Teen Group Therapy

[Nerdumz916]

I am worried about trying teen group therapy. Has anyone tried it and liked it or didn't like it, what was your experience? Did it work?

[WhisperingSilence]

Hey, I’ve had group therapy but not as a teen. I found the group therapy ok. We were not really allowed to discuss problems in detail ( might be different in a young persons therapy session), but we were allowed to discuss some things like our mental health . I had DBT group therapy ( dialectal behaviour therapy) and they mainly taught us and went through DBT skills with us which was on the whole rather useful. And being in a room with other people who also had the same diagnosis as me was reassuring as it can feel quite lonely at times ( I have EUPD/BPD) .
It depends on what you want to get out of group therapy, like if it’s to feel less lonely , or to have peer to peer support - it could be really helpful especially if you are connecting with people who are a similar age to you. However just be aware that they don’t always allow people in group therapy settings to go into personal details of the situation ( abuse etc ) in case it triggers etc. I don’t see any harm in giving group therapy a try, and if it’s not your thing you can probably like let the staff know it isn’t your thing and try 121 therapy instead.
It might be different depending on what country you are in and such like though . I am in the UK.

[Mindfulness.]

Hi!

I personally have never tried Teen Therapy Groups but have heard they can help a lot of people. Obviously it depends on each individual and how much they can get out of it.

I did do one on one counselling and it helped me quite a bit.

[¯|_(ツ)_|¯]

Hi!

So, I wasn't in group therapy as a teen but I've done it as an adult and still do.

It does help me, but I will say group therapy is what you make of it. If you sit there and never participate then you're not going to get anything fully out of group therapy. I'm not saying you have to share everything about your life every time you meet, but if you never share what's going on you won't get the support you need. The other part of participating is giving feedback to other people in the group. You may not be able to relate 100%, but you'll find some things you have in common.

Building a relationship with the group members is also useful. By this I don't mean exchange numbers and meet them outside of group. I just mean that while you're in group with them, be friendly. Chat about hobbies and interests before or after group, make jokes when appropriate, just get to know them.

Your group might also help you develop skills you can use outside of group to deal with things going on in your life. Try to practice those skills outside of group so they stay fresh. It's okay if one thing doesn't work, try the next thing that comes up.

I say give group a try! You might like it.

Take care,
Dez