Primary clinician relationship
Weekly individual sessions
Teens work with a consistent clinician on personalized goals using CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed care.
Virtual IOP & OP · Ages 12–17 · CaliforniaIn-network insurance accepted
Verify insurance
Inside IOP · Individual sessions
Individual therapy for teens — one-on-one clinical depth
Individual therapy is the one-on-one hour inside our virtual IOP week — not a competing program. Weekly outpatient uses the same 1:1 format at a lighter pace. Group and family sessions sit alongside it.
- Joint Commission accredited
- In-network insurance
- CBT & DBT
- California telehealth
Mental Health For Teens · Portal
Starting soon
DBT Skills Group
5:00 PM · 60 min · Dr. Solis
EJMAK+2
7 participants joining
Next: Individual therapy
6:00 PM · with Dr. Solis
Care team message
“Great work on the grounding exercise — try it before tonight's session.”
Interactive preview · not real patient data
12–17
ages served
Virtual
care across CA
CBT · DBT
evidence-based care
Admissions
consult
★ Joint Commission accreditedIn-network with major insuranceCBT · DBT · Family therapyAvailable across CaliforniaConfidential admissions consult
Individual therapy
Teen individual therapy — one room in the program, not the program
At Mental Health For Teens, individual therapy is who is in the room: your teen and their clinician. IOP is how many hours that week holds. The two are not competing products. In virtual IOP, the week includes a weekly 1:1 plus groups and family work. Weekly outpatient is mostly 1:1, with group or family added when it helps. Same clinicians, different intensity. Individual, group, family, and parent coaching are session formats inside virtual IOP and weekly outpatient — not levels of care and not sold as standalone drop-in hours. You enroll in a program; clinicians decide who is in the room each week.
- ✓Licensed clinicians specializing in adolescents
- ✓CBT, DBT, and trauma-informed group therapy
- ✓Family therapy and parent coaching built in
- ✓Psychiatric consultation arranged when clinically indicated; medication stays with the licensed prescriber
- ✓Insurance verification before enrollment
- ✓Confidential admissions consult to assess fit
If weekly one-on-one is not enough, start with IOP. This page explains the individual sessions inside that program — and the lighter aftercare version after step-down.
619-354-3569→
Individual work
What teen individual therapy includes
Individual, group, family, and parent coaching are session formats inside virtual IOP and weekly outpatient — not levels of care and not sold as standalone drop-in hours. You enroll in a program; clinicians decide who is in the room each week.
Weekly individual sessionsCoordinated care
Not a siloed therapist
Coordinated care
Individual therapists coordinate with group facilitators, family clinicians, and psychiatric consultation when clinically indicated.
Session cadence
How often individual therapy meets
OP: typically weekly individual; IOP: individual plus groups — all in the Tuesday–Thursday 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm PT window.
Outpatient
1× / week typical
Tue–Thu at 5, 6, or 7 PM
IOP
Weekly 1:1
Plus groups in the same evening window
Length
60 min
Standard session
Format
Secure telehealth
California ages 12–17
Same clinician for continuity when possible.
Weekly rhythm
Evening sessions around school
Your teen's exact slots are assigned at intake from Tue / Wed / Thu at 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm PT.
Session days
Tue / Wed / Thu
Session times
5 · 6 · 7 PM
Format
Secure telehealth
Session days
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday
5pm, 6pm, and 7pm PT
Group and individual sessions — based on your care plan
1–3× / week in OPSkills homework
Optional between-session practice when clinically helpful
Practice
School · activities · rest
Other days
Monday & Friday
Full school day and normal activities without clinical blocks
SchoolWeekend
Rest and family time; optional skill practice from the week
Rest
Personalized at intake
Personalized at intake
Exact 5pm, 6pm, and 7pm slots on Tue / Wed / Thu are confirmed after you speak with admissions.
What families ask
- Most families start with one to two sessions weekly and adjust as symptoms improve.
- The same clinician follows your teen for continuity — not a rotating schedule.
- Step-down from IOP often means fewer groups and more individual focus.
Schedules adjust as teens step down or need more support.
Why individual therapy works
One-on-one depth with team support
Confidential depth
Space for trauma, identity, and safety work one-on-one.
Continuity
Same individual clinician week to week when possible.
Team backup
Group and family modalities support individual goals.
Aftercare path
Step down to weekly individual after IOP.
Individual therapy fit
Teens who need dedicated one-on-one work
Individual therapy suits adolescents needing confidential clinical depth — within OP or IOP enrollment.
Often a good fit for IOP
Teens who need privacy to discuss sensitive topics
Aftercare after IOP with reduced frequency
Adolescents with trauma needing gradual individual processing
Teens in OP who aren't ready for groups
Not the right level
Families wanting individual-only care with no program enrollment — we coordinate modalities
Crises requiring 911/988
Needs exceeding outpatient individual frequency — consider IOP
Individual within programs
Individual therapy in IOP and weekly outpatient
Virtual IOP includes weekly individual sessions plus groups and family. Weekly outpatient is typically one to three 1:1 sessions — the same format, fewer hours, same team.
Level of care
Outpatient therapy
1–3 sessions weekly for teens who need ongoing support without intensive structure.
Level of care
Virtual IOP
9–12 clinical hours weekly when symptoms need more structure — delivered by telehealth across California.
Level of care
Residential / inpatient
When 24/7 monitoring is required, we refer to trusted partners and plan step-down care.
Getting started
From first call to first session
Most families move from first call to first session within days — not weeks of waiting.
Speak with admissions
A confidential call with our admissions team to understand your teen and answer questions. It is not a clinical evaluation.
Clinical assessment
A licensed clinician evaluates safety, functioning, and the right level of care — including insurance authorization support.
Personalized care plan
If you move forward, a licensed clinician completes the clinical assessment. We match the level of care and verify insurance benefits.
Begin individual therapy
Many families can begin within five to seven business days when virtual care is clinically appropriate, program capacity is available, and insurance authorization is complete.
Individual + program
Individual therapy inside a program vs lone therapist
A single outpatient therapist vs individual sessions backed by group, family, and step-up options.
| Weekly therapyUsually weekly | Virtual IOPFrequency based on level of care |
|---|---|
| Care team | |
| Solo provider | Coordinated IOP/OP team |
| Step-up | |
| New referral | IOP without changing clinicians |
| Family work | |
| Separate referral | Integrated |
| Groups | |
| Not available | Available in IOP |
| Insurance auth | |
| Per session | Program-level support |
| Aftercare | |
| Find new therapist | Step down in same practice |
| Safety planning | |
| Variable | Team-based monitoring |
Conditions we treat
Individual therapy supports teens facing real challenges
Teen anxiety
Panic, worry, school avoidance, and social anxiety that interfere with daily life.
Teen depression
Persistent low mood, numbness, withdrawal, and loss of interest.
Trauma & PTSD
Processing painful experiences in a trauma-informed virtual setting.
Self-harm concerns
Structured support and safety planning when self-injury is part of the picture.
School refusal
Gradual re-entry planning alongside anxiety and mood treatment.
Emotional dysregulation
DBT-informed skills for intense emotions and impulsive reactions.
Insurance & admissions
We verify benefits before your teen starts — no surprise bills
Our admissions team handles authorization and explains estimated out-of-pocket costs in plain language before enrollment.
In-network with major California plans
Authorization support included
Transparent cost conversation before day one
Superbill assistance for out-of-network cases when applicable
In-network carriers include
Aetna
Cigna
Optum
Blue Shield of CA
Magellan
+ more
Don't see your plan? We also support out-of-network cases with superbills — we'll explain options when you speak with admissions.
Family stories
What parents say about virtual care
“I didn't have to miss work or pull her out of school. Care fit into our lives, and she finally started talking again.”
Related reading
More on IOP & teen care
Service guide
Virtual IOP
The program that includes individual, group, and family sessions.
Read moreService guide
Group therapy
Peer skills groups inside the same IOP week.
Read moreService guide
Family therapy
Teen plus caregivers — another session type in the program.
Read moreService guide
Weekly outpatient
Lighter pace when IOP hours are not the fit — still 1:1 first.
Read moreFAQ
Common questions
No. Individual therapy is a session format inside virtual IOP or weekly outpatient. You enroll in a level of care; clinicians assign the 1:1 hour. We don't sell standalone individual sessions disconnected from a program.
Those are the other rooms in the same program. Individual is teen plus clinician. Group is peers plus a clinician. Family includes caregivers. IOP uses all three in a typical week.
Typically weekly individual sessions plus groups and family work as part of the 9–12 hour week.
Yes with standard safety exceptions. Parents receive general updates via family sessions — not session-by-session details.
Prefer to talk with someone?
Consultations are free and confidential.
Ask about individual therapy for your teen
Book a free consultation for OP or IOP with individual therapy at the core.