Tacoma WA · In-Person & Telehealth

Skilled Minds Therapy

DBT & CBT Therapy for Tweens & Teens

Opening an in-person location in Fircrest, WA on September 7th 2026.

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“… knowing when to ask for help is a form of wisdom.”

Healer Aimoss, The Moth Keeper by K. O'Neill
What I Help With
  • ANXIETY
  • DEPRESSION
  • EMOTION DYSREGULATION
  • MISOPHONIA
  • CULTURAL IDENTITY
  • GENDER IDENTITY
  • INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
  • LOW SELF-ESTEEM
  • SUICIDALITY & SELF-HARM
  • CAREGIVER COACHING
Pen-and-ink drawing of Petia Sierschynski standing in a cobblestone alley beneath a stone archway in an old European town.
Meet the Therapist

I hold a master's degree in Applied Child and Adolescent Psychology: Prevention and Treatment from the University of Washington Seattle. My treatment approach with tweens and teens is grounded in a model that centers the unique characteristics of child and adolescent development. Research has shown that tweens and teens thrive when they:

  • trust themselves to take on new challenges,
  • have the confidence to use their own judgment and change their behavior,
  • develop self-awareness to discover their own values, and
  • plan a life aligned with their personal goals.

As a therapist, I help my young clients acquire DBT and CBT skills that enable them to grow into their strengths, overcome unhelpful habits and self-doubt, live fully in the present moment, and make choices that help them reach their full potential. With LGBTQ+ youth, I use gender-affirming adaptations of evidence-based protocols.

Read more about me →
From the Blog
DBT Skills Why Helping Someone Else Quiets Your Head and Thaws You Out
Are you looking for a way to connect with others and feel better about yourself? Following Anya’s example in K. O’Neill’s graphic novel The Moth Keeper and using the DBT Contribute skill might be worth your time. This skill was designed to help people get through a rough moment when whatever feels broken can’t be fixed right away.
Aug 2, 2026 6 min read
For Parents To Help the Tween/Teen Beside You, Put On Your Own Oxygen Mask First
On an airplane, you would secure your own oxygen mask before helping your child. Parenting a tween or teen through an emotional storm works the same way. This blog post offers practical ways to care for yourself first, so your calm becomes the steadiness they can lean on. It is not a replacement for therapy. If you are ever worried about your child’s immediate safety, please reach out to your local emergency number or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline right away.
Jul 27, 2026 6 min read
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Free 20-minute consultation by phone — a chance to ask questions and see if we're a good fit.

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