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sarah matus, lcsw
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." - Maya Angelou
All parents need to repeatedly reconnect with their teens, just to repair the the daily erosion created by life's normal distractions and separations. We need to rethink the old metaphor of separating from our teens and replace it with the concept of extension. That is, during adolescence, teenagers need to extend away from their parents, all the while staying connected to their parents. Their job is to extend; our job as parents is to connect.
accepted insurances
Anthem
Blue Cross Blue Shield
Cigna
Husky
Medicaid
specialties
Depression
Symptoms of depression in adolescents aren’t always easy to identify because they often appear as normal adolescent behavior. Mindfulness is a treatment method, as is cognitive behavior therapy, proven to reduce symptoms of depression through understanding of how thoughts, feelings, and behavior are connected while being aware and fully in the present moment.
Anxiety
All teens experience some amount of anxiety at times. Anxiety is actually a normal reaction to stress, and sometimes it helps teens deal with tense or overwhelming situations.
Trauma and PTSD
Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope. EMDR therapy has been used with children and adolescents with a wide variety of emotional and psychological problems.
adolescent skills & support
Is your teen suffering from depression, anxiety, poor social skills? Come check out my teen group designed specifically for the adolescent ages 14 - 18. Our focus is on building support and learning new skills to help navigate the challenges of adolescence, including mood swings, social/peer struggles, depression, anxiety, and more.
I excel at partnering with high-risk teens, tweens, and their families who are struggling with anxiety, hopelessness, feeling socially awkward. Group meets every other Tuesday from 7 - 8 p.m. in my West Hartford office.
Insurance is accepted: Husky, Anthem, Cigna. Group fee is $50 if self-pay or out or network.