On the surface, you look like you have it all together. You are passing your classes. You are involved in clubs, sports, music, or drama. You have a few friends. But underneath the mask you wear, you are hurting. Your friends don't know how anxious you are when you enter the classroom. Your family doesn't know how depressed you were when your partner broke up with you last month. Your teachers don't know how you avoid certain areas of the school because of being relentlessly tormented by other students there.

You can't seem to focus in class and are losing motivation all together. To make things worse, you don't have a clue of what you want to do with your life after high school. While your friends prepare for college, you are just trying to make it to graduation day. You can't stop comparing yourself to others and feeling inadequate. Insecurity, fear, and indecision have you trapped in a corner. If you bottle this up much longer, you are going to spiral downwards. 

You don't have to suffer in silence any longer.

You can take off the mask you wear at school and be your authentic self. The burden of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem don't have to be carried alone. In therapy, you can share your pain without the risk of being mocked or judged by your peers. You can explore what you want in life and feel supported in the choices you make. In the therapy office, it is okay to make mistakes and fail. Your therapist will walk with you as you learn from these mistakes and transition into adulthood.

As you engage in the therapeutic process, you will see changes. You will be better equipped to address your anxious thoughts, respond to depressive states, and work towards your goals. You will feel more confident in your future and in your capacity to be a healthy, independent adult. You no longer have to bottle up your pain, emotions, and thoughts. When challenges arise, you know where to go to solve them.