations, parenting plan recommendations, expert testimony, or litigation support.
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Virtual teen therapy is not a crisis service or a substitute for a higher level of care.
If your teen is actively suicidal, self-harming, at risk of harming others, unable to stay safe, or needing frequent support between sessions to get through the day, your family deserves more immediate and local care than this format can provide.
That does not mean your teen is “too much.” It means the situation needs a wider net, such as a crisis team, emergency evaluation, intensive outpatient program, wraparound services, or an ongoing local therapist.