“Counseling has helped me turn my life around and realize that I do matter. I have gained self-respect, self-love, and a deeper understanding of myself and who I want to be. I can live my life and be happy and not have to worry about whether or not the darkness is gonna come back and suffocate me. I have someone to help me through my problems, and I’m no longer alone in this.”

Request a Counseling Appointment

Being a young adult can be exciting, but can also be stressful, lonely, or overwhelming at times. If you are facing a personal challenge that is interfering with your ability to be successful (i.e., academic progress, work-life, or general well-being), we may be able to provide support. BYS offers a safe, non-judgmental place for you to share personal thoughts and feelings.

We will see anyone in Kitsap County that is in need of our services, ages 13 – 21. We do not diagnose or prescribe medications. The number of sessions varies according to the needs of each youth. Within the scope of our practice, we address a variety of youth concerns by providing emotional support, exploring possible solutions, encouraging personal insight, and referring clients to appropriate community-based resources when needed.

Benefits of Counseling

  • Greater self-confidence
  • Better relationships
  • Regaining emotional balance
  • Increased assertiveness
  • Stress relief
  • Ability to set boundaries
  • Trauma resolution
  • Less Anxiety

Our counselors are a mix of licensed counselors and supervised, masters-level interns with a variety of training and education. Their goal in session is to create a safe, non-judgmental space for you to share your feelings, gain insight and be heard. A counselor’s first question might be “What brings you here?” or “What would you like to get from counseling?”

To schedule a session, please fill out an appointment form and we will contact you by email within 1-2 business days.

Here are some resources if you need immediate assistance:

  1. If you have an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
  2. If you are in a crisis, we recommend getting in touch with one of the following 24/7 services:
    To text:
    Text START to 741741 crisistextline.org
    To talk:
    Boys Town National Crisis Hotline 1-800-448-3000 – they work specifically with teens. (They also have a great website: yourlifeyourvoice.org).
    Crisis Call Center (National, 24/7/365, all ages) Call 775-784-8090 OR Text “ANSWER” to 839863 http://crisiscallcenter.org/get-help-247/
    Crisis Clinic of the Peninsulas (24 hours) 1-800-843-4793
    To discuss sexual assault:
    Kitsap Sexual Assault Center 866-831-2050 (ksacservices.com)
  3. Kitsap Mental Health is another community mental health agency that may have services that match your needs: http://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org
  4. Suppose you’d like to look for counseling options other than BYS. In that case, the Bainbridge Psychotherapy Guild is a website where many of the local providers are registered: http://bainbridgepsychotherapy.org (you can search for therapists by specialty, insurance, etc.).
  5. Just need someone to talk to? Teen Link (866-833-8546) is a confidential and anonymous peer helpline for teens. Trained teen volunteers are available to talk with you about any issue of concern. No issue is too big or too small!
  6. For more information on how to get help, check out our Teen Toolbox.