Adolescent Groups
Most do not regard their respective transitions from childhood to adulthood with fondness. Teenagers, especially in New York City, often experience the teen years as scary, confusing, and isolating. However, these years can also be filled with joy, empowerment, and heightened self-esteem.
Teenagers who are withdrawn or anxious, struggle in school socially or academically, discharge explosive tantrums or panic attacks, and/or ineffectively communicate with parents may greatly benefit by joining a therapy group with other adolescent girls or boys also experiencing the same or similar difficulties.
Belonging to a group in the therapeutic setting provides adolescents with the important and altering opportunity to express themselves and listen to the thoughts of others. Content and depth of conversation invariably spans beyond the scope of the classroom, lunch-time, or weekend social settings. Adolescents soon realize that other girls or boys have similar thoughts and feelings to their own; through regularly sharing with and listening to their peers, they develop a broader perspective and discern their positioning within the adolescent landscape. Adolescent groups provide internal awareness, growth and change for each member.
My specialized training with adolescents in conjunction with my extensive training in group therapy offers a unique experience for teenagers in NYC to express themselves in a safe and supportive space.
For adolescents, I offer ongoing therapy for groups of either girls or boys. Ages range from twelve to nineteen, and placement in a particular group is specialized and dependent upon both the maturity and age of the particular adolescent.
Mother-Infant and Expectant Mother Groups
Congratulations! You just had or are about to have a new baby! Now what?
Being or becoming a new parent in New York City can be stressful, anxiety provoking, and isolating. Even with a great support system of family and friends, parents often feel isolated when home alone all day with a baby or having worrisome thoughts related to motherhood they never had before.
I facilitate support groups for new and expectant mothers learning to cope with and adjust to this new life transition. Parent support groups help to alleviate the stress and anxieties exclusively attributable to motherhood.
Such a group can catalyze you to feel in control of your life again, and remind you of all the wonderful parts of motherhood you perhaps anticipated. In the group, you will have the opportunity to meet other mothers experiencing similar feelings and who are in your same life stage. You might also be surprised to learn even your darkest thoughts are common among other mothers and mother to be.
My specialized training and certification in the observation of the Emotional Availability (www.emotionalavailability.com) and attachment between a mother and her infant enhances my ability to provide a safe space for this group, as well as the added benefit of adult interaction.
Mother-Daughter Groups
Mothers and daughters have a special relationship, which often becomes a struggle. I create a unique opportunity for mothers and daughters to effectively communicate with each other. This is an especially meaningful group to me, as I co-facilitate it with a prominent Marriage and Family Therapist in NYC who happens to be my own mother.
