Counselling for Teenagers in South Africa

Confidential counselling support for South African teens — anxiety, depression, identity, school stress and family conflict.

When you started searching, you were already worried

If you are reading this, something has shifted with your teenager. Maybe their marks are slipping. Maybe they have stopped wanting to leave their room. Maybe they got angry over something small and you saw something behind their eyes that you have not seen before. You searched for a psychologist who works with teens — and you are here.

Stephanie de Raay is a counselling psychologist registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA — PS 0154580). Her practice is built specifically around adolescents and young adults. Sessions take place by scheduled video call, which means your teenager can see her from their own bedroom — no long drives, no awkward waiting room, no having to explain why they are missing school early on a Tuesday.

Why teens find video sessions easier than in-person therapy

For most teenagers, the hardest part of therapy is not the therapy. It is the building. The drive to the practice. The waiting room. The walk down the corridor to the office. By the time the session starts, they have already had to mentally cross several thresholds — each one a chance to back out.

Sessions by video remove all of that. Your teen sits in their own room with the door closed. The session begins when they click the link. If they need to grab a water bottle or pull up a blanket, they do. The space they are in is theirs. That single change makes the early sessions far easier — and easier early sessions are what build the long-term work.

For parents, there is a logistical bonus too. No school day cut short, no shuttling between extra-murals, no scheduling Tetris. Sessions fit into the gap that already exists in your week.

What teenagers bring to therapy

Stephanie works with adolescents from 13 to 18 and young adults beyond that. The reasons families reach out tend to fall into a handful of patterns.

Anxiety, panic and constant worry

Anxiety is the most common reason teenagers come to therapy. It rarely looks like the word suggests. More often it shows up as irritability, withdrawal, sleep problems, school refusal, or physical complaints (headaches, stomach aches, feeling sick before school). Once it is named, the relief is often immediate.

Depression and mood concerns

The version parents most often miss is the high-functioning one. Marks stay reasonable. Your teen still shows up to school. But the spark is gone, the friendship circle has thinned out, and the bedroom has become a fortress. The work here is about catching the pattern before it deepens.

School pressure, marks and matric

The South African matric system is uniquely demanding, and pressure usually starts long before Grade 12. Anxiety around tests, supplementary exams, university entry requirements — these are real, common, and treatable. Therapy also helps with the harder version: the teen who has decided they are going to fail and has quietly stopped trying.

Identity, sexuality and self-knowledge

Many teenagers come to therapy with questions they have not been able to ask anywhere else. Stephanie’s space is non-judgemental, age-appropriate and confidential — which is what often unlocks the conversation.

Family conflict, divorce and blended homes

When home becomes a source of stress rather than a place to recover, therapy becomes a third space. Teens caught between separating parents, blended families, custody arrangements that change every other weekend — these are some of the most common reasons families reach out.

Friendships, bullying and the online social world

The friendship work that used to happen at the school gate now also happens on a phone — which means bullying can follow your teen home. The work covers both the in-person and digital social experience: the breakups, the group-chat fallouts, the silent treatment that comes after a screenshot.

Trauma, grief and big life changes

Some teens come in carrying something specific — a death in the family, an assault, a major move, a parent’s serious illness. Stephanie assesses scope on the first session and refers on if the work falls outside her practice area.

Meet Stephanie

Stephanie de Raay is a licensed Counselling Psychologist registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA — PS 0154580). Her practice is built specifically around adolescent and young-adult mental health.

Her clinical work draws on DBT-informed therapy (emotional regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness), BWRT (BrainWorking Recursive Therapy) for reducing automatic stress responses, and person-centred therapy — chosen and combined according to what each client needs. The pace and approach are tailored to where your teen or young adult is, not adapted down from adult therapy.

How sessions work

The first call — a free intake conversation

Before any paid session, you have a free 15-minute call with Stephanie. She gets a brief picture of what is going on, you ask any questions, and you both decide whether the practice is the right fit. There is no charge and no pressure to book afterwards.

Session length, format and platform

Each session is 55 minutes. Sessions take place over a secure video platform from any device — laptop, tablet or phone. You need a quiet, private space and a stable internet connection.

Confidentiality

This is the conversation many parents need to have with themselves before booking. Sessions with your teen are confidential. What is said in the room stays in the room. The single exception is when there is a genuine, immediate risk of harm — at which point you will be looped in.

This rule is explained openly in the first session. It is what makes the work work; without it, clients cannot speak freely.

Fees and medical aid

The practice operates as a cash practice — payment is due on the day of your session. A detailed invoice is issued for you to submit directly to your medical aid for reimbursement. Most major South African schemes (Discovery, Bonitas, Momentum, Medshield, GEMS, Bestmed, Polmed) reimburse psychology sessions; the level of cover depends on your specific plan and out-of-hospital benefits.

Practice details: HPCSA PS 0154580 · BHF Practice 1069802.

For parents — what to expect, and your role

The most common parent question is: ‘what is my role in this?’ The short answer: present, supportive, not interrogating. After each session, resist the urge to ask ‘what did you talk about today’. The work happens in the space you are not part of. Instead, notice over time — are they sleeping better, getting up easier, talking more at the dinner table, fighting less. Those are the markers.

Realistic timelines: most families notice softer changes — less irritability, better sleep, smoother mornings — within four to six sessions. Deeper work typically runs twelve sessions or more. Therapy is not a quick fix; it is a slow rebuild, and it works.

Book a session

The best way to know whether Stephanie’s practice is right for your teen is a no-pressure 15-minute call.

Phone 079 565 1779 or email info@stephaniepsych.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

What age range does Stephanie work with?

The practice is built for teenagers (13–18) and young adults (18–30). Children under 13 are usually better served by a child-specialist practitioner, and Stephanie is happy to refer.

My teenager does not want to come to therapy. What can we do?

Reluctance is normal. The free 15-minute intake call is designed exactly for this — your teen attends with zero commitment, hears how the practice works, and decides for themselves. Most teens shift from ‘I do not want to do this’ to ‘fine, one session’ after that first call.

Will my teen’s sessions be private from me as the parent?

Yes. Sessions are confidential. The single exception is when there is a genuine, immediate risk of harm to your teen or someone else. This is standard ethical practice and is what makes the work effective.

How does payment and medical aid work?

The practice is a cash practice — payment on the day of your session. Stephanie issues a detailed invoice that you submit directly to your medical aid for reimbursement. Most major SA schemes (Discovery, Bonitas, Momentum, Medshield, GEMS, Bestmed, Polmed) reimburse psychology sessions, with the level of cover depending on your specific plan. Practice numbers: HPCSA PS 0154580 · BHF Practice 1069802.

How long does therapy take?

Most families notice softer changes within four to six sessions. Deeper work typically runs twelve sessions or more. Therapy is not a one-off appointment; it is a process, and the pace is set by what your teen needs.

Do I need to be in the room with my teenager during sessions?

No. Teens 13 and over have their sessions one-on-one with Stephanie. You are looped in at intake, at agreed review points, and any time safety is a concern.

Counselling for teenagers across South Africa

Because sessions take place by secure video call, Stephanie works with teenagers from across South Africa. Existing dedicated pages for specific areas in the practice’s footprint include the Vaal Triangle and North West Province, with a Johannesburg cluster being added through the second half of 2026.

If you’re looking for support in a related area, you may also find these pages helpful:

• Teen psychologist in Rustenburg — support for teens dealing with anxiety, mood concerns and identity challenges
• Adolescent therapy in Mahikeng / Mafikeng — mental-health support for teens in the Mahikeng area
• Counselling for teens in Lichtenburg — support for teens navigating small-town pressures
• Teen psychologist in Johannesburg — city hub for Johannesburg families (publishing July 2026)