It’s no secret that being a teenager is hard. During this period of time, everything seems to change so rapidly. Hormones are constantly shifting and developing, the body and voice is changing, and suddenly, everything seems so uncertain in life.

There’s drama with friends, crushes develop, and you are now feeling more pressure to succeed in academics and sports to have a bright future. Plus, adding in that teens aren’t always nice to each other, it’s a lot to handle as a teenager.

While we can see childhood mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, or ADHD develop in the early years, the teenage years are when these conditions often really ramp up.

Group therapy has been proven effective in helping teenagers deal with the pressures of growing up and develop lasting coping skills that they will carry into adulthood.

What Is Group Therapy?

Group therapy is a mental health service where people come together, virtually or in person. During these sessions, they will talk about the challenges they are facing. One or more licensed therapists who specialize in child and teen therapy services moderated group therapy sessions for teenagers.

Many different types of group therapy services exist for teenagers. These group therapy sessions can be general or focused on specific issues that teens can face. Specialized group therapy sessions can focus on the following:

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Depression
• Trauma
• Social anxiety
• Grief
• Chronic pain/illness
• Weight challenges
• ADHD
• …and so much more!

What Are The Benefits of Group Therapy For Teens?

Support From Peers

It’s hard to not feel lonely when you are a teenager. When it feels as if everyone and everything is against you, it can be an isolating experience. You don’t feel like anyone gets you or understands your issues.

Group therapy switches the narrative on this common experience. It can help teens find support from their peers and maybe people they never thought they’d find things in common with. It also helps to reduce the stigma surrounding mental health by recognizing that the struggles we face in life are commonly experienced by all people.

Raises Self-Awareness

One great thing about group therapy for teens is that it raises awareness and compassion towards oneself. We all do it; we look at the issues we face in life and can only see one side: ours. Group therapy raises awareness by giving constructive feedback and differing viewpoints that may not have been realized otherwise.

The experience of sharing your struggles in life can be really empowering. Frequently, we think about what we are facing and feel alone as if we are the only people going through it. While every situation and person is unique, it can be surprising that other teenagers face something similar in their own lives.

It Teaches Social Skills

Group therapy for teenagers is a great way to really focus on healthy communication and conflict resolution. It can teach you how to be less reactive and more thoughtful when you are interacting with other teens or even adults.

You will also learn to read body language and between the lines of what is being said. It can be challenging to do either of those things in the teenage years. These types of communication skills are things that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.

Increases Motivation

Learning that you are not alone with what you are going through can be highly empowering. This empowerment can help you think about your long-term goals and help you to make positive changes. While most people don’t give credit to teens, they do think about the personal goals they would like to reach. Seeing other people reach their goals or strive towards them can be a powerful motivator, no matter your age.

If you want to learn more about group therapy for teens or other mental health services, don’t hesitate to reach out.