Working With High-Risk Teens in Private Practice | Katie K. May | TPOT 448

Working with high-risk teens can feel overwhelming, especially when self-harm, suicidal thoughts, emotional dysregulation, or repeated hospitalizations are part of the picture. So how can therapists provide both compassion and structure without letting fear drive the treatment? In this episode, Gordon talks with Katie K. May about working effectively with high-risk teens and their families. Katie shares why validation matters, how therapists can provide strong clinical leadership, and why caregiver involvement is such an important part of the process. They also discuss proactive safety planning, recognizing patterns before a crisis, helping teens build skills they can actually use outside the therapy room, and why therapists need clear frameworks and support when doing high-risk clinical work. Katie also shares ideas from her book, Teen DBT in Practice, including how therapists can help teens move toward a life worth living while creating more confidence and sustainability in the work. Resources Mentioned In This Episode Subscribe to YouTube Read the show notes here Watch on YouTube Use the promo code "GORDON" to get 2 months of Therapy Notes free Consulting with Gordon The PsychCraft Network Follow us on Instagram Meet Katie K. May Katie K. May is a licensed therapist, author, speaker, trainer, and group practice owner whose mission is to stop the revolving door of hospitalizations for teen self-harm, suicidal behaviors, and shutdowns by giving families and clinicians practical tools that create lasting change. She is the founder of Creative Healing, a multi-location teen support center in the Philadelphia area, and the author of the #1 Amazon best-seller You're On Fire, It's Fine: Effective Strategies for Parenting Teens with Self-Destructive Behaviors. Her second book, Teen DBT in Practice, provides clinicians with a practical framework for applying DBT with adolescents and moving beyond surface-level behavior management toward meaningful, lasting change. One of a select few Linehan ("Lynn-a-hayn") Board-Certified DBT Clinicians in Pennsylvania, Katie specializes in evidence-based treatment for self-harm, suicidal behaviors, and complex emotional challenges in teens. She is an ongoing guest expert on Good Day Philadelphia, where she shares practical guidance on teen and parent mental health. Known for her clinical practicality and lived experience as a teen who once turned to self-harm herself, Katie bridges the gap between the therapy room and the family living room. Her work helps parents and professionals decode behavior as survival, regulate the nervous system, and create new coping strategies that last because the whole family is integrated into the treatment plan. Website Instagram Treating High-Risk Teens Course Teen DBT in Practice: A Comprehensive Guide for Therapists Treating High-Risk Behaviors How to Assess Teen Suicide Risk