Humans are innately inclined to form groups. Social groups play a significant role in everyday life, helping us make sense of the world, and fulfilling a primary psychological need for a sense of belonging. The social support component of group therapy is key to its effectiveness. Group therapy taps into the power of community, providing opportunities for growth and self-acceptance. At Beyond Healthcare, group therapy is an integral part of our holistic approach to mental health treatment for the adolescents, teens, and families we serve. If you are looking for group therapy for adolescents and teens near Curtice, Ohio, reach out to Beyond Healthcare. Call 833.698.0453.
What Are the Benefits of Group Therapy for Adolescents and Teens?
The core of group therapy is the belief that people feel better when they recognize that they are not alone in their struggles. One key ingredient that makes group therapy so successful is peer interactions. Group therapy helps children build their social network, providing more social support and reducing stigma, isolation, and alienation.
Adolescents experiencing mental health, behavioral, or social challenges often feel unheard, confused, misunderstood, and isolated. Group therapy helps them realize that their feelings are not as unique as they think and that others share similar feelings, thoughts, and experiences.
Group therapy helps adolescents build social networks, find support, and create connections outside of school and home, where they are struggling. Some of the benefits of group therapy for adolescents include:
- Fostering social and communication skills
- Improved coping mechanisms and problem-solving skills
- Diminished feelings of isolation
- Improved self-acceptance
- Increased self-esteem
- Reduced levels of anxiety and depression
- Increased accountability
- Symptom reduction
When adolescents in group therapy see their peers improving and making progress toward their goals, they are inspired to do the same. Listening to peers struggling with similar issues allows adolescents to look at their problems differently and gain more insight. Group therapy sessions provide an ideal opportunity for them to practice the new skills they learn in a safe environment.
Popular Group Therapy Activities for Adolescents and Teens
While group therapy sessions are therapeutic, they can be fun, helping adolescents become engaged in the therapeutic process. Highly trained therapists lead group therapy sessions. They receive education, build interpersonal relationships, and learn to regulate emotions and behaviors. Some adolescents are initially reluctant to participate, but they quickly begin to look forward to their sessions. Some popular group therapy activities for adolescents include:
- Counseling basketball – Adolescents take turns shooting a basket, which can be anything from an indoor hoop to a recycle bin. If they make it, they celebrate with a dance or other action. If they miss, they answer a question related to the session’s topic.
- Stand up, sit down – The therapist makes a statement about something. Adolescents stand up if the statement is true for them and stay seated if not. There is a five-second dance party when the statement is true for everyone and everyone is standing.
- Feelings hot potato – While music is playing, children pass around the “potato.” When the music stops, whoever holds the potato has to share their feelings about the session’s topic.
- Trace and draw – Adolescents are given body-size paper and help each other trace their outlines. When finished, they take turns writing something nice about one another inside their body outlines.
- Fear in a hat – Adolescents write down a fear they have on paper and toss it in a hat. The hat gets passed around as each child picks a piece and reads it aloud. Group members try to guess to who the fear belongs.
- All-in obstacle course – The therapist creates a safe obstacle course and divides the group into teams. Teams hold hands while navigating the obstacle course. If the chain is broken, the team starts over from the beginning.
These group activities for adolescents help foster a sense of community, build self-acceptance and self-awareness, teach accountability, strengthen communication skills, and increase self-awareness and self-confidence.
Contact Beyond Healthcare in Curtice, Ohio for Group Therapy for Adolescents and Teens
Beyond Healthcare provides high-quality outpatient mental health treatment for adolescents and teens with mental health issues and behavioral concerns and their families. We offer comprehensive treatment with flexible scheduling to accommodate your family’s busy schedule. Contact our team at 833.698.0453 to learn more about group therapy for adolescents and families.
