Caminar Opens New Teen and Family Wellness Center in Palo Alto to Expand Access to Youth Mental Health Care

PALO ALTO, Calif., March 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Caminar, a Bay Area behavioral health care agency with more than 60 years of service, announced the opening of its new Teen and Family Wellness Center – Palo Alto, designed to meet the growing mental health needs of adolescents and their families. The center offers flexible, evidence-based, affordable care that centers the teen's voice while supporting the entire family.

"Growing up today comes with complex emotional and social pressures, and many families struggle to find high-quality mental health care," says Caminar CEO Mark Cloutier. "This center provides timely, expert support in a setting designed specifically for teens and their families. Our goal is to create a safe, welcoming space where young people feel heard, supported in their mental health and identity, and empowered to grow."

Meeting Teens and Families Where They Are

The center provides a whole-person, youth-centered approach for adolescents ages 12-17, addressing challenges like anxiety, depression, identity development, trauma, family conflict, interpersonal boundaries, aggression, victimization, bullying, and body image concerns. Services include:

• Initial Assessment: Flexible, accessible therapy tailored to each teen's readiness and schedule, with weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly sessions offered in person, via telehealth, or as a hybrid. Appointments are available in the late afternoon and early evening to accommodate school schedules.
• Comprehensive Assessment and Treatment Planning: Each teen completes a full biopsychosocial assessment, and clinicians co-create treatment plans that reflect their goals, values, and strengths. Families are included when appropriate, and with the teen's consent.
• Family Engagement: Counseling sessions with the teen's family members, focused on building healthy communication, trust and boundaries. Licensed clinicians deliver care that centers each teen's voice while supporting each family's cultural values, availability, and relational dynamics.
• Group Therapy (Phase Two): To enhance peer connection and reduce isolation, group therapy will also be offered soon. These groups will be age-specific like middle school and high school cohorts; and topically focused such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills sessions, expressive arts, mindfulness, and social-emotional learning.

Designed for Accessibility and Affordability

In an area where one-on-one therapy services typically range from $300-800 an hour, care becomes inaccessible to many. The Caminar Teen and Family Wellness Center - Palo Alto offers competitive private-pay pricing at $200 an hour for high-quality therapy with culturally-affirming licensed clinicians. This approach reduces out-of-pocket costs while still providing the flexibility for timely care, without navigating the complexities of insurance, if desired.

"Our goal is to remove common barriers to care: long wait times, insurance challenges, and stigma, so families can get the support they need when they need it," said Audrey Klein, Chief Clinical Officer at Caminar.

"As a parent, watching your teen struggle with their mental health changes you forever. The fear, the sleepless nights, the constant worry — it consumes everything. In those moments, nothing matters more than finding compassionate, trustworthy care for your child," says Rod Sockolov, Former Caminar Board Member and Mental Health Advocate. "For our family, access to mental health services was life-changing. It gave us hope when we felt lost and support when we felt alone. Therapy truly made the difference for us. With the opening of the Caminar Teen and Family Wellness Center - Palo Alto, that same lifeline is now available to you and your family."

A New Chapter in Caminar's 60-Year Legacy

Built on Caminar's mission to strengthen individuals and communities through comprehensive mental health care, the center reflects the organization's more than 60 years of experience delivering evidence-based services across California.

Located at 375 Cambridge Ave, Palo Alto, CA 94306, the Caminar Teen and Family Wellness Center – Palo Alto is easily accessible by public transportation and major thoroughfares. The center is now accepting new clients, and families can learn more or schedule services by calling (650) 543-5403 or emailing [email protected]. To learn more, visit: .caminar.org/teenwellness.

Made Possible with Community Support

The Caminar Teen and Family Wellness Center - Palo Alto is made possible with generous support from our community, including The Barbara Ellis Jones Memorial Fund; Barbara Patterson and Andrew Menkes, MD; Rod Sockolov and Jo-Ann-Byrne Sockolov; Sutter Health and the Caminar Board of Directors.

About Caminar
Caminar is a leading behavioral health organization that supported more than 45,000 youths and adults across seven counties in Northern California and the San Francisco Bay Area last year. Caminar builds strength and stability through comprehensive mental health and substance use treatment delivered through evidence-based, whole-person care. The organization was founded in 1964, and our vision is to be a beacon of safety, compassion, and fulfillment, supporting all those in our communities who need it most. To learn more, please visit www.caminar.org.

Media Contact: [email protected]

SOURCE Caminar