“Bradley never talked down to my son, and he told us plainly what he would and would not share with us. We both felt we had a seat.”
Kiesha R.Parent of a 15-year-old
A steady place for your teen to talk
Therapy for teens aged 12 to 17, and for the parents who love them. Sessions are 50 minutes, in San Francisco or by video, at a pace your teen can live with.
LCSW
Licensed in California12 to 17
Ages we seeParents
Part of the plan
A parent might be here because…
These things are common, and you do not need a diagnosis or a label to ask for help.
Your teen has stopped telling you about their day
School mornings have turned into a daily standoff
Friends, sleep or grades have changed and you are not sure why
You worry, and you can't tell when worry should become a call
A move, a divorce or a loss has changed things at home
You want support for your teen, and for yourself as their parent
I talk with teens as people, and with parents as partners
I'm Bradley Marlowe, a licensed clinical social worker who sees teens aged 12 to 17 and their parents, one to one and together.
Tend is a solo practice in San Francisco. I meet the parents first, then your teen, and I say plainly what stays between us and what I would share with you.
I use cognitive behavioral skills and family-focused work, and I explain each one before we use it. Your teen sets the pace of the sessions, and you are kept in the loop on how things are going.
Respect
Your teen is spoken to as a person, never as a problem.
Honesty
I tell you what I can share and what I can't, before we start.
Partnership
Parents are part of the plan, with check-ins that are short and clear.
Pace
We go at a speed your teen can live with, and we slow down when asked.
Licensed clinical social worker
Sees teens aged 12 to 17 and their parents
How I work
I believe a teen talks when they feel respected and a parent helps when they feel included. Everything I do is built around both.
A seat for each of you
Your teen and you each get your own time with me, so neither of you has to hold back.
Clear about privacy
I explain at the start what stays between your teen and me, and when I would speak to a parent.
Fits real life
Sessions run after school hours, and we plan around exams, sports and family weeks.
How we can work together
Sessions for your teen, meetings for you, and time together when it helps.
Teen therapy
Teens
One to one, 50 minutes. Your teen sets what we talk about, and we build skills for the week ahead.
Parent meetings
Parents
Time just for you, to say what worries you, to learn what helps at home and to hear how things are going.
Family sessions
Together
Sessions with your teen and the people at home, when talking together would help more than talking apart.
Anxiety and school stress
Skills
For teens who are worn down by worry, school pressure or sleep that has gone off track. We practice cognitive behavioral skills at a pace your teen chooses.
Big changes at home
Change
A move, a divorce, a new school or a loss. We make room for what has changed, for your teen and for you.
SESSION BY SESSION
How sessions work, in order
What happens with your teen and with you, so nobody is surprised.
- 01
Step 1: You write, and we meet as parents first
A parent writes to me. Our first meeting is just for the parents, 50 minutes: what worries you, what you have tried, and the consent forms.
- 02
Step 2: Your teen comes in
Your teen has the next sessions alone with me. We talk about what they want, and I explain what stays private and what I would share with you.
- 03
Step 3: Weekly sessions, with parent check-ins
Sessions are weekly for your teen, and I check in with you every few weeks, briefly, on how things are going. I do not report what your teen says.
- 04
Step 4: Family sessions, and spacing out
If it helps, we have sessions with your teen and you together. As things steady we meet less often, and you can come back whenever you like.
In parents' words
What it is like to sit in the room.
“The first meeting was just for me. I got to say everything I was worried about without my daughter hearing it, and that mattered.”
Noemi G.Parent of a 13-year-old“I was braced to be blamed. Instead I was asked what I had already tried, and what I would like to be different at home.”
Heidi B.Parent of a 16-year-old“The check-ins were short and clear. I always knew what to expect from the next session and what was my part.”
Edmond T.Parent of a 14-year-old“The office is quiet, and the hours work after school. Emails were answered plainly and kindly.”
Xiaoyan L.Parent of a 17-year-old“Our teen walked in unwilling and walked out saying it was fine. That was more than I had hoped for on the first day.”
Kara S.Parent of a 12-year-old
Sample reviews.
50 min
Teen sessions50 min
Parent meetings12 to 17
Ages we seeIn person
Or by video, for clients in California
Let's talk
Reaching out can be hard. A few words are enough, and I reply on weekdays.
Phone(415) 555-0121
Hours
- Monday – ThursdayToday
- 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.
- FridayToday
- 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Saturday and SundayToday
- Closed