Therapy for Adolescents & Teens in Naples, Florida
Growing Up Has Never Been Simple. Today, It's a Whole Different Conversation.
Therapy for Adolescents & Teens in Naples, Florida
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Adolescence is a remarkable period of growth.
It’s also a time when young people are navigating expectations, relationships, responsibilities, and decisions that can feel increasingly complicated.
They’re figuring out who they are.
Learning how to manage friendships.
Developing independence.
Making decisions that begin to shape their futures.
And doing all of this while navigating a world that looks very different from the one their parents grew up in.
As a parent, you want to offer guidance.
You want to help them make thoughtful decisions, develop confidence, and learn from their experiences.
But sometimes, even the most supportive parents recognize that their teenager may benefit from having another trusted adult to talk to.
Not because something is wrong. Because growing up is a process, and no one has to figure it all out alone.
They're Growing Up. And Your Relationship With Them Is Changing, Too.
There was a time when your child came to you with almost everything.
Questions.
Concerns.
Stories about their day.
And then, seemingly overnight, the conversations began to change.
Perhaps they’re becoming more private.
Maybe they’re questioning your advice or wanting to make decisions independently.
Or perhaps you’re finding it more difficult to understand what’s happening in their world.
You want to respect their growing independence while still providing the guidance and support they need.
But how do you know when to step in and when to step back?
How do you encourage independence while helping them develop sound judgment?
And how do you maintain a meaningful connection as your relationship evolves?
These are questions many parents face during adolescence.
Therapy can offer young people an opportunity to explore their experiences while developing skills that support greater confidence, communication, and independence.
Preparing for More Than the Next Exam
Academic success is important.
But preparing adolescents for adulthood involves more than grades, extracurricular activities, and college applications.
It also means helping them learn how to organize their responsibilities, manage competing priorities, navigate relationships, and make thoughtful decisions.
Perhaps your teenager is bright and capable but struggles with time management or following through on assignments.
Maybe they’re preparing for high school and feeling uncertain about the transition.
Or perhaps college is approaching, and you’re wondering whether they’re ready for the independence that comes with it.
How will they manage their time when no one is reminding them what needs to be done?
How will they navigate difficult conversations with roommates, friends, or professors?
And how will they respond when things don’t go according to plan?
These are skills that develop through experience, guidance, and opportunities to practice.
Our goal isn’t simply to help adolescents succeed academically. It’s to help them develop the skills and confidence to navigate life beyond the classroom.
Experience That Extends Beyond the Therapy Office
I’m Janessa Borges, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 23 years of clinical experience, including over a decade working in schools.
My graduate education at New York University, combined with my experience working with young people and families, has given me a deep appreciation for the challenges adolescents face as they navigate academics, friendships, relationships, and growing independence.
And as a mom myself, I understand that parenting during these years brings its own questions.
You want to give your children the freedom to grow while knowing when to step in, when to offer guidance, and when to allow them to find their own way.
I bring these perspectives into my work with adolescents and their families, recognizing that every young person has their own personality, strengths, challenges, and experiences.
My goal isn’t to change who your teenager is. It’s to help them develop the skills, awareness, and confidence to navigate the person they’re becoming.
The Stakes Change as They Grow
New Chapters. New Challenges.
Middle school can suddenly make friendships feel like the center of the universe.
High school raises the academic pressure while adding sports, activities, dating, driving, work, and questions about the future.
Then junior and senior year arrive and everyone starts asking:
Where are you going to college?
For some students, that’s exciting.
For others, the pressure underneath that question is enormous.
And getting into college is only one transition.
Then they have to go.
Manage their own schedule.
Talk to professors.
Live with other people.
Make decisions without calling home first.
Handle disappointment.
Choose friends wisely.
Know when to ask for help.
Figure out who they are when the structure they’ve known their entire life suddenly changes.
A student can be academically ready for a highly selective university and still be unprepared for the independence that comes with it.
That’s why this work isn’t simply about achievement.
It’s about helping them become someone who can handle achievement.
Friendships, Relationships, and Finding Their Own Voice
Friendships. Dating. Confidence.
The social world of adolescence can be complicated.
Friendships change.
Social expectations evolve.
Romantic relationships introduce unfamiliar emotions and experiences.
And the desire to belong can sometimes make it difficult for young people to recognize or communicate their own needs.
Perhaps your teenager is struggling to navigate a friendship that no longer feels healthy.
Maybe they’re having difficulty speaking up for themselves.
Or perhaps they’re learning how to balance their desire for independence with the expectations of family, friends, and school.
Therapy offers an opportunity to explore these experiences, understand relationship dynamics, and develop greater confidence in communicating with others.
We can talk about boundaries, healthy friendships, dating, peer pressure, and the importance of recognizing what respectful relationships look like.
Because learning how to build healthy relationships during adolescence can influence how young people approach relationships well into adulthood.
Therapy for Adolescents & Teens in Naples, Florida
I provide private-pay therapy for adolescents and teens in Naples, Florida, with secure online sessions available when clinically appropriate and permitted by applicable laws.
Common areas of focus include executive functioning, organization, time management, ADHD-related challenges, self-confidence, friendships, communication, healthy relationships, and transitions from middle school through college.
Because every adolescent’s needs are different, an initial appointment helps determine whether my approach is an appropriate fit.
Who I Work Best With
My work is best suited for adolescents, high school students, and college students who are generally functioning safely but could benefit from additional support navigating the pressures and transitions of growing up.
Often, these are bright, thoughtful, capable young people dealing with anxiety, academic pressure, perfectionism, organization, confidence, friendships, relationships, communication, executive-functioning challenges, or a major transition.
My practice is not designed for active suicidal ideation, self-harm, substance-use disorders, significant behavioral or conduct concerns, bipolar disorder, borderline personality disorder, or concerns requiring crisis stabilization or a higher level of care.
Situations involving abuse or significant trauma may also require more specialized treatment depending on the circumstances.
If I believe your child needs a different specialty or level of support, I’ll tell you.
Finding the right care matters more than simply becoming my client.
Confidence Isn't About Having All the Answers
It’s about developing the ability to navigate situations when the answers aren’t immediately clear.
Adolescents are constantly encountering new experiences.
Some are exciting.
Others are uncomfortable.
And many require them to make decisions without fully understanding the consequences.
Perhaps your teenager is hesitant to try something new because they’re afraid of making a mistake.
Maybe they compare themselves to their peers or question whether they’re doing enough.
Or perhaps they struggle with disappointment when things don’t unfold as expected.
Therapy can help adolescents explore these experiences, develop greater self-awareness, and build confidence in their ability to make thoughtful decisions.
Not by eliminating uncertainty.
But by helping them become more comfortable navigating it.
A Collaborative Approach That Respects Your Teenager's Independence
When I work with an adolescent or teenager, I see the relationship as a team.
Parents know their child in ways I never will. Your perspective, observations, and concerns matter, and there will be times when your involvement is important to the work.
At the same time, one of the most important parts of successful therapy is allowing your child to develop trust in the therapeutic relationship.
They need to know that therapy is a place where they can speak honestly without assuming that everything they say will immediately be repeated at home.
That can be difficult as a parent.
We’re accustomed to being involved in nearly every part of our children’s lives — particularly when we’re the ones arranging, supporting, and paying for their care.
But in my experience, therapy is most effective when parents are able to trust me to do my job, knowing that I will involve them when it is clinically appropriate or necessary.
I do not routinely provide session-by-session reports, therapy summaries, or psychotherapy notes to parents.
That privacy is intentional.
It allows your child to build a genuine therapeutic relationship while knowing there is still a responsible adult monitoring their well-being and involving you when it truly matters.
The younger the child, the more collaboration we may naturally have. As children move through adolescence and into young adulthood, that balance changes.
We’ll discuss expectations clearly before treatment begins so that you, your child, and I understand how we’ll work together.
Confidentiality is not about excluding parents.
It’s about creating the trust necessary for therapy to work.
In Their Own Words
Choosing a therapist is personal. Hear directly from clients who’ve shared their experiences of working with me.
You Can't Make Every Decision for Them. But You Can Help Them Learn How to Make Their Own.
Let’s Get Started
Growing up involves making mistakes, navigating uncertainty, and learning from experience.
As parents, we naturally want to protect our children from unnecessary difficulties.
But part of preparing them for adulthood is helping them develop the confidence, judgment, and emotional awareness to navigate challenges independently.
Therapy can be one meaningful part of that process.
Frequently Asked Questions
What age range do you work with?
I work with adolescents, high school students, and college students. Fit depends on the young person’s developmental level, concerns, and treatment needs.
Do you work with high-achieving students?
Yes. Some young people who benefit most from therapy are doing exceptionally well from the outside. High-achieving students may still struggle with anxiety, perfectionism, procrastination, fear of failure, academic pressure, confidence, or balancing the expectations placed on them.
Can you help with organization and executive functioning?
Yes. Therapy can include work around planning, organization, prioritizing, time management, procrastination, follow-through, and the anxiety or perfectionism that may be making those areas more difficult.
Can you help my child prepare for high school or college?
Yes. Major school transitions often require greater independence, stronger organization, more self-advocacy, and better stress management. Therapy can help young people develop those skills before and during the transition.
Do you work with college students?
Yes. College students may seek therapy for adjustment, academic pressure, independence, relationships, roommates, anxiety, confidence, time management, decision-making, or uncertainty about what comes next.
How involved are parents?
That depends heavily on age, development, and circumstances.
Parents are an important part of the process, with adolescents and teens. As young people mature, however, appropriate privacy becomes increasingly important.
I will involve parents when it is clinically helpful or necessary, while also protecting the therapeutic relationship your child needs in order to speak honestly and engage meaningfully in the work.
Will you tell me what my child talks about in therapy?
Generally, no.
I take confidentiality very seriously. I do not routinely provide parents with session summaries, psychotherapy notes, or detailed reports of what their child has discussed.
For therapy to be effective, a young person needs to know they can speak openly without expecting every conversation to be repeated afterward.
There are limits to confidentiality. If I become concerned about a serious risk of harm to your child, a serious risk of harm to another person, suspected abuse or neglect, or another circumstance in which disclosure is required by law, I may need to share information or take appropriate action.
We’ll discuss confidentiality and its limits before treatment begins so everyone understands the expectations.
What if I want regular updates about everything my child discusses?
Then my approach may not be the best fit for your family.
I value parental involvement and want parents to feel informed about significant concerns, treatment direction, and situations in which their involvement is important.
What I do not offer is therapy in which a child or adolescent is expected to speak confidentially with me and then have the details of those conversations routinely reported back to a parent.
Trust is central to the work.
The most successful parent-therapist relationships are usually those in which parents trust me to protect the therapeutic relationship while also trusting that I will involve them when their participation is genuinely needed.
That balance is very important to how I practice.
Does my child need to be in crisis to start therapy?
No.
Many of the young people I work with are functioning well overall.
Therapy can be helpful when a child or student would benefit from additional support, perspective, coping skills, stronger executive-functioning skills, or preparation for an important transition.
Do you accept insurance?
Naples Oceanside Wellness is a private-pay psychotherapy practice. Documentation may be available for families who would like to pursue possible out-of-network reimbursement through their insurance plan.