Teen Group Therapy Services:

One of the main ways to heal from social anxiety, is thru relationships.

When your teen is placed in a group that fosters acceptance, is welcoming, and is respectful towards their pace of self-disclosure- they have any opportunity for a corrective experience. Their experience of social situations and themselves can change thru taking this risk.

If your teen has been in social situations that have left you feeling alone, and not valued, group is a perfect place to have a new and healing experience.

No one from the same school is placed in the same group, so your teen can ensure that level of confidentiality.

The interpersonal process groups I run, attract teens that are functioning fairly well in life, but have concerns related to self-esteem, friends, family or goals.

If a client has more significant concerns, they will be required to be in individual therapy, in addition to group.

Clients with more severe challenges generally are not a fit for a process group, until stabilized.

Groups are formed with teens of a similar level of concern and presenting issues.

No matter how much adult support a teen has, having the support and acceptance of their peers is vital to their mental health.

I’ve started to notice a significant trend in the last several years. More and more teens are coming into my office, reporting stories of how their relationships were impacting their mental health. When I asked what they were looking for in friends, or how they worked through challenges in their relationships, they described feeling unclear. Sadly, I am seeing a trend that many teens are feeling disconnected in this way.

I think so much of the problems teens are having today, is due to the fact that they do not feel connected to themselves, let alone others.

We evolve through relationships. Sometimes we find out who we are, by finding out who we are not. When we are seen, known and accepted we grow. End of story. It is both that simple, and that complex. This is the key to optimal mental health. And unfortunately, it is not a final destination.

Skill building approaches to therapy can be effective short term, but depth and insight creates lasting changes. The experiences created in group can be a catalyst towards your teen finding themselves and finding others.

The type of groups I run are known as process groups. This style and format for group allows for relationships to be the driving force towards self-actualization.

It takes a great deal of courage to develop spontaneous conversation as a teenager, and in group, this is the basis of our interactions. The common topics brought up in group are:

• Emotional recognition, awareness and regulation

• Self esteem

• Healthy relationships / codependency

• Depression and anxiety

• Navigating conversations with parents

• Life skills / time management

• Perspective taking

• Conflict resolution

• Screen time

• Self-compassion / perfectionism

• Goal setting- finding meaning and purpose

Within a process group, a teen can begin feeling more connected to themselves and to others.

This in turn can increase feelings of well-being and decrease mental health challenges. Teens report it feels much more natural to gain feedback from people their age. We also celebrate important milestones together as a group such as birthdays, personal accomplishments and holidays. This level of comradarie and connection, can be very meaningful if a teen is feeling isolated in other domains of their life.

Group is ongoing, and on a rolling enrollment, meaning new members are joining at various times. Group meets every other week to align with families busy schedules. The commitment is for 8 sessions. On average, most teens like to stay a year. In order for group to run effectively, regular attendance is vital.

Most clients meet with me every other week for 1:1 sessions, and every other week for group. This is the perfect blend of helping them focus deeper on their individual challenges, as well as obtain input in a therapeutic space with people their age.

Enriching a teens interpersonal world, is not something that can be accomplished in individual therapy, and it is a critical component to a teens mental health. Group can be just as helpful, if not more helpful, than individual therapy.

I have had many groups running for multiple years, with the same teens in the group. The teens love their “therapy friends” and consider it a “little family.”

Beyond your teen thriving professionally after high school, we want to prepare them for effective relational skills at this phase in their development.

Depression, Anxiety & Loss of Purpose

Who am I really? What do I stand for? When am I happiest? What sets me off?

Social Media Pros & Cons - Staying in touch with friends while acknowledging the difference between social media and real life interactions. How to know their own limits on screen time.

What Will Life Beyond High School Be Like? Preparing teens for what life will be like in the real world.

Teen Friendships - How to have more engaging conversations, and satisfying relationships.

Bullying- Obtaining support in group therapy can be incredibly empowering for a teen that is being bullied.

Romantic Relationships - Helping teens recognize what they deserve, and how their actions or the actions of others, line up with their hopes and values.

Family - How to talk to parents. Learning the art of negotiation and practicing effective ways of conveying what is on their minds.

Body Image- deconstructing messages and developing self acceptance.

Loss of Purpose- motivation towards re-initiating joy, discovering truly what “fun” is.

Confidence and Boundaries- Assisting teens in discovering more of who they are, and how to get their needs met in relationships.

Grief and Loss- yes the big stuff.

No, but I can provide you with a superbill to send to your insurance company. Please check with your insurance provider to see if there is a deductible you need to fulfill before receiving reimbursement.

As a way to honor, respect and provide the most value to my clients, I commit to working with a certain number of people at a time. I believe in giving my very best to my clients.

I understand how busy life can be in raising a family. Please think closely about your scheduling needs prior to initiating therapy. If its not the best time in your life to pursue therapy, we can always reconvene when life is less busy.

In order to honor the commitment and investment, you are required to give 48 hours notice to cancel a session. No-shows or late cancels are charged the full fee.

If you need to reschedule your session and contact me 48 hours in advance, I will try to provide you with options to reschedule during that same calendar week. I cannot guarantee I will have a time available, but will do the best I can to find one.

Please don’t hesitate to discuss with me further your scheduling needs so we can create a plan that works for us all.

Yes, I am able to provide therapeutic support in home. This is a great option for family therapy as well.