inner sage counseling group therapy

Empowerment Group for Adolescent Girls (ages 15-19)

Understanding the cycle of self-harm and self-sabotage can be extremely frustrating for young girls trying to recover and heal from such addictive behaviors. Unlike chemical dependency, rarely is there a support group or peer culture in which these girls can learn and grow. The goal of this group is to empower the young woman who genuinely wants to stop hurting herself, but struggles with the pervasive thoughts and desires that accompany these dysfunctional coping mechanisms.

This group is designed to offer support, inspiration, and education to adolescent girls who seek help in facilitating their own healing process, but continue to struggle with behaviors that prevent them from meeting life goals and developing healthy relationships. Girls appropriate for this group engage in behaviors that harm their body and psyche. These behaviors may manifest in self-injury such as cutting, burning, etc., or in dangerous and life-threatening behaviors such as hypersexuality, sporadic substance abuse, or impulsive risk-taking. These girls may have accompanying diagnosis such as Depressive Disorders, Anxiety Disorders, and/or Mood Disorders. They will most likely have suffered from some trauma, abuse and/or neglect. Girls accepted into this group are expected to be receiving weekly, ongoing, outpatient individual counseling.

This group covers topics such as family of origin issues, sexuality and sexual health, identifying one’s authentic self. We discuss trauma re-enactment, the triadic system of self-sabotage, pleasure-seeking and arousal craving. We utilize creative expression to develop new coping skills and personal insight while integrating what is learned in group to everyday life. We are consistently working on the concepts of self and identity as these young ladies create and recreate who they are and who they want to be. We sometimes have guests to our group such as a yoga therapist, a Planned Parenthood educator, or an adult who can share their own story of making it through a difficult adolescence.

This group is designed to be free flowing, allowing the member’s needs to dictate the balance between process and education. It is also encouraged that the girls develop a support system amongst themselves so that they have peers to relate to and confide in when they experience life challenges outside of group time. The girls in group are responsible for being honest about their daily/weekly experiences and for giving constructive, critical and caring feedback to each other.

This is an on-going group that meets weekly. For more information, to make a referral, or to schedule an intake assessment please contact, Whitney Whitman