Specialized therapy for teens and young adults who feel stuck.
David M. Levin, LCSW-C · MSW, UPenn · In-Person & Telehealth
Meet Your Provider — Direct, honest, and deeply committed to helping young people who haven’t responded to traditional approaches.
Each situation is different. Here’s what you’re seeing — and what we build together.
What you see
Focus slips. Tasks pile up. They know what to do but can’t seem to do it. School becomes a daily battle. You watch potential slip away.
What we build
Build systems that work with their brain, not against it. Learn to manage time, prioritize, and follow through. Confidence returns as they start hitting goals.
What you see
The world feels overwhelming. Social rules don’t make sense. They want connection but struggle to find it. Meltdowns happen. You feel helpless.
What we build
Help them understand how they process the world. Build communication skills. Create strategies for navigating social situations. Find communities where they belong.
What you see
The weight never lifts. They avoid everything. Sleep is off. They’ve pulled back from friends. You’ve tried being supportive but nothing seems to help.
What we build
Break the cycle of avoidance. Build coping tools that actually work. Reconnect with activities and people. Watch energy and hope return gradually.
What you see
They’ve been through therapists. Maybe programs. Nothing sticks. They’ve learned to game the system or just shut down. You’re running out of options.
What we build
I specialize in young people who haven’t responded to traditional approaches. Direct, honest engagement builds trust where previous attempts failed.
What you see
They finished high school, or didn’t. Now they’re home, not working, not in school. Days blur together. The path forward seems invisible to them.
What we build
Create a realistic roadmap. Build skills for independence step by step. Address underlying anxiety or avoidance. Help them find direction and take action.
Real conversations replace silence and conflict. They start sharing again.
School, work, or the next step becomes possible. Progress replaces paralysis.
The future stops feeling impossible. They start believing in themselves again.
Trusted by families in Bethesda, Silver Spring, Rockville & Montgomery County
“Our son had refused school for months. Within a few weeks of working with David, he was back in class. David was direct with him in a way no one else had been.”
These are placeholder testimonials. They will be replaced with real, permitted testimonials before launch.
Teen & Young Adult Psychotherapist | He/Him
I’ve spent over 30 years working with adolescents, young adults, and their families. I specialize in the cases that feel stuck: teens who resist help, young adults who can’t seem to launch, families caught in cycles of conflict they can’t break.
My approach is direct. I don’t talk around problems. I build real connection through honesty, and I give practical tools that work in the real world. Therapy with me is grounded in cognitive behavioral techniques, but it’s the authentic relationship that makes change possible.
I’ve accompanied over 1,500 adolescents to therapeutic programs nationwide and co-founded North Star Academy, a day treatment program for teens transitioning from intensive care. I know the treatment landscape inside and out: when residential placement is right, when it’s not, and how to build continuity across levels of care.
I work collaboratively with parents, schools, and other providers. When everyone is aligned, change happens faster. I partner with families to reduce shame, clarify next steps, and create treatment plans that actually work.
I don’t dance around issues. Young people respect authenticity. I say what I see and help them do the same.
Directness without warmth is just confrontation. I create space where clients feel truly heard and understood.
Insight matters, but skills matter more. Every session includes tools they can use immediately.
For teens and young adults
One-on-one sessions focused on building skills, processing challenges, and creating forward momentum. I work with adolescents and young adults on ADHD, anxiety, depression, ASD, and complex behavioral issues.
Rebuild connection and communication
When the whole family is stuck, individual work isn’t enough. Family sessions address patterns of conflict, improve communication, and align everyone toward the same goals.
Support for parents navigating crisis
Sometimes parents need their own support to manage a difficult situation. Parent coaching provides strategies, perspective, and a sounding board when you’re not sure what to do next.
Home and school settings
When situations escalate, I provide crisis support in home and school settings. Stabilize the immediate situation, create safety plans, and determine appropriate next steps.
Residential and therapeutic boarding schools
With 16+ years running Adolescent Intervention Services and relationships with programs nationwide, I help families navigate the complex world of therapeutic placements when that level of care is needed.
Call to discuss your situation. I’ll be honest about whether I can help.
In-Person & Telehealth Throughout Maryland
David M. Levin, LCSW-C
Let’s talk — no pressure
