“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.”
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 mental health 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:
- If you have an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
- 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) - Kitsap Mental Health is another community mental health agency that may have services that match your needs: http://www.kitsapmentalhealth.org
- 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.).
- 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!
- For more information on how to get help, check out our Teen Toolbox.