When school worry starts to take over
Psychiatric care for teens 13 to 17 whose worry about grades, friends or the future is getting in the way.
Book a Free 15-Minute Consult
When the Pressure Spills Over
If you are the parent of a teen between 13 and 17, and worry about school has started to spill into everything else, this page is for you. It might be grades, tests, friends, college or the future, or a dread your teen can't quite name.
Some stress before a big test is part of being a student. It can be worth a closer look when worry shows up as stomachaches before school, trouble sleeping on school nights, tears over homework, or more and more mornings when your teen can't face going in.
Anxiety in teens can travel with low mood, OCD or something that happened. That is why I look at the whole picture, at home and at school, rather than the worry alone. The plan is built around your teen, not a checklist.
What You Might Hear at Home
- I feel sick every morning before school.
- If I fail this test, my whole future is ruined.
- She's in tears over homework most nights.
- He's missed more school this term than all of last year.
Whether these words come from your teen or from you, they are worth taking seriously.
What the Evaluation Looks At
Worry about school can follow a teen home, so the evaluation looks at more than grades.
The Worry Itself
What your teen worries about, how often, and whether it stays tied to school or has spread to friends, family and the future.
Body Signs
Stomachaches, headaches, a racing heart or poor sleep, especially on school nights or before tests and presentations.
Avoiding School
Mornings that turn into battles, missed days, skipped classes, or trips to the nurse's office to get away from the dread.
Perfectionism and Pressure
High standards that never feel met, fear of letting people down, and a schedule with no room left to rest.
Honest Expectations
I won't promise that school will stop being stressful, because some stress comes with being a student. What we work toward is worry that takes up less of your teen's day, a plan that makes sense at home and at school, and regular check-ins so we can adjust as the year goes on.
How quickly anything changes is different for every teen, and I won't put a date on it. Your teen deserves to be taken seriously, and you deserve a plan you can understand, follow and ask questions about.
How Care Starts
Bring your questions about how a teen's first visit works. We go over them at the consult.
- 1
Free 15-Minute Consult
A short phone conversation about how school has been going for your teen, with time for the questions on your mind.
- 2
Initial Evaluation
60 to 90 minutes, in person at the Minot office or by telehealth, looking at the worry, the body signs and what school days are really like.
- 3
Follow-Up Sessions
30 to 45 minutes to review how school and home are going, check how any medication is working, and adjust the plan, including any CBT or DBT skills.
Fees in Brief
The consult is free and takes 15 minutes. From there, your teen's initial evaluation is $300 and each follow-up is $125.
- Consult
- $0
- 15 min
- Evaluation
- $300
- 60 to 90 min
- Follow-up
- $125
- 30 to 45 min
Questions About Teen Anxiety and School
Is this just normal school stress?
Some nerves come with school. When worry starts to shape mornings, sleep or attendance, it deserves a closer look, and the evaluation helps us understand what is going on.
Does my teen have to miss school for appointments?
Evening appointments are available on request. They can make it easier to fit care around classes and activities.
What else do you see teens for?
Along with anxiety, I see teens for depression, trauma and OCD, which can overlap with school worry. The evaluation helps untangle them.
Worried about how school is going?
A free 15-minute consult is a simple place to start, and you can ask anything you want to know.
Book a Free 15-Minute Consult