Child and Teen Therapy in Oregon and Washington
Dr. Justin Bush, PhD provides evidence-based therapy for children, teens, and young adults across Oregon and Washington. Treatment is practical, skills-focused, and designed to improve emotional regulation, confidence, relationships, and day-to-day functioning—at home, at school, and in life.
Concerns addressed in child and teen therapy
Families often seek therapy for:
Anxiety, panic, or OCD-related symptoms
Depression, irritability, low motivation, or withdrawal
ADHD and executive functioning (attention, organization, follow-through)
Emotional dysregulation (big emotions, meltdowns, anger, shutdowns)
School stress (avoidance, test anxiety, perfectionism, academic pressure)
Social challenges (friendship conflict, bullying, loneliness, dating stress)
Life transitions (divorce, moves, blended families, identity development)
Evidence-based approaches used in therapy
Therapy is individualized and may integrate:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Helps clients notice and shift unhelpful thoughts and behaviors while building coping skills for anxiety, depression, and stress.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Builds psychological flexibility through mindfulness, emotion acceptance, and values-based action—helpful for worry, perfectionism, and getting “unstuck.”
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills: Focuses on emotion regulation, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness—especially useful for intense emotions and relationship conflict.
Positive psychology and strengths-based interventions: Supports resilience by building strengths, hope, self-efficacy, gratitude practices, and a growth mindset.
Strengths-based, resilience-focused care
Dr. Bush’s graduate and doctoral research emphasized prevention, resilience, and positive psychology in youth. This informs a therapy style that helps clients build skills and confidence by emphasizing what is strong—not only what is wrong—while still directly addressing symptoms and real-world challenges.
Parent + school collaboration (when helpful)
Progress is fastest when the environment supports the skills being learned. When appropriate, Dr. Bush collaborates with parents and caregivers, and can coordinate with schools (with consent) to strengthen consistency across home and classroom systems.
What to expect
Therapy includes clear goals, skill-building, and practice between sessions. The overall aim is to help children, adolescents, and young adults develop:
better coping and emotion regulation
stronger relationships and communication
increased confidence and self-esteem
improved school and daily functioning
greater resilience and purpose
Serving families throughout Oregon and Washington via secure telehealth.
What child and teen therapy looks like week to week
Therapy starts with a brief consultation and an intake interview, where Dr. Bush learns what is getting in the way at home, at school, and with friends. Together you set two or three specific goals, then meet in 45-minute sessions, usually weekly at the start. Most sessions end with a concrete skill to practice before the next one, so progress happens between appointments as well as inside them.
Parents are part of the plan. Depending on your child’s age and goals, parents join for check-ins, get coaching to carry the work home, or meet separately for parent consultation and positive parenting skills training. Goals are revisited regularly so you can see what is actually changing.
Who this therapy is for
- Children ages 5–12 — worry, big emotions, meltdowns, behavior at home or school, friendship trouble.
- Teens ages 13–18 — anxiety, low mood, school avoidance, perfectionism, motivation, conflict with parents.
- Young adults ages 18–23 — college stress, launching, executive functioning, relationships, identity.
- Youth athletes — performance anxiety, confidence, and bouncing back from setbacks.
Telehealth child and teen therapy across Oregon and Washington
All sessions are held by secure, HIPAA-compliant video, so families anywhere in Oregon or Washington — Portland, Salem, Eugene, Bend, Medford, Hillsboro, Beaverton, Seattle, Tacoma, Spokane, Bellevue, Vancouver — can be seen without a commute. Dr. Bush is licensed in both states (Oregon License 2154, Washington License PY61540899). New clients get access to a secure client portal for paperwork, scheduling, and HIPAA-compliant messaging.
Frequently asked questions about child and teen therapy
How do we get started?
Complete the form on the contact page. If it looks like a good fit, Dr. Bush follows up with next steps and portal access. You can also request a free 15-minute consultation first.
Will my teen actually open up over video?
Most do, and many prefer it. Teens are already comfortable on video, they can meet from their own space, and there is no waiting room to sit in. Younger children do best with a parent nearby to help get settled and a private room without distractions.
Do you take insurance?
Dr. Bush is in-network with Aetna, Lyra Health, Regence BlueCross BlueShield, First Health, and Reliant. Out-of-network families can receive a superbill for reimbursement. Current fees are listed on the rates and insurance page.
What if we are not sure whether therapy or testing is the right starting point?
That is a common question and a good reason to talk first. When the core question is diagnostic — is this ADHD, a learning disorder, anxiety, or something else — psychological testing and evaluation often answers it faster than months of therapy. When the concern is coping, mood, or behavior, therapy is usually the place to start.
Start with a free consultation
If you are looking for a child or teen therapist in Oregon or Washington, the next step is a short conversation. Request a free 15-minute consultation or send a message and Dr. Bush will follow up personally. You can also read more frequently asked questions or learn about Dr. Bush.
