Support Groups

Did you miss out on being able to play on the baseball team or soccer team?  Did you spend your birthday at home feeling bad that the signs and drive by parade wasn’t enough? Had to cancel spring break plans? Was your camp cancelled?   Are you a senior and you missed your prom and graduation? Wondering if this will ever end? Forgetting what it feels like to hang with your friends?  Tired of hearing you are the selfish generation, who needs to suck it up and stop complaining about being bored? If so then this group was made with you in mind. 

You are right this is bigger than boredom. As a teen you need to spend time with peers and have new experiences. It’s not selfishness:  it’s science. So it’s okay to need a place to vent, to grieve the losses and scream from the rooftop that it is not fair. This group is designed to create a space to acknowledge whatever feelings you are having with peers your age going through the same thing. We will meet confidentiality through Google Meet for five weeks on Thursdays at 8pm. When we experience loss, acknowledgement and sharing is critical  so we can open ourselves up to new experiences. With a very different summer around the corner, think of this as getting your summer brain fit.  

You are not alone and together we can grieve the losses and even find ways to manage quarantine until life gets back to something that resembles the life you knew before Covid-19. CFSC adolescent specialists Michelle Spikes, L.M.S.W and Brandy LItwin, L.M.S.W. will lead this special opportunity to connect. If you are interested in learning more, call us at 248-851-5437 or email us at info@childfsc.com.  Please join us on Thursday, May 14th at 8pm for a free intoductory group session where we will offer you an opportunity to try the group before it begins. Follow up groups are being offered at a very low and introductory price. 

Space is very limited. To register, click the link below and complete the short form: 

Register for Covid: I want my life back 

 

 

By Rachel Chase, M.S.  and Abigail Lyng, M.S.W.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or DBT as it is more commonly known, is an evidence-based practice that supports teens, as well as parents, develop the skills to cope more effectively with heightened emotion dysregulation as well as self-destructive behaviors. 

But let us step back a moment to address the elephant in the room, the word ‘dialectical’, what does it mean? As Dr. Marsha Linehan, the original developer of this therapeutic intervention, would likely explain, dialectical incorporates a philosophical approach of ‘dialectics’. Simply put, it is about opposites and supporting a dialogue between the opposing forces. For a teen who participates in DBT, they are being supported by the therapist leading the skills group in reconciling a potential contradiction between self-acceptance and the desire for change. 

The DBT skills group supports this dialogue and engages the ‘opposites’ by guiding teens, and parents, in a structured manner to learn behavioral skills that includes homework assignments and role-plays to support their practice of the skills in the home environment. These behavioral skills follow a structured format to cover 5 different, but important areas, including:

Mindfulness—  This is a particularly important skill, in which we teach teens the importance of remaining in the present moment. We will teach teens how to pay attention to what is going on within their mind and body.

Distress Tolerance— We teach teens how to appropriately handle or survive crises using a toolkit of various  skills: distraction, self-soothing, or pros and cons. We teach that these skills can be used to plan ahead, when you know there is a challenge to anticipate, or used in the throes of a crisis. 

Interpersonal Effectiveness— Teens are exposed to a variety of social scenarios in their daily lives. This skill encourages them to become more assertive in a relationship while continuing to maintain a healthy and positive connection. It includes coaching on how to say expressing needs and saying ‘no’, as well as respecting others as well as yourself. 

Emotion Regulation— teaching teens how to effectively handle powerful emotions. We will support teens in learning to identify and change negative emotions. This ultimately empowers teens by encouraging confidence in their abilities and allows for more positive emotional experiences.

Walking the Middle Path— This is the section that we will encourage parent participation. This skill encourages healthy and open communication between teen and parent.  

You may now be wondering, how would my teen benefit from a skills training group versus individual therapy? While participating in individual therapy is beneficial and crucial to teens coping with difficult issues, participating in a skills training group not only provides teens with the perspective of other groups members, but also provides teens with a space to learn and implement skills that can significantly improve their well-being.  Learning these skills in a group setting provides teens with opportunities to see how skills work and situations in which skills may work effectively, as well as provide support, encouragement, and feedback to one another. 

At CFSC, we are very fortunate to have successfully navigated the transition from meeting with  clients in-person to virtually via telehealth. Given the success we have seen with clients of all ages via teletherapy, we will be holding the group virtually as well. As in a physical environment, our virtual group will adhere to the high standards held for confidentiality as well as maintaining respect for all participating group members. 

Ultimately, this skills group is an excellent opportunity for teens who have had trouble navigating challenging situations or coping with intense emotions in an unsafe or destructive way, to learn that they are not alone and that there is a safe outlet to practice and learn skills for long-lasting positive change. If you are interested in learning more about our group or registering , please call 248-851-5437 or email Rachel Chase or Abigail Lyng.

We look forward to working together. Our next group is beginning on Tuesday, May 19, 2020 and space is limited!

Register for DBT Skills Group