Group Therapy
Tailored to meet the unique needs of today’s world, our creative and distinctive groups empower clients to feel less alone, develop critical relational skills, and gain support and insight that they can apply to all areas of their lives. Our team takes great pride in developing groups that are based in research and theory, effective, and engage clients. Depending on the nature of the problem, group therapy can be an ideal choice for addressing concerns and making positive changes in you or your child’s life.
With great care, we pre-screen potential group members and keep our groups small to ensure the safety of each member, maximize the benefits of each session, and provide the attention that group members deserve.
Some of the target areas that groups may address include:
- Depression
- Divorce (Adults and children)
- Panic disorder
- Anxieties
- Chronic pain
- Grief/Bereavement
- Social Skills Development
- Emotion regulation
- Sibling Rivalry
- Parenting skills Development
- Low Self-esteem
- Anger Management
What to expect
Group therapy involves one or more trained mental health professionals who lead a group of roughly 4-to-10 clients. Most therapy groups meet every week at the same time for 60 or 90 minutes. Group therapy may be attended in addition to individual therapy, however it is not required and group therapy alone can be an effective means to improve your mental well‑being.
Benefits of group therapy
Joining a group of strangers may sound intimidating at first, but the benefits of group therapy are researched and well documented. Group members are often surprised by how rewarding the group experience can be. Groups can provide valuable information for the development of insight, act as a support network and a sounding board, and offer a safe space to practice new skills (e.g., social skills, communication, and problem resolution). In addition, groups create a sense of belonging, a safe space to express yourself freely without fear of judgment, and inspiration to make your own changes.
Our skilled therapists understand that within a safe and supportive group setting, he or she can observe the subtle ways in which group members interact or relate to others. With individual therapy, this is not as easily accomplished as the therapist can only go into the client’s world without ever seeing another side of the situation.
Socialization Group Therapy (The Social Club)
The Alarming Statistics
According to the World Health Organization, one in seven 10-19-year-olds experience prolonged emotional distress that is severe enough to be diagnosed as a mental disorder. Depression, anxiety, and behavioral difficulties are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents. The most concerning statistic is that suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among 15–19-year-olds.
Unfortunately, children and adolescents with mental health conditions are particularly vulnerable to social exclusion, discrimination, stigma (affecting readiness to seek help), educational difficulties, risk-taking behaviors, physical ill-health, and human rights violations. Untreated, adolescent mental health conditions extend to adulthood, impairing both physical and mental health and limiting opportunities to lead fulfilling lives as adults.
The Social Club
Led by Katherine Moncrief M.S., our team has taken great care in developing a one-of-a-kind group experience focused on creating connection and acceptance, while nurturing the development of social skills in a gentle and patient manner. Group content and activities are creatively unique, based in research and theory, effective, and fun! We use games, stories, art, and role-playing techniques to make learning social skills engaging. The goal is to empower children to learn to handle the challenges of social situations at school, extracurricular activities, and home. This is a weekly, 8 session, in-person group for children and adolescents ages 10‑14.
Approaches to our socialization group include aspects of:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical-Behavioral Therapy
- Interpersonal Psychotherapy
- Behavioral Therapy
- Play Therapy
- Art Therapy
- Narrative Therapy
The development of social skills requires practice, practice, practice!
Repetition is how social skills become second nature. As group members feel accepted and appreciated for the special little superstars that they are, their confidence begins to grow, and they begin to share more of their interests and personalities that make them uniquely special. Group meetings create the opportunity to learn about social skills and repeatedly practice with the support of a trained professional. However, practice extends beyond our group meeting and includes the time between sessions to ensure success, and that is why committed parents are our most valuable ally.
The many benefits of attending our socialization group, warmly named ‘The Social Club,” include:
- A safe space to learn and practice communication and social skills.
- A sense of acceptance and belonging from peers.
- The development of positive self-esteem and confidence.
- Peer support
- Learning to manage social anxiety.
- The development of empathy, sympathy, compassion.
- Recognition and understanding of non-verbal social cues.
- Understanding and acceptance of different perspectives.
- Sharing in positive peer interactions (e.g., fun, inside jokes, shared experiences).
- Problem solving together with peers
- Behavioral and emotional coping with bullying (healthy behavioral responses and challenging faulty thinking).
Enrollment
Our enrollment process is designed to determine the best fit for each of our groups. Group members are screened, and group sizes are small to ensure that each member is safe, receives the attention they deserve, and benefits from the experience. A brief interview or internal referral from one of our team members is required. Group attendees must be willing participants and may be anyone who is negatively affected by feeling different from peers, bullying, or suffering from difficulties such as social anxiety or autism.
Meeting Place
We transform our conference room into a fun spot that kids can call their own. Parents are invited to wait in our comfortable cafe/lounge area or take a walk and enjoy the safe and beautiful surroundings of our office building.