When your teen is apprehensive about participating in different social groups and social situations, encouraging them to participate in group therapy might seem like a bad idea.
You might wonder why would your teen want to open up to a bunch of strangers or if speaking about their experiences in front of other people might cause them to feel even more anxiety than usual.
Although these are certainly valid concerns, research shows that group therapy can be incredibly rewarding for teenagers. According to a report from the Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, teens who were in group therapy were better off than over 73% of teens who were not attending group therapy.
Even if your teen struggles with social anxiety or developing positive relationships with others, group therapy can be helpful.
Here are a few ways group therapy can help teens grow and heal:
Group therapy improves communication skills
Sometimes teens do not have the words to express their feelings. Other times, they have no outlet or way to express their emotions, so they keep these emotions bottled up inside until these emotions present themselves through outbursts, irritability, or anger.
When teens attend group therapy, they will have the space and the tools necessary to communicate their emotions and express themselves in a healthy way. Hearing other teenagers talk about their experiences will help your teen learn how to put their feelings into words. Having the opportunity to speak and be heard without judgment or interruption will also allow your teen to learn how to communicate their feelings instead of holding them inside until they erupt.
These communication skills will help them outside of group therapy as well. Instead of acting out of anger or frustration, your teen will be able to communicate their needs with you so that the two of you can work together to find a solution.
Group therapy provides accountability
When your teen sees the same people come to group therapy week after week, working hard to improve themselves and address their problem behaviors, it can provide the push your teen needs to continue to work on their own goals. Knowing that they will have to speak to other people who are putting forth their best effort will encourage your teen and help hold them accountable.
When your teen sees the growth that others are making, it will help them to take steps toward their own personal growth.
Group therapy allows your teen to experience grace
When your teen falls short of their goals or they feel like they aren’t making enough progress, it can be easy for them to start to feel shame or low self-worth. Attending group therapy will help them see other teens who, although trying their best, are continuing to struggle. This will show your teen that they are not alone in their struggles and remind them that others are going through the same experience.
When your teen hears other teens share their experiences and receive love, support, and encouragement, it will show them that they are worth more than their mistakes and remind them to treat themselves with kindness and grace.
Group therapy exposes your teen to new perspectives
If your teen is having trouble making a decision or wants to share their take on a specific situation, it can be helpful for them to hear from other teens. Hearing an outside perspective from people who can view your teen’s situation differently will help your teen have a strong sounding board.
This is especially helpful if your teen is wrestling with depression or self-loathing and is having trouble making healthy decisions on their own or seeing the positive side of a situation they are facing.
Group therapy provides support
Oftentimes when teens are dealing with depression or anxiety, they have a tendency to isolate themselves from others. Group therapy provides a much-needed social group and support system that will keep your teen from going through hardships alone. Your teen will know that there are always people who are willing to listen and support them through the good times and the bad times, and this support can make a huge difference when it comes to your teen’s progress.
Although sharing in front of a group might sound scary to your teen at first, they will eventually realize that the benefits of group therapy far outweigh any of the factors that make them nervous. Group therapy will give your teen a solid support system full of people who will hold your teen accountable, show your teen grace for any mistakes, provide helpful feedback and suggestions, and allow your teen to have a safe space to communicate their big emotions.
If your teen starts to attend group therapy, encourage them to be open-minded and willing to share. They might just be surprised by how much they start to grow!