Although child therapy is a vast subset of our field, much emphasis is placed on the various modalities that support either very young children or high school–age youth, while the treatment of middle schoolers is often neglected. In this video, Drs. Sam Steen and Sheri Bauman co-facilitate a series of structured sessions with a diverse group of eighth graders, offering therapists a much-needed picture of the issues young teens face and age-appropriate ways to help them connect with each other.
Six 13-year-olds from different schools around Tuscon, Arizona, have been selected to participate in Steen and Bauman’s group demonstrating their collaborative approach to adolescent group counseling. Through a warm, mutually developed combination of interactive icebreakers, expressive arts activities, and structured discussions designed to prompt self-reflection and direct communication, the facilitators demonstrate a range of methods to engage members of this challenging yet insightful age group.
Over the course of eight sessions, the kids discover that despite real and perceived differences in race, gender, and family background, they share more traits and circumstances than they initially thought—and even their differences offer opportunities for connection. Between sessions, Steen and Bauman debrief with nuts-and-bolts processing that will guide your understanding of their goals and showcase their clinical skills. Addressing the poignant themes raised by the youngsters and modifying activities as they go, they offer a useful framework for conducting adolescent groups and assessing their collective progress.
If you’re looking for effective ways to engage young teens in a short-term group process—either as a solo practitioner or in collaboration with a colleague—watch these two specialists to find inspiration as well as practical training you can start using today.
