Group therapy can make all the difference in your child’s treatment. Communal approaches to treatment have helped numerous teenagers change for the better, leading happier, more productive lives.
Our group therapy program focuses on support, structure, and help. Let your teen take advantage of a more communal way to address their issues, build interpersonal skills, and lead happier lives.
The Structure of Group Therapy for Teens
Group therapy, a type of psychotherapy, involves sessions with a counselor and other people facing similar issues. During the group therapy sessions, the counselor or therapist will guide the discussion by introducing a topic and sharing their insights to facilitate the learning process for all members. A group therapy session usually consists of 8-12 members.
Family Relationships
Teens will explore their relationships with their parents, siblings, and extended family members. They may discuss how these relationships impact their emotions and behavior. The therapist will facilitate the teens to discuss topics like:
- Peer relationships and pressure: Teens will discuss their interactions with friends and classmates and how these relationships affect their moods and even substance use.
- Academic performance: This topic entails exploring academic achievement and organization, time management, and study habits.
- Physical health: The group may discuss fitness routines or specific health concerns such as weight management or eating disorders.
- Sexuality: Though a sensitive topic for many teens, it can encompass various issues such as dating and romantic relationships.
- Relapse prevention and identifying triggers: The therapist will review methods to prevent relapses. Teens can share their triggers and strategies to cope or avoid those triggers. Teens in the group may offer suggestions on how they deal with these same issues when they arise.
- Fears about the future: This is an opportunity for them to talk about their worries regarding recovery or life goals and receive encouragement from others who understand.
These topics serve as significant components of the group goals to help the teens progress in their recovery. The therapist must take specific steps to ensure the safety and benefits of each group session. For example, the therapist will make sure:
- Most participants have a chance to share.
- The group stays on topic and does not become a social hour.
- Reduce any angry outbursts and maintain a cohesive atmosphere.
- Guide other teens in the group to listen and offer support, suggestions, or advice based on their own experiences.
- Keep the zone judgment-free.
The Purpose of Group Therapy
The purpose of Group therapy for teens is to provide a safe, supportive environment where they can explore their thoughts and feelings and learn social skills. Other benefits to participating in a group include:
- Practicing social skills: Teens can try out new ways of communicating with others and receive feedback from the therapist and other participants on how it went. Teens can model out family dynamics or friendship dynamics with each other. Additionally, teens practice how to ask for help when needed and how to develop positive relationships with others.
- Conflict resolution: Teens with mental health issues may experience conflict with friends, family members, and school. Group therapy helps them learn how to manage conflict healthily by providing a model for effective conflict resolution and strategies for preventing and managing it when it does occur.
Learn From Others
Teens can learn from their peers about handling situations and problems in life. For example, if one teen has struggled with self-harm, another teen might share techniques that have helped them stop. Such techniques include:
- Gaining confidence: As teens begin to feel better about themselves through group therapy, they can feel more confident about socializing with others.
- Developing trust: Trust is an essential part of any relationship, especially those you’re trying to develop with others in your support system. By talking freely in group therapy without worrying about what others will think or say, teens can start to build trust in others and themselves.
- Practicing coping skills: Group therapy can teach young people how to cope with stress and make important life decisions without reverting to drug use. Teens in group therapy can practice new coping skills with their peers, which helps them become more comfortable using these skills in other situations, such as with family members or at school.
- Incorporating the family: Some group therapy may include the parent. They may invite parents as part of family education groups. Family education groups help parents understand adolescent SUD, learn about effective communication strategies, and understand relapse prevention strategies that will help their child maintain long-term recovery from drug or alcohol abuse.
Group Therapy at Clearfork Academy
At Clearfork Academy, we provide group therapy for addicted teens to address their SUD and co-occurring mental health issues. Our trained and licensed clinicians help teens develop new coping skills, work through family issues, and learn new ways to interact with others. Our group therapy sessions have helped teen participants:
- Increase social functioning and self-esteem.
- Help teens understand how their behavior impacts others.
- Provide a sense of support and community.
- Provide an opportunity for teens to practice what they learn throughout the treatment program in a safe, supportive setting.
- Encourage positive behavior changes.
Group therapy can serve as a powerful forum for teenagers struggling with mental health or SUD. At Clearfork Academy, we make every effort to help your teen navigate challenges by providing a holistic approach that focuses on the whole person. Our clinicians specialize in treating adolescents who have SUD and co-occurring mental health issues. Our cutting-edge therapeutic approach, which we have developed over the years, has been used to help boost self-esteem, develop coping skills and enhance social interactions. We have helped hundreds of teens gain coping strategies and become their best selves. If your teen is currently struggling to manage their mental health or SUD, then the time to get help is now. Our admissions staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Help your teen begin the process of healing today. To find out more about our programs, reach out to Clearfork Academy by calling (817) 259-2597.
Founder & CEO
Originally from the Saginaw, Eagle Mountain area, Austin Davis earned a Bachelor of Science in Pastoral Ministry from Lee University in Cleveland, TN and a Master of Arts in Counseling from The Church of God Theological Seminary. He then went on to become a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor in the State of Texas.
Austin’s professional history includes both local church ministry and clinical counseling. At a young age, he began serving youth at the local church in various capacities which led to clinical training and education. Austin gained a vast knowledge of mental health disorders while working in state and public mental health hospitals. This is where he was exposed to almost every type of diagnosis and carries this experience into the daily treatment.
Austin’s longtime passion is Clearfork Academy, a christ-centered residential facility focused on mental health and substance abuse. He finds joy and fulfillment working with “difficult” clients that challenge his heart and clinical skill set. It is his hope and desire that each resident that passes through Clearfork Academy will be one step closer to their created design.
Austin’s greatest pleasures in life are being a husband to his wife, and a father to his growing children. He serves at his local church by playing guitar, speaking and helping with tech arts. Austin also enjoys being physically active, reading, woodworking, and music.
