Group therapy for adolescent boys, ages 13 to 18

Why a group

Adolescent boys learn how to handle emotion, conflict and pressure largely from each other, and not all of what they learn that way serves them. A group led by two therapists makes that learning deliberate. A boy practices saying what he actually thinks in front of other boys, hears that he is not the only one who shuts down or loses his temper, and gets feedback from peers that carries more weight than anything an adult can say.

Individual therapy and the group do different work. In individual sessions a boy comes to understand his own patterns. In the group he tries the alternatives among people his own age, with Dr. Inzinna and Mr. Espinal present.

Who it is for

Boys ages 13 to 18 who are anxious, quick to anger, withdrawn, avoiding school or friends, or finding adolescence harder than it looks from outside. Some members are also in individual therapy, and some are not. Each boy meets with the group leaders before joining, so that the group is a good fit for him and for the other members.

How it runs

The group will meet weekly at the office, in person, with a consistent membership. Sessions combine skills, drawn largely from dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents, with open discussion of what the members bring in. Parents receive a clear account at the start of what the group covers, how confidentiality works among the members, and what they can expect to hear from the leaders.