The Family Network
You shouldn't have to guess who to trust.
When something goes wrong, the hardest part often isn't the crisis. It's the next morning, when you realize you need a therapist who actually understands what happened, and you're typing "teen therapist near me" into Google at 6am with no way to tell one from another.
That's what this is for.
A list of names isn't help
Search for a therapist and you'll get forty. Every one has a nice headshot and a paragraph about their approach. Not one of those pages tells you the thing you actually need to know, which is whether this person has sat with a family in your exact situation before.
Parents in crisis are the worst-placed people in the world to evaluate professionals, and that's precisely when they have to do it.
So don't. Tell me what's happening and I'll tell you who to call.
Three steps
1. You tell me what's going on
A short form, or we talk. You don't need to know what kind of professional you need. Working that out is part of this.
2. I match you from people I know
Not a database search. I've worked with them, referred families to them, or checked them out personally. If I don't have the right person, I'll tell you that too.
3. A warm introduction
I email you both together, with context, so you're not starting from scratch on the phone.
No directory to browse, no profiles to compare, no algorithm. My judgment is the product.
What "vetted" actually means
Credentials verified
License checked, current, and in the state where you are. I look it up. I don't take a website's word for it.
Track record with this work
Plenty of excellent therapists have never handled a sextortion case. That's not a criticism. It just means they're not who you need this week.
Philosophically aligned
I don't refer families to people who lead with shame. If their instinct is to punish the kid, they're not on my list.
Personally known
I've spoken to them. In most cases I've referred families to them before and heard back about how it went.
And I take people off the list. If I refer three families and hear the same complaint twice, that's over. This only works if I'm willing to remove people, and I am.
Tell me what's happening
I read these personally. If this is urgent, don't wait on me. Need Help Now has numbers that answer 24/7.
To be clear
- A referral is not an endorsement of every outcome. These are independent professionals. I'm telling you they're worth your call, not guaranteeing your result.
- I'm not a clinician and this isn't a clinical assessment.
- I don't manage your case. Once you're connected, that relationship is yours.
- I can't always help. I'll say so rather than send you to someone at random.
Are you a professional who works with families like these?
I'm always looking for people to add: particularly therapists outside Arizona, attorneys with school-law experience, and anyone who's good with teenage boys.