Group therapy is a modality that offers benefits that are not possible in individual and couples therapy. While there are great benefits to the individual therapist-client relationship, receiving feedback and encouragement from peers and feeling a connection with peers in a safe, respectful environment is a powerful experience that is not possible in individual therapy. Group therapy allows participants an opportunity to examine and change their ways of connecting with others, while also feeling empowered and valued through helping others change. Developing intimacy with strangers can provide a moving lesson about the humanity in all of us, and help us focus on what we can share with others, rather than the ways we are different or incompatible.

Group therapy is a particularly powerful intervention for adolescents who are developmentally focused on interpersonal connections and their peer group. In a therapy group, adolescents have the opportunity to form a safe, respectful, intentional peer group that works together to include and value all members. While most teens do feel different and left out in ways in their school environments, they can work on improving their own interpersonal skills, while also gaining insight into the ways in which peers are struggling in their own right. For LGBTQ-spectrum teens, therapy groups provide a safe space where identity and other issues can be explored without fear of being rejected or questioned related to one’s identity.

Cost of Groups:

Group therapy is also an important way therapeutic services can be more financially accessible, as it is a more cost-effective treatment. While in many cases, group therapy is most powerful in conjuction with individual therapy, it can also represent an opportunity for those who might not otherwise be able to afford therapy.

Structure of Groups:

One of the reasons group can be so powerful is the emotional safety they offer. In order to ensure safety and consistency, weekly attendance at groups is expected. The goal is to keep membership as consistent as possible, although new members are admitted after at least one individual session to ensure the group will be a good fit for them and vice versa.

Groups Offered

The following groups will begin when enough clients express interest:

• Adolescent Girls Group: This group will focus on self-esteem, empowerment, identity exploration, interpersonal and social skills, and other adolescent issues for teen girls.

• LGBTQ-Spectrum Adolescent Group: Adolescents with diverse sexual and gender identities are different in many ways from their adult peers. They view sexual orientation more fluidly and gender identity as less binary. While some identify as gay and lesbian, others label themselves bisexual, panxexual, queer, transgender, genderqueer, or may reject labels all together. In some cases, adolescents may be queer-identified without espousing an identity that is LGBTQ in a more traditional sense. This group provides a safe space where these adolescents can explore issues surrounding their sexual/gender identities and/or a variety of other issues including social skills, peer pressure, body image, etc.

• LGBT-Spectrum Emerging Adult Group: Queer emerging adults are transitioning from an adolescent world that is more savvy about identity, sexuality, and gender into a more traditional adult world. These young people may be working on continued understanding of their own identities, navigating a world that is less queer-affirmative than their peer-group, or simply need a safe space to explore other issues such as individuating from family, relationship and interpersonal concerns, financial or academic stress, or other mental health issues.