The Leadership That Helps Teen Boys Open Up Again
Breaking the “I’m Fine” Wall
“How was your day?”
“Fine”
“What did you learn in school?”
“Nothing.”
If you have a teen boy, you have probably lived this exact script. The same questions and the same one-word answers. It leaves you wondering what is actually going on.
Is he overwhelmed?
Is he lonely?
Is he struggling and unable to say so?
Doug Rosen, LMFT, Clinical Lead at Aim Psych Youth, remembers those conversations well. He was that kid at the dinner table, offering short replies while carrying feelings he could not yet name. He felt insecure. Out of place. Unsure. But he did not have the language to explain any of it.
The Lived Experience Behind His Care
Doug’s story reads almost like a movie, not for its drama but for the arc from pressure and pain to resilience and purpose.
Growing up, Doug played sports, had friends, and did well in school. Underneath, he carried a steady sense of not quite fitting in. He did not know that many boys feel this way or that it is common to lack the words to describe it.
Like so many teens, he kept his emotions private and tried to manage everything alone.
When his mother was diagnosed with cancer, he escaped into video games. His parents’ divorce added another layer of hurt he could not express. The first “high” did not come from rebellion; it came from trying to ease fears and feel a moment of relief.
Over time, that need for escape sank deeper beneath the surface, threading itself through his college years and early adulthood. By 24, he was flying around the world as a Hollywood producer, earning the kind of money that fuels escape and immersing himself in a party culture where every drug was within reach.
Eventually, the pressure, the pace, and the unresolved pain caught up with him, and he was arrested after shoplifting while intoxicated.
The turning point came when his parents refused to bail him out unless he agreed to treatment.
Doug entered Beit T’Shuva, a long-term residential program, and spent nine months rebuilding parts of himself he had pushed away for years. He learned how to tolerate discomfort, understand his story, and slowly reclaim a sense of purpose. It was also where he discovered that helping others was part of his own healing.
For a deeper look at Doug’s experience in his own words, read his interview featured by Aish: Overcoming His Heroin Addiction and Helping Others Struggling with Drugs.
The Leadership Behind the Scenes
His combination of lived experience and clinical expertise allows Doug to connect quickly with boys today.
At Aim Psych Youth, care is designed around connection, collaboration, and steady progress. Doug leads a multidisciplinary team of therapists and coaches dedicated to teen boys’ mental health. Each provider brings field-leading expertise to create comprehensive, tailored care.
He keeps the team aligned through regular case huddles and ensures every plan is personalized. He encourages clinicians to understand the teen experience deeply rather than simply apply a technique. He knows what it feels like when adults miss what is really happening inside.
Parents often feel immediate relief when they meet him. He sees the bigger picture and helps translate what teens cannot put into words yet.
If You Are Feeling Stuck, We Can Help
Doug Rosen and the Aim Psych Youth team are here to support your son and your family. We help teens open up, build skills, and move toward a healthier, more self-aware future.
Every family’s path is unique. We’re here to listen, assess, and help you find the right next step.
Contact us today to start the conversation.
