Adolescent Psychotherapy | Trusted by Santa Monica Families for 40+ Years
Your teen is struggling with anxiety, depression, or pulling away from everything that used to matter. Dr. Sally Hackman, with 40+ years of clinical experience, gives adolescents a judgment-free space to start healing. Leave a message, and she will respond within 24 hours.
First visit is free if you choose not to continue.
#1 | Top-Rated Therapist in Santa Monica
What It Looks Like When Your Teenager Has Someone They Trust
Nearly 50% of adolescents in the US face a mental health condition by age 18, and most of them get very good at hiding it from the people closest to them. Your teen answers “I’m fine” on autopilot and disappears into their room before you can ask anything else. That door closes a little earlier every night, and the silence on the other side gets harder to explain away.
For years, Dr. Sally Hackman has been the person Santa Monica teenagers finally open up to. She has sat with teens carrying anxiety, depression, peer struggles, family changes, and grief they did not know how to name. Adolescent psychotherapy with her looks different for every teenager because she listens before she leads.
Your child deserves someone who earns their trust before asking them to change. Adolescent therapy with Dr. Sally gives them exactly that: a relationship where being honest actually feels safe.
Adolescent Psychotherapy Services for Every Struggle
No matter what your teen is facing, the right support exists here.
DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, AND MOOD CHANGES
Your teen snaps at everyone one moment and goes completely silent the next. The mood swings feel unpredictable, but they are not random. Together, Dr. Sally and your teenager trace what is driving those shifts so the cycle loses its grip.
PEER RELATIONSHIPS AND SOCIAL ANXIETY
Social anxiety in a teenager is not shyness. It is the feeling that every room is watching and every word could go wrong. In session, your teen begins to understand where that fear started, so it no longer dictates their choices.
SCHOOL PROBLEMS
Your teenager used to care about school, but now they barely open a textbook, and every conversation about it turns into a fight. What looks like apathy is usually something deeper, and Dr. Sally works to uncover what is making it impossible for your teen to show up.
DEVELOPMENTAL LAGS
Not every teenager hits the same milestones at the same time, and the distance between your teen and their peers can feel isolating. Through developmental therapy, your child is met where they actually are and supported forward gently.
COMPLIANCE WITH AUTHORITY
When a teenager fights every rule, the real struggle is usually not about the rule at all. Compliance solutions with Dr. Sally help your family understand what is underneath the conflict so you can rebuild trust together.
DIVORCE OR DEATH OF A PARENT
A teenager processing divorce issues or the loss of a parent carries grief that most people do not know how to reach. In the middle of all that pain, she gives your teen permission to feel all of it without being told to move on before they are ready.
ILLNESS IN THE FAMILY
Your teenager watches someone they love go through treatment and carries the weight of it without telling a soul. They learn to read the room, hide their fear, and keep showing up like nothing is wrong. Here, they do not have to be brave for anyone else.
LIFE TRANSITIONS
Moving to a new school, parents separating, and a friend group that fell apart. When too many changes occur at once, a teenager can lose their sense of who they are. Therapy for life transitions helps them hold onto themselves through all of it.
Your Teenager Does Not Have To Wait To Feel Better
Leave a message, and we’ll get back to you within 24 hours.
What Changes When Your Teen Gets The Right Help
- Finally, understand what is driving your teenager’s anxiety and withdrawal
- Stop the cycle of silence and fighting at home
- Watch your teen rebuild friendships they walked away from
- See school performance stabilize as the emotional weight lifts
- Help your teenager handle pressure without shutting down
- Process grief, divorce, and family changes in a safe space
- Restore the connection between you and your teen
- Build lasting confidence and self-awareness through adolescent psychotherapy.
How The Process Works
Step 1: Make Contact
Call (747) 243-4897 or complete the form on this page. We respond within 24 hours to hear about your teenager and schedule the first session.
Step 2: Your Teen's First Session
This is their space, as Dr. Sally neither pushes nor interrogates. She meets your teenager where they are and begins building trust that makes real conversation possible. If your teen chooses not to come back, you will not be charged.
Step 3: A Plan Built Around Your Teen
Dr. Sally creates a plan shaped by who your teenager actually is. She draws on psychoanalytic insight, attachment theory, cognitive-behavioral techniques, and relational approaches, depending on what your teen responds to.
Step 4: Sessions That Build Over Time
Teenagers do not open up all at once, and real progress takes patience. Sessions are available in person at her Santa Monica office or via Zoom, Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 7:30 PM.
Parents Who Watched Their Teenager Come Back
I lived with social anxiety for more than 10 years. It was absolute hell. I was terrified of what people thought of me, and it controlled every decision I made. Thanks to Dr. Sally Hackman and her methods, I finally learned to stop being afraid. She gave me my confidence back.
After almost twenty years of marriage, I didn’t think my relationship with my wife could recover. Everything I said felt like an insult to her. With last hopes, we visited Dr. Sally Hackman. She helped us realize we can only be happy when we’re truly together. She saved our marriage.
When I lost my mom, I didn’t know how to function. I smiled at work and cried alone at night. Dr. Sally Hackman gave me a safe space to grieve without judgment. She helped me understand that healing doesn’t mean forgetting. I finally feel like I can breathe again.
Grief hit me harder than I ever expected. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, couldn’t see a future. Dr. Sally Hackman never rushed me. She walked beside me at my own pace and helped me find meaning again. I’m not the same person I was. I’m stronger.
Why Families Trust Her With Their Teenagers
Finding the right therapist for your teenager might be the most important decision you make this year.
- PhD in Clinical Child Psychology
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (License #MFC29541)
- Advanced psychoanalytic psychotherapy training
- Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA Medical School
- 40+ years of experience working with adolescents
- Treatment designed around each individual teen
- In-person and Zoom sessions available
- Confidential, individualized care for every teen
Your Teenager Does Not Have To Figure This Out Alone
One session of adolescent mental health therapy with Dr. Sally Hackman can be the start of everything turning around.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if my teenager needs therapy?
You know your child better than anyone. If something feels off, trust that feeling. Withdrawal, mood swings, falling grades, or constant conflict at home are all signs worth paying attention to. Dr. Sally can help you figure out whether therapy is the right step.
What if my teenager does not want to go?
Resistance is normal with teens. Dr. Sally does not force the process. She earns trust slowly, and many teenagers who were reluctant at first become the ones who look forward to coming.
Will I know what my teen talks about in sessions?
Dr. Sally Hackman keeps your teenager’s sessions strictly confidential. The only exception is a concern about immediate safety, which she will always discuss with you directly.
How long does adolescent therapy usually take?
Every teenager moves at their own pace. Some feel a shift within a few sessions, while others need longer before the deeper work begins. Dr. Sally Hackman never rushes the process.
What happens during the first session?
The first session is about creating a safe space. Dr. Sally listens and begins to understand your teen as a whole person. If your teenager decides not to return, there is no charge for that visit.