Table of Contents
Updated May 2024 by: Christine Zambos, LMFT
Update list:
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- New insights based on our experience
- Updated data and Statistics
Unveiling Group Therapy for Teens: Fostering Connection and Healing
Group therapy is a form of treatment that treats multiple patients at once, led by either a trained therapist or licensed counselor. Unlike other standard approaches to therapy, it allows for patients to develop a peer to peer support system through shared experiences.
Group therapy is used to treat a variety of psychological problems including PTSD, anxiety, depression, eating disorders and substance abuse.
Unlike a traditional approach such as individual therapy, group therapy allows patients with similar problems to connect and build a dialogue from their shared experiences. This can greatly impact their mental health journey by sparking connection rather than a feeling of isolation.
Teens in particular, who can be known to isolate themselves, can greatly benefit from group therapy once they realize they are not alone in their struggles.
Group therapy provides a private, safe and empathetic space for teens to open up about the challenges they are facing in day to day life.
A group setting also helps set teens up to be emotionally successful adults that can relate to one another and share lived experiences. Teens can not only share a sense of belonging from this method, but also explore new coping skills or ideas to support their mental health journey.
Community Building
Building on shared experiences, group therapy is a great way to create a sense of community among its members. It’s a clear reminder they are not alone. Teenagers are notorious for isolating themselves and feeling misunderstood by family, friends, teachers, etc. A supportive group setting can help create connections and remind them that although they may feel misunderstood, there are other people having similar thoughts and experiences.
Skills learned in group therapy are extremely valuable and can be transferred to other areas of life to help foster better communication, conflict resolution skills, and healthier relationships—which are necessary to function as an emotionally healthy adult.
This powerful therapeutic approach harnesses the shared experience of its participants to facilitate healing and personal growth. Through group therapy, adolescents can build resilience, gain valuable insights, and develop the skills needed to navigate the challenges of adolescence and beyond.
Mechanics of Teen Group Therapy: How Does It Operate?
Group therapy for teens is an effective approach that leverages the power of peer support and structured discussions to promote emotional growth, self-awareness, and resilience. Here’s what makes it so effective:
Peer Support
It can be tough for teenagers to connect and share experiences with authority figures, family members or your typical ¨therapist¨. Peer relationships are very effective in helping break down the barriers teenagers often face when communicating their struggles. A strong system of peer support can make it easier for teens to share and relate their experiences with each other. This can lead to a deeper sense of connection, validation, and higher levels of trust.
Building Empathy
Building empathy is a lifelong skill valuable to teenagers not only in supporting their mental health journey but any area of their life. By learning to sit, listen and process the stories of their peers, helps spark a deeper sense of self awareness which they can then choose to share with the other members of the group. It also provides a ¨no shame zone¨, where teens can feel validated and in return feel less isolated. This sense of belonging boosts self-esteem and creates a safe space for emotional expression.
Teaching Accountability
One benefit group members often forget is they are learning the valuable skill of self-accountability. By reflecting on their actions in a group setting, teens may be more motivated to work on their issues when they know their peers are also making efforts to improve themselves. This helps reduce the pressure of feeling like something is inherently wrong with them, while increasing a level of positive peer pressure. If teens see their peers taking positive actions to improve their lives, they will naturally be inclined to do the same.
Develop Problem-Solving Skills
Group therapy provides an opportunity for teens to come to terms with problems and build concrete solutions. They will learn how to rationalize, manage crises and resolve conflicts within a supportive environment.
The Power of Facilitated Discussions
Professional Guidance
The presence of a trained therapist or licensed counselor in group therapy is essential. They play a direct role in structuring the conversation to keep it on track. This may include setting goals, establishing a set of rules for the group, providing helpful feedback and ensuring conversations in the group are supportive of everyone and their recovery.
Providing a Safe Space
A variety of techniques may be used throughout the conversation to help support participation, self-reflection and guide conversations to ensure emotional safety among all of the group members. This might involve asking questions, or redirecting conversations that could potentially be harmful to their peers.
Individualized Feedback
While the group component is an essential part of the process, therapists will also give feedback to teens tailored specifically to their individual experiences. This helps them gain deeper insight into their thoughts and actions. Individual guidance paired with group support is a great way to help teenagers discover a variety of strategies they can apply to both their inner and outer worlds.
Norming and Role Modeling
One of the most powerful ways kids and teenagers learn is through observation. Just as in standard individual therapy, this is a great time for therapists to model healthy coping strategies, direct communication, social and problem-solving skills.
Exploring the Spectrum: Various Types of Group Therapy
Various kinds of group settings exist to help support teens in the best way possible with unique goals and focuses. Here are three different kinds of group therapy most commonly found:
Psychoeducational Groups
Psychoeducational groups focus exactly on what they sound like: psychoeducation. This kind of group provides teens with resources and tools to help them manage strategies related to their mental health.
They may take a more clinical approach by educating teens about specific behavioral health conditions, symptoms and treatments. They are often structured, and facilitated by a licensed therapist who uses support resources such as workbooks and handouts.
Topics covered in psychoeducational groups can range widely depending on what psychiatric problem a teenager is struggling with. While some groups address more direct clinical conditions such as anxiety, eating disorders or substance abuse,other groups focus more on education about managing stress and trauma, conflict resolution and interpersonal skills.
Support Groups
Although every group therapy setting will have a level of support, ¨support groups¨ are more casual and less clinical than a standard psychoeducational group. They often focus on building a safe environment where teens can vent about daily life, share strong emotions and relate to each other, in order to foster a setting of belonging.
Rather than focusing on clinical coping strategies, relief is found more through building empathy among group members. The group facilitator often plays a much less directive role and instead focuses on encouraging group members to engage or even take charge of parts of the conversation.
The facilitator will focus on general emotional issues to support well being centered around themes such as trauma, grief, bullying, or anger.
Process-Oriented Groups
Unlike the former two forms of group therapy, process-oriented groups are much less structured. They promote self-exploration among teens rather than addressing a specific issue. They are focused on helping them build positive skills of self-awareness, introspection and emotional regulation.
These groups often have fun activities for teens to take part in which help them connect to their thoughts, feelings and emotions. Facilitators often ask very open-ended questions, host ice breaker games or guide teens through a form of visual meditation.
These groups help teens focus on building positive skill sets rather than addressing specific mental health disorders. The primary focus is teaching them to connect with their emotions and become aware of behavioral patterns. Gaining this deeper understanding of themselves can help build protective factors when faced with future emotional challenges. They help build self-esteem, social skills and improve stress management.
Many group therapy programs may use one or more of the above forms mentioned above. Each group can be tailored depending on what the teenagers want to discuss and the goals of the group members.
Inpatient vs Outpatient Group Therapy
Group therapy can be provided through in-patient settings such as a partial hospitalization program (PHP) or through an intensive outpatient program (IOP). Ongoing group therapy through an IOP program can help teens stay connected, preventing them from drifting back into isolation. It can also help continue to implement the skills they learned in residential treatment.
Aspects | Psychoeducational Groups | Support Groups | Process-Oriented Groups |
| Objective | Psychoeducational groups primarily focus on providing teens with essential knowledge and coping strategies related to mental health issues. These groups aim to educate participants about various psychological conditions, symptoms, and effective ways to manage them. | Support groups offer a nurturing environment where teens can share their experiences, emotions, and challenges with peers who may be going through similar situations. The primary goal is to provide a sense of belonging, validation, and understanding. | Process-oriented groups emphasize self-exploration, introspection, and emotional awareness. These groups encourage teens to delve into their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to gain insight into their psychological processes. |
| Format | Psychoeducational groups are typically structured and may include didactic presentations, discussions, and skill-building exercises. They often involve psychoeducational materials such as handouts, worksheets, and informational resources. | Support groups are typically less structured than psychoeducational groups. They prioritize open and empathetic communication among participants. A trained facilitator may guide discussions but often lets the group members lead the conversation. | Process-oriented groups are typically unstructured, allowing participants to explore their emotions freely. The facilitator may use open-ended questions and encourage deep, reflective conversations. |
| Topics | These groups cover a wide range of topics, including stress management, anxiety reduction techniques, conflict resolution, emotion regulation, and communication skills. They may also explore specific mental health conditions like depression, anxiety disorders, and substance abuse. | The topics discussed in support groups can vary widely depending on the group’s focus. Some may center around specific issues like grief, trauma, or substance abuse, while others may be more general, addressing overall emotional well-being. | Participants in process-oriented groups explore their personal experiences, relationships, and emotional patterns. The focus is on understanding the underlying causes of their emotional struggles and developing greater self-awareness. |
| Benefits | Psychoeducational groups empower teens with knowledge about their mental health and equip them with practical tools to better cope with their emotions and challenges. Participants learn to identify early signs of distress and seek help when needed. | Support groups help teens feel less isolated by connecting them with peers who share similar struggles. They provide a safe space to express emotions, receive emotional support, and gain insights from others’ experiences. | Process-oriented groups help teens gain a deeper understanding of themselves and their emotional reactions. They can lead to personal growth, increased self-acceptance, and improved emotional regulation skills. |
Developing Relationship Skills: The Power of Teen Group Therapy
Group therapy for teens is a valuable approach where young individuals can develop and nurture critical relationship skills, such as empathy and communication, through interactions with their peers. While these skills are important for supporting teens with their mental health. They also help construct real-world problem-solving skills to navigate relationships.
Empathy
Empathy is the ability to understand and relate to the feelings of others. It is a critical skill teens can learn in group therapy by opening up, being vulnerable and providing a space of validation for their peers. Teenagers often have trouble sharing experiences with one another out of fear of judgment, and this kind of group setting can teach empathy—a skill that will last a lifetime and impacts major areas of adult lives.
As they relate to one another’s stories and emotions, they develop a deeper connection and learn to appreciate the unique challenges each person faces during various struggles in life.
Communication Skills
Adolescents often struggle with expressing their emotions and letting themselves feel vulnerable in front of others. This can lead to later problems in their adult life that seriously impact the strength of interpersonal relationships. Group therapy guides teenagers to build strong communication skills and advocate for themselves without fear of shame.
This practice of self-expression is invaluable for teens as they learn to articulate their emotions and thoughts effectively. This leads to a number of positive mental health outcomes for their transition to adulthood.
Active Listening
Contrary to popular belief, most adults do not actually have the skill of active listening. In group therapy teens will learn to sit and process what other people are saying. They will learn to respond rather than just react. Teens will also learn new forms of communication such as reading body language and tone of voice which make up a major part of successful communication.
Active listening is a skill that teenagers can carry with them for the rest of their lives leading to improved relationships and better outcomes in their working lives.
Constructive Feedback
Learning to give and receive constructive feedback is an essential skill that can be used for success throughout life. Teenagers can learn how to give input in a kind, yet direct way, as well as learning how to take feedback without automatically interpreting it as criticism. This can also help support the process of becoming ¨self-aware¨, a process that is extremely common during adolescence.
Group therapy for teens is a valuable space for the development of relationship skills, empathy and communication. Interactions with peers allow them to broaden their understanding of others, teaching kindness not only to their peers but to themselves as well. In time this can boost self esteem and promote better emotional well being.
Ideas for Effective Teen Group Therapy: Fostering Growth and Connection
Conducting group therapy for adolescents can be a powerful way to provide support, foster personal growth, and promote healthy stages of development. Here, we’ll explore three effective strategies for group therapy with adolescents: themed discussions, art and creative expression, and role-playing and skill-building.
Themed Discussions
Themed discussions involve structuring group therapy sessions around common themes or challenges that adolescents may face. Through discussing these topics and learning to be vulnerable, teenagers will learn valuable lessons of:
- Building Connection: Loneliness and depression driven by feelings of isolation is extremely common among teenagers. Guided discussions related to relevant themes of their life, school, social pressures, etc help create a sense of belonging by allowing participants to realize they are not alone in their experiences.
- Reduce Stigma: Adolescence is a time of rapid change and challenges. Discussing these openly helps normalize uncomfortable experiences and de-stigmatizes issues related to mental health.
- Learning Vulnerability: Guided discussions that include uncomfortable topics can teach teenagers to be more open, expressive and learn that it is safe to be vulnerable. This is a valuable tool to build stronger relationships and better communication skills that teenagers can take with them into adulthood.
- Example Topics: Some common themes that can be helpful to discuss with teens include managing stress and anger, dealing with relationships, hostile family members, grief, bullying or academic pressure.
Art and Creative Expression
Helping teens tap into their creative side is a great tool that can boost their self-esteem, reduce anxiety and help foster a healthier way to express their inner world. Art and other craft activities are a great way to help foster this, some of the benefits are listed below.
- Non-Verbal Communication: Direct communication is a struggle many teenagers face as they learn to process and express to the world. Art projects may help as they may struggle to articulate their emotions verbally. Art and creative expression provide an alternative means of communication, allowing them to convey complex feelings through drawings, paintings, music, or writing.
- Empowerment: Creating something tangible can boost adolescents’ self-esteem and sense of accomplishment. It empowers them to take ownership of their emotions and experiences.
- Stress Management: Taking part in creative arts and craft projects is a great way to relieve mental and physical stress that teens can store in the brain and body. Example Activity: Asking group members to create a vision board representing their hopes and aspirations. This can include images, words, or symbols that reflect their goals. Afterward, encourage them to share their boards and discuss what they’ve created.
Modeling Skills and Role-Playing
Role-playing is a great way for teens to observe the adults around them whether it be a licensed social worker or therapist. Observational learning is a powerful approach to help reinforce or decrease certain behaviors. Here’s how it can be beneficial:
- Develop New Skills: Facilitators can model skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution, crisis de-escalation, and decision-making.
- Enforce or Reduce Behaviors: Role-playing provides an opportunity to explore alternative responses and experiment with new approaches to avoid unwanted patterns of behavior.
- Learn Through Experience: Teenagers often learn best through trial and error. Role-playing is a great way to engage them in the learning process and try a variety of methods that could potentially work for them.
- Example Activity: Divide members into pairs and provide them with a scenario to use new skills they have learned such as conflict de-escalation (e.g., a fight with a family member). Each pair takes turns role-playing the scenario, with one person acting as the initiator of the conflict and the other as the one responding. This is a great way to show a variety of strategies and their potential outcomes.
Key Takeaways
- Understanding Group Therapy: Learn about the forms of group therapy, their benefits and how they differ from other standard approaches of therapy.
- Skill Building: Adolescents can learn valuable problem-solving, social skills and empathy from peer to peer interactions in group therapy settings.
- Improve Other Areas of Life: Open discussions that normalize teenager experiences will help improve relationships and communication in other areas of their life.
- Develop Healthy Coping Skills: Through facilitated discussion teens will learn new ideas and coping strategies from both the designated facilitator and their fellow peers.
Resources
Websites and Online Resources
Psychology Today offers articles and a therapist directory, allowing you to search for therapists who specialize in group therapy for adolescents.
Child Mind Institute – This organization provides resources and articles on various mental health topics for children and adolescents, including information on group therapy.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – NAMI offers information and support for individuals and families dealing with mental health issues, including resources on group therapy.
Books
“The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are” by Brené Brown – While not specific to group therapy, this book offers valuable insights into building resilience and fostering emotional well-being.
“Group Work with Adolescents: Principles and Practice” by Andrew Malekoff – This book focuses on the principles and practice of group therapy for adolescents, providing practical guidance for therapists and parents.
“The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults” by Frances E. Jensen – Although not centered on group therapy, this book offers important insights into understanding the adolescent brain and emotions, which can be valuable for parents.
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.
