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Our Therapists › Sarah Taetzsch
Sarah Taetzsch, LPCTherapist for teens and young adults in Wheaton, Illinois
A safe place for teens and young adults, roughly 10 to 27, to set things down. I help with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, and the pressure of figuring out what comes next, in person in Wheaton or online across Illinois.
Licensed Professional Counselor · Illinois LPC 178.032810
Is your teen struggling, or are you stuck at the starting line?
Watching your teenager struggle is one of the most helpless feelings there is. School and friendships have become too much, every decision seems impossible, and you may be seeing them pull away or hurt in ways that scare you.
And if you are the teen reading this, everything feels like a lot right now, and part of you just wishes someone could step in and make the choices so the pressure would ease. You do not have to have it all figured out to come in.
I also work with young adults who just finished high school or college and feel stuck at the starting line, anxious about what comes next and unsure of the first step.
I see teens and young adults between about 10 and 27, for anxiety, depression, trauma, grief and loss, big life changes, relationships, and the pressure to find a calling and career. Some come in while they are under extreme stress and struggling to cope, and there is room for that too.
The goal was never for someone else to run your life. It is for you to feel steadier and able to make your own decisions again.
The tools shift with what you need: cognitive behavioral therapy to question the thoughts that box you in, person-centered work to help you trust your own judgment, and solution-focused and dialectical behavior therapy to bring clarity and slow things down when everything feels urgent. I also use acceptance and commitment therapy, and play therapy with my younger clients. Underneath all of it is one belief: that change is possible, and that old habits can loosen with time and practice.
If you are unsure whether therapy can really help, for you or your teen, that is a fair question, and it is welcome in our first session. What I want to give you is a place to bring your whole self and find some direction.
Outside the office
When the workday ends, I am off playing badminton, reading, out in nature, or at concerts with friends and family.
What I help with
I work with teens and young adults, roughly 10 to 27.
Individual
Teens & young adults
Ages & format
Tools I draw on
The tools shift with what you need. These are the ones I return to most.
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Question the thoughts that box you in.
Acceptance and commitment therapy
Make room for hard feelings and move toward what matters.
Dialectical behavior therapy
Bring clarity and slow things down when everything feels urgent.
Play therapy
For younger clients, a way to work through feelings that are hard to put into words.
Alongside these, I draw on person-centered work and solution-focused therapy, and I am TF-CBT certified for trauma work with young people.
Questions, answered
My teen does not want to come. Should I still call?
Yes. Almost no teenager arrives enthusiastic, and that does not mean it will not work. What matters is that the first session does not feel like an ambush. On the intake call you can say honestly where your teen stands, and we will talk about how to start in a way that gives them some say in it.
Will you tell me what my teen says in session?
Your teen needs to trust that what they say stays between us, or the work does not go anywhere. What I share with you is the shape of things: how it is going, what we are working on, and where you can help at home. If anything comes up that affects your teen's safety, you will hear about it from me right away.
I am the young adult here, not a parent. Is this page for me too?
It is. A lot of my clients are in their twenties, finished with school and stuck at the starting line, and they book for themselves. You do not need a parent involved, and nothing here happens without your say.
What health insurance are you accepting?
Our practice is in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO, Aetna PPO, and Cigna PPO. Our intake team will verify your benefits before your first session so you know what to expect. You can also use an HSA card or pay out of pocket. Visit our Fees & Insurance page for details.
What happens if we are not a good fit?
That happens sometimes, and it is completely okay. If we are not the right match, we will work it out together and help you find another therapist, whether that is someone here at the practice or outside it. What matters most is that you get the right support.
Do I need to take medication to be in therapy?
No. You do not need medication to work with me. If it ever seems like it could help, that is a collaborative decision, and ultimately it is your decision.
More of our team
Not sure Sarah is the right fit? These therapists work in similar areas. Our care coordinator can help you compare, and there is no awkwardness in asking.
