Teen Therapy in Malibu
Teen Therapy in Malibu with Julie Klamon, LMFT
Being a teenager is hard enough without the added weight of growing up in Malibu. Your teen may be dealing with social pressure at school, the constant comparison machine of social media, anxiety about wildfires, or the particular stress of living in a community where image and success carry outsized importance. Teen therapy in Malibu gives your adolescent a private place to talk through what is bothering them with someone who is not their parent, not their teacher, and not their friend. Just someone who is genuinely there to help.
Over more than 20 years, I have worked with teenagers who were anxious, depressed, angry, withdrawn, struggling at school, fighting with their parents, or quietly falling apart while keeping up appearances. What they all had in common was that they needed someone in their corner who would listen without an agenda. That is what I offer.
My office in Agoura Hills is about 25 minutes from Malibu via Las Virgenes Road and Malibu Canyon Road. Virtual sessions are also available and work well for many teens.
Teen Therapy for the Malibu Community
Teenagers in Malibu grow up in an environment that is unlike most of their peers across the country. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District has small campuses where everyone knows everyone. Social circles are tight, and when relationships shift, there is nowhere to hide. Many teens in the area have parents in entertainment, tech, or other high-visibility fields, which brings its own set of complications: public scrutiny, high expectations, and sometimes a blurred line between their own identity and their family's reputation.
Social media amplifies all of it. Your teen is not just comparing themselves to classmates. They are measuring their life against a curated version of reality that includes influencers, celebrities, and peers who seem to have it all figured out. Add in the residual stress of wildfire seasons and the isolation that comes with coastal living, and you have a recipe for anxiety, depression, and identity confusion that most adults around them do not fully see. Therapy gives teens a space where someone actually does see it.
My Approach to Teen Therapy
Teenagers can tell when someone is being genuine and when someone is going through the motions. I do not use scripts. I do not talk down to them. And I do not pretend to have all the answers. What I do is show up consistently, ask honest questions, and help them figure out what they think and feel about the things that are weighing on them. Over time, that process builds self-awareness, confidence, and the ability to handle hard situations without shutting down or acting out. You can read more about my general approach on my teen therapy page.
Parents are part of the process, but your teen's sessions belong to them. I will not share the details of our conversations unless there is a safety concern. What I will do is check in with you, offer guidance on how to support your teen at home, and flag anything that needs your direct attention. That balance between your teen's privacy and your need to know what is going on is something I take seriously.
Who I Work With
Teens Ages 11-18
Parents of Teens
Families
Frequently Asked Questions About Teen Therapy in Malibu
Teen therapy in Malibu addresses anxiety, depression, social pressure, identity questions, academic stress, family conflict, self-image concerns, grief, and the effects of trauma including wildfire experiences. Many teens in the Malibu area also deal with pressures related to social media, the entertainment industry, and growing up in a high-profile community. Sessions are shaped around what your teen is actually going through.
Yes. The SMMUSD high schools have small class sizes, which means social dynamics can feel especially intense. When friend groups shift or conflict arises, there is less room to find a new circle. Therapy gives your teen a place to work through social stress, build confidence, and develop skills for handling difficult interactions without feeling like everything is falling apart.
Most teens are resistant to the idea at first, and that is normal. I suggest framing it as a chance to talk to someone who is not a parent or teacher, someone who is on their side and will not judge them. Let them know they do not have to share anything they are not ready to talk about. Many teens who come in reluctantly end up finding therapy genuinely helpful once they experience what it is actually like.
Confidentiality is essential for building trust with teenagers. I will not share the details of what your teen tells me unless there is a safety concern. What I will do is keep you informed about the general direction of our work, share strategies you can use at home, and let you know if there is something that needs your attention. This balance helps your teen feel safe being honest while keeping you in the loop on what matters.
Yes. Virtual therapy works well for many teenagers, especially those who are more comfortable communicating from their own space. For Malibu families, virtual sessions also eliminate the drive through the canyon, which can make it easier to fit therapy into a busy school schedule. I offer virtual sessions to anyone located in California.
Yes. Many of the teens I see from the Malibu area have parents or family members in entertainment, or are involved in the industry themselves. The pressure to perform, to look a certain way, and to manage a public image at a young age can take a real toll on mental health. I help teens separate their sense of self-worth from external validation and build an identity that feels solid on its own terms.
In-Person and Virtual Teen Therapy Near Malibu
My office in Agoura Hills, CA 91301 is convenient for in-person teen therapy near Malibu. I also see families from the surrounding communities, including Agoura Hills, CA, Calabasas, CA, Westlake Village, CA, Topanga, CA, Woodland Hills, CA, Thousand Oaks, CA, and Oak Park, CA. Virtual therapy sessions are available to teens located anywhere within the state of California.
If your teenager is going through a rough stretch and you are not sure how to help, a conversation is a good place to start. Schedule a complimentary phone consultation and we can talk about what is going on and whether therapy would be a good fit.
CONTACT
Offering Both Virtual And In-Person Sessions