Not the only one ...

[WhaeaM]

I was very interested in getting my teen to join a talk teen group wth the guidance of a therapist to help them see that they are not the only ones feeling like they do and to create friendships and support however, her coun sellor said they have tried various times to get a group going but that the participants rarely turn up for all sorts of reasons from .. not wanting to be identified as a "loser" to just feeling shy about sharing.  I actually though a support group of like minded people would be helpful .. maybe not.  Does anyone else have experience or ideas around this?
 

[Jess1-RO]

Hi @WhaeaM,

A great question! I am going to tag a few parents here who might be able to share some insights.

@taokat  @sunflowermom @compassion @JAKGR8 @hippy_mum @Honeytoast @Bren-G_ @Faob_1 

[WhaeaM]

Thanks Jess ..

[sunflowermom]

Hi @WhaeaM 

My daughter is in a teen support group for about 1 1/2 years and we also attended a family support family support group weekly.  I think these 2 things were a HUGE part in my daughters recovery.  She could talk about things in her teen group that she was not comfortable to talk about at home.  I LOVED the family group because some weeks it was just parents and kids in a separate room and sometimes the families came together.  I took comfort that there were other parents going through what I was.  I also learned how to be less of a helicopter mom.  I also learned better communication with my daughter and my husband.

I think if you can find a group family or teen or both.  Its so worth it.  And you have to try it for more than just one session, I would say commit to a couple months to decide if its for you.  Some of the sessions can get really intense but its worth it.

[Jess1-RO]

it sounds like having a teen group to speak to has been a great support for your daughter!

Hi @WhaeaM- From our experience at ReachOut with our youth forums, young people are often more likely to turn to peers but may need to know it is safe to talk. Our youth forums are similar to this forum in that they are anonymous which can give young people a sense of security.

It can be about trying different groups until you find the right group that works for your daughter. It can help to go with an organisation that has a strong history of group based support- they often know how to facilitate groups in a safe and supportive way.

I used to run group based programs in the community for youth mental health and they have been a really great way to hold space for young people to learn from each other and feel validated in their experiences.

I really hope you can find a group your daughter is comfortable in if you are in Australia we can point you in the direction of some programs in your state too