Behavioral Health Coaching for a Seattle Teen: Why would a Teen Want a Behavioral Health Coach Instead of a Therapist?

“Why would I get a coach for life coach for my kid or teen when I could have a therapist?”

This is a question I hear all of the time, and it’s totally valid. Washington state teens and parents have a lot of options for therapists now and therapists are great for a lot of people. Having a therapist means they have a masters level education with continuing education credits, and it is true coach isn’t required to have any of that. However, life coaches and behavioral health coaches for teens have MUCH more flexibility than traditional therapists. Teen life coaches and teen behavioral health coaches can meet your teen where they are both figuratively AND LITERALLY! We aren’t bound by office walls and state borders.

As Seattle a teen life coach and teen behavioral health coach, I can accompany teens and parents to IEP meetings, meet with teens in non-traditional locations (walking around Green Lake, getting coffee or having a slice of pizza…), and, most importantly, I can “follow” a teen to college.

Recently, I had a long time teen client transition to a college overseas. As a coach, I have been able to continue supporting with him virtually. In fact, he told me the other day, “it’s so nice to see a familiar face once a week. It’s been lonely here with the language difference but I don’t want my parents worrying that I’m not happy. I just want someone I can talk to about this college transition being harder than I thought it would be.” While he might just see our meetings as a way to show off his campus and dorm to a familiar face, what is actually happening is far more. Underneath all of this is substantive coaching conversations about college cafeteria nutrition (eating pizza every night for dinner might taste good but does it make you feel good?), academic performance, what a healthy romantic relationship looks and feels like, and even how to make new friends in a different country.

At Grimalkin Counseling, families don’t have to choose between the flexibility of a coach and the depth of experience associated with a seasoned helping professional.

I bring 20 years of experience working with teenagers, including work as a teacher, licensed therapist, and drug and alcohol counselor (SUDPT). I also continue to pursue education related to adolescents, behavioral health, relationships, and the challenges young people face.

When I provide coaching, the service remains coaching—not psychotherapy. But my clinical and Masters of Social Work with a therapeutic and trauma focused background shape how I listen, recognize concerns, maintain boundaries, and help families determine when another type of support may be needed.

If you are a Seattle-area parent looking for a teen life coach—or a teen thinking about college, independence, and what comes next—an experienced behavioral-health coach can provide support that grows with you through high school, college, and the transition into adulthood.