😅Too anxious?? Try this
Did you know that group therapy is a highly effective treatment for social anxiety- particularly for teenagers??
Teenagers tend to engage in what’s called “groupthink” where they look to each other for cues about how to respond to and integrate information. It’s all a part of what we call “individuation” where teens learn to separate from their parents, and look for other sources of support and validation, as they grow into adulthood. (And yes, this is part of healthy development).
Here are 3 other cool benefits of group therapy for teens::
1️⃣ 200% benefit effect:: when we can help contribute to others, we receive what’s called the 200% benefit effect which means we boost our happiness and self-esteem from being helpful AND buding mastery in our skills
2️⃣ learning by listening and watching:: for some teens, individual therapy can feel too intense because they feel the pressure yo come up with the perfect responses or scenarios to discuss in session, with group therapy they pressure is off because they can learn by listening to others share their experiences. So even if they don’t verbalize the same experiences, they are observing and retaining new ways of thinking and responding to problems
3️⃣ potential for solid friendships:: so here’s the thing- group therapy is NOT about making friends. Though time and time again, the teens in my groups have shared that they’ve been able to make solid friendship connections in and out of the therapy room. These teens grow through some challenging times together and it can be a great experience to know you are not alone in feeling this way.
✅ Ready to give Group Therapy a try? I currently have one in-office group (Woodbridge, CT) and one virtual group (must be in CT or NY due to licensing laws)
➡️ comment “GROUP” and I’ll send you the link to set up your free parent phone screening call to go over the logistics and see if Group Therapy is a good fit for your teen’s needs