Group Interventions

There is extensive research evidence to support that group therapy is a successful intervention for young people. Here are some key findings:-

1. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Improvement in Social Skills:  By interacting with peers in a supportive environment, children and young people can learn and practice essential social skills, such as communication, empathy, and conflict resolution.
2. Reduction in Social Anxiety: Being part of a group can help young people feel more accepted and understood, leading to decreased feelings of social isolation and fear of judgment.
3. Enhanced Emotional Regulation: Through group discussions and activities, young people can develop better emotional regulation skills and learn constructive ways to cope with stress and challenging emotions.
4. Increased Self-Esteem and Self-Awareness: Gaining a better understanding of themselves and their strengths, as well as getting validation and support from peers and therapists, are other benefits from group therapy.  This results in young people’s self-esteem and self-awareness improving.
5. Peer Support and Empowerment:  Provides a sense of belonging, comfort and encouragement from peer support, so that young people recognise they are not alone in their struggles empowering them to tackle challenges more effectively.
6. Effective for Various Mental Health Concerns:  Beneficial for a wide range of mental health issues commonly experienced by young people, including depression, anxiety, substance use, trauma-related difficulties, and behavioural problems.
7. Cost-Effective Intervention:  More cost-efficient than individual therapy, making it accessible to a wider range of young individuals and families.
8. Long-Term Benefits:  The positive effects can be sustained over time with skills and insights gained continuing to benefit young people beyond the duration of the therapy.
9. Normalization of Experiences:  Helping young people realise that their struggles and challenges are not uncommon and many people experience the same or similar experiences.  This can help reduce any unwarranted feelings of shame and stigma surrounding mental health issues.
10. Preventive Benefits:  By helping young people build resilience and coping skills early on, group therapy has preventative benefits by reducing the risk of them developing more severe mental health problems later in life.

While we have had extremely positive feedback and results from our group therapy sessions, sometimes we hear of children or young people feeling apprehensive before the sessions begin. Hopefully, our responses to some of these frequently heard concerns below might help alleviate these concerns.

“I’m worried about attending a group”
You may have some worries when thinking about whether you would like to attend a group. This is completely normal! Most of us feel worried when trying something new or out of our comfort zone. We are here to support you and have answered some common worries you may have below.

“I hate speaking in groups”
Our groups are workshops, not group therapy, so we will not ask you to share personal experiences or anything that you are not comfortable to share. The groups involve some discussion but are mainly focused on building skills. Most young people worry about speaking in a group at first, but often surprise themselves on how much they feel able to join in, either through speaking or using the chat box function in our virtual groups.

“I am scared other people will judge me”
All young people who attend our groups will be facing challenges in their life. Our groups are an opportunity to meet other people who may be in a similar situation and can relate to what you may be going through, not to judge you.

“I hate having my camera on”
In our virtual groups, we ask that young people keep their cameras on. This is because we want to try and make the group as close to how it would be in person as possible and so we can make sure you are okay during the session. We know that some young people may find this hard but if we all agree to do this, we can support each other and have the same experience. It is okay if you need to turn your camera off briefly, we just ask that you let us know before you do so.

“I might say the wrong thing”
There is no such thing as the ‘wrong thing’ to say! Sometimes we worry about saying the ‘right thing’ so much that we end up not saying anything at all. We know it can be difficult, but it is important that you engage as much as you can with the group; the more you do this, the more you will get out of it. The group facilitators may check in with the group to make sure everyone understands, but we will not ‘test’ you or put you on the ‘spot’ to answer questions. Most young people who take part in our groups have not been part of a group before, so you will be learning new things at the same time as other young people.

“What if I know someone?”
Our groups are countywide, which means that you will be in a group with other young people from Surrey. We screen all young people before we invite them to the group, to ensure that all group members have similar needs. There is a small possibility that you may know someone by chance. If you do not want to be in a group with other young people who attend your school, please let your clinician know.
We will try to accommodate your preferences where possible, but due to the demand for our groups we cannot guarantee this. When you start a group, the group facilitators will ask you to sign a ‘group agreement’ to confirm that you agree to keep everything that is shared in the group confidential. 

“Do I have to do homework?”
We provide all young people with a handbook for our groups. In most groups, you may be asked to complete pages of the handbook during or after the session. These handbooks are yours to keep. It is important to practice new skills learnt in the group in different situations, so this will support you to do this outside of the group.

“What if I am unable to attend a session?”
It is important that you aim to attend all sessions when you start a group, so it is consistent for you and other young people in the group. We do understand that unforeseen circumstances happen, so please call or email your group facilitators to let them know as soon as possible, if you are unable to attend for any reason. Good attendance will help us to be able to offer this group to other young people in the future. Some of our groups have an initial ‘drop in’ so you can attend one session first to help you decide whether you would like to continue with the rest of the group programme.