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Support Groups for Children and Young Adults
These programs are designed to help children and young adults better understand their feelings and give voice to their emotions in healthy ways as a critical foundation for the healing process. Based on their age and emotional and developmental levels, the children and young adults are guided toward an understanding of what is happening in their worlds so they are able to separate situations that they cannot control from those that they can. As a result, they develop a realistic view of separation and divorce, as well as healthy communication and relationship-building skills, which help them realize a sense of peace and hope throughout their lives.
As part of the program, NFRC Counselors keep parents up to date on their child’s progress and offer advice and counsel on how to reinforce the lessons and coping skills their children are learning. In addition, parents are asked to participate in key sessions. As a result, parents are helped to better understand their children's needs and ways in which they can be supportive.
The Support Groups for Children and Young Adults consist of 10-12 weekly sessions and two additional multiple family sessions which include parents and significant others. Groups are offered twice a year. Each group includes approximately 10 participants, with group discussion and activities led by professional therapists and, when appropriate, NFRC-trained peer counselors.
High School Group
The high school groups (for teenagers 14-18) meet for 1 hour and 30 minutes each week over a period of 12 weeks. The last two sessions are multiple family sessions in which one or both of their parents and, in some cases, siblings, extended family members, and stepparents participate.
Activities and topics for discussion are selected based on the developmental needs of teenagers, who are more independent and have more support systems outside the home, but may have difficulties expressing themselves and sharing feelings of insecurity. The therapists draw upon a wide variety of techniques to meet the unique needs of each child in encouraging them to share their feelings. Techniques include:
- Group discussion
- Role playing
- Creative expressions such as poems, songs, or art
The curriculum and framework of the group allows children to:
- Work on divorce-related concerns
- Explore decisions they need to make as they move toward independence
- Strengthen self-esteem
- Examine their own relationships
Not sure if your child needs counseling? Click here for information on how to find out.
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