by Lauren Goodman | Feb 25, 2026 | Group Therapy For Teens
Building Solid Friendships for Teens that Really Last
Some teens have had the same close group of friends since they first started school. Others have one best friend they’ve known forever. But most of us aren’t like that. Most teen’s friendships change often, depending on classes, sports, or activities. Proximity plays a big role—when schedules change, friendships can fade. If you’re tired of feeling like you’re always starting over, here are five tips for building solid friendships for teens that really last.
1. Stay Consistent With Activities
If you’re involved in an extracurricular activity, try sticking with it. Staying on the same team or in the same group gives friendships time to deepen. Many teens switch teams or programs to be on the “best” team.
But you have to remember, most kids won’t go on to play sports in college or professionally, so being on the best team doesn’t really matter that much. Youth activities are about connection, work ethic, fun, and shared experiences. Staying with the same group—whether it’s sports, scouting, dance, youth group, or a club—creates space for real friendship to grow.
2. Building Solid Friendships for Teens by Creating Shared Experiences
If possible, ask your parents if you can bring a friend along on a family trip or vacation. Spending extended, one-on-one time together builds strong memories and helps friendships deepen in a natural way. These shared experiences often become the foundation for long-lasting friendships.
3. Set Healthy Boundaries in Friendships
One important part of building solid friendships for teens is learning to set boundaries. Some teens stay in friendships where they’re treated poorly because they don’t think they’ll be accepted anywhere else. A friend who talks behind your back, embarrasses you, or only uses you when it’s convenient isn’t treating you with respect.
Friends like this usually act like great friends one-on-one, but in front of other teens they tend to be mean or exclusive. Healthy friendships should feel safe both one-on-one and in group settings. Teens, don’t be afraid to step back from a friendship like this. There are other teens that will accept you for who you are. Sometimes it takes a few months, but if you look, you’ll find them.
4. Learn What It Means to Be a Loyal Friend
When building solid friendships for teens, it’s important not just to have good friends, but to be a good friend. Talk with your parents about what loyalty looks like in friendships.
You can’t control other people, but you can control your own behavior. Are you showing up when you say you will? Do you stand up for your friends when others are unkind? Do you keep plans instead of canceling when something better comes along? Being a loyal friend is one of the strongest ways to build lasting connections.
5. Pay Attention to the Little Things
Small actions matter more than you might think. Remember birthdays. Send a quick text to congratulate a friend on good news. Check in when someone is having a hard day. These little moments go a long way in building solid friendships for teens.
Building Solid Friendships for Teens by Finding the Right Friends
Follow these tips, but most importantly, choose your people wisely. If your current friends regularly leave you out, it will be difficult to build a deep and lasting connection with them. In truth, they may not be the people you want to invest your time and energy in anyway.
Look for friends who genuinely care about you for who you are. A simple test of a healthy friendship is whether you can comfortably say “no.” If a friend invites you to do something you’re not comfortable with (for example, going to a party where you know there will be drugs or alcohol), you should be able to decline without worrying they’ll pull away. Strong friendships respect boundaries. When you choose good friends and work to be a good friend yourself, you build deep, lasting relationships.
Helping teens grow and families improve connection,
Lauren Goodman, MS, MFT
by Lauren Goodman | Feb 1, 2024 | Group Therapy For Teens
What is DBT?
You’ve probably heard of DBT, but you might not be sure what it is. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy is a type of counseling frequently used with teenagers. It works well in group settings and one on one. DBT for adolescents focuses on teaching adolescents skills they can use to tolerate feelings of emotional distress. Emotional distress frequently leads to acting out behaviors such as cutting, suicidal thoughts, promiscuity, anger issues, experimentation with substance abuse, and other impulsive choices. The therapist works on skills ranging from something called radical acceptance (learning to allow events and feelings that simply cannot be changed instead of fighting them) to interpersonal skills that help your teenager get along better with family and friends. This especially works well in a teen group counseling setting.
Why Group Therapy?
At Teen Therapy OC we believe strongly in giving your teen the best chance to take what they learn here in counseling and apply it to their lives. Consequently, the group setting is an amazing chance for your son or daughter to practice using the DBT skills with peers before using them in life. Jazmine, the therapist who leads our DBT group, comments that, “These teens lean on each other for support. They encourage one another to try out their new skills in group to see if they work.” She also notes that teens who learn the DBT skills in a group format seem to integrate them more fully. In other words, because they are helping one another learn them, they take a more vested interest. Teenagers who are the right fit for DBT usually also feel lonely. Because of this, the group setting provides amazing support and compassion.
Does DBT Group Counseling for Teens Work?
It isn’t for everyone of course, but that’s why we screen when you call. Feel free to reach out and let’s chat about it. Right now Jazmine is in the middle of a 5 week DBT group session. So far, it’s been amazing. These young teenagers look forward to each session. They have support from peers. Many of them naturally experience strong emotions, which can be off-putting to friends. As a result, they feel understood in the DBT group setting. At the same time, they are rooting for one another to succeed in better tolerating the strong emotions so they don’t act out as much. Jazmine creates an environment where each group member knows they are welcomed, wanted, and an important piece of each group member’s recovery. This gives each teenager a sense of selfless purpose.
How Do We Get Our Teenager Started?
Your teenager has the potential to grow and thrive using DBT. Your teen has love to give others, and there are peers who will value your son or daughter. Most importantly, your teenager doesn’t need to feel alone as they journey towards improved mental health. To begin in Teen Therapy OC’s group therapy, reach out to us at our Contact Page. We allow new teens to join the DBT group during the first week of each month. We also understand it can be hard to join a new group. Sometimes we suggest an individual session with Jazmine beforehand. However, if together you and Jazmine decide that isn’t necessary for your teenager, know that she is warm, welcoming, and engaging. She carefully selects the teens in the group to make as positive an experience as possible for every teen she sees.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you have about this post or how it can benefit your teen.
Helping teens grow and families improve connection,
Lauren Goodman, MS, MFT
by Lauren Goodman | Dec 23, 2023 | Group Therapy For Teens
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.
