How Group Therapy Helps Teens Who Are Bullied

You’re Not Alone in This

Bullying is, unfortunately, a big part of growing up for a lot of kids, and if your teen has been through it, you’re far from the only family dealing with it. We hear a version of this question often on Tips on Teens:

“My 14 year old son is about to go back to school. We had some problems with bullying last school year, and so I’m a little anxious about it. A friend of mine suggested group therapy as a way of helping kids cope with bullying. I see you have a group for high school boys. I was wondering, how can a therapy group help kids who are bullied?”

It’s a great question, and one worth walking through carefully.

What Group Therapy Actually Gives a Bullied Teen

The most important thing group therapy offers is access to social support in a space where your teen isn’t being bullied, where he’s accepted, supported, and understood. Other kids in the group have often gone through something similar, so he’s less likely to feel alone in it. That shared experience gives him room to talk about his feelings, identify what he’s actually going through, explore it, and express it in a healthy way. Over time, that builds self esteem and a healthier kind of social connection, which makes him more likely to reach out for support and resources when he needs them.

Bullying Rarely Survives Being Brought Into the Light

Group therapy is one resource, but it works best alongside a few others. First and foremost, if the bullying is happening at school, we’d encourage you to involve the school directly. We know school administrations don’t always handle it perfectly, and there are real exceptions to this. But generally speaking, bullying doesn’t last once the secret is out. When more people know what’s going on, most school administrations do a reasonably competent job of stepping in and helping.

The More Adults Involved, the Better

The more adults who are aware and engaged, the more supported and understood your son is going to feel. And the more he’s able to build new social connections, new friend groups, and new activities, the more resilient he becomes against bullying going forward. This is exactly where group therapy fits in. It gives him a low stakes place to practice those social skills and build those connections with peers who get it.

Our Teen Support Groups

We run several groups built for exactly this. The Guys Group is a support group for high school boys working through self esteem and social support, and it’s been running for fifteen or sixteen years now. It meets every Wednesday at 8:30pm, and it’s genuinely one of our favorite groups to run.

Through our nonprofit, Child and Teen Counseling, we also offer three additional groups: a high school girls group, a middle school boys group, and Bro Op, a support group for high school boys. These nonprofit groups are intentionally low cost, thirty dollars a session, so more families can access group support without cost being the barrier. They’re run by therapists in training under supervision at Child and Teen Counseling.

If any of these sound like a fit for your son or daughter, give us a call. We’re always happy to talk through which group makes the most sense for your family.

FAQ

How does group therapy help a teen who’s been bullied? It gives your teen a space where he’s accepted and understood by peers, often ones who’ve been through something similar. That shared experience helps him process his feelings, build self esteem, and develop healthier social connections, which makes him more likely to reach out for support when bullying happens.

Is group therapy as effective as individual therapy for bullying? They serve different purposes rather than competing with each other. Individual therapy gives your teen focused, one on one support, while group therapy adds peer connection and social practice that individual sessions can’t fully replicate. Many teens benefit from both.

What happens in a teen support group session? Our groups are facilitated spaces where teens talk through what they’re experiencing, build social and coping skills, and connect with peers facing similar challenges, all under the guidance of a therapist or supervised therapist in training.

How much does group therapy cost at Teen Therapy Center? Our nonprofit, Child and Teen Counseling, runs three low cost groups at thirty dollars a session, specifically so cost isn’t a barrier to getting support. Give us a call and we can walk you through current options and pricing.

What age groups do your teen support groups serve? We currently run a high school boys group (The Guys Group), a high school girls group, a middle school boys group, and Bro Op, a second high school boys support group. Call us and we can help match your teen to the right one.

Should I still involve the school if my teen is in group therapy? Yes, we’d recommend it. Group therapy builds your teen’s coping skills and support system, but it works best alongside direct advocacy with the school if the bullying is happening there. Bullying rarely continues once school administrators are aware and involved.

Will my teen have to talk about being bullied in front of the group? Not before he’s ready. Group therapists create a pace that respects each teen’s comfort level. Most teens find that hearing others share first makes it easier to open up when they’re ready.

Get In Touch

If your teen is dealing with bullying and you’re wondering whether group therapy could help, we’re happy to talk it through. Teen Therapy Center and Child & Teen Counseling serve families throughout the West San Fernando Valley, including Woodland Hills, West Hills, Calabasas, Tarzana, Encino, Hidden Hills, and Agoura Hills.

Contact Kent Toussaint, LMFT, Clinical Director, for a free phone consultation:

Kent Toussaint, LMFT 5550 Topanga Canyon Blvd., Suite 150 Woodland Hills, CA 91367 (818) 697-8555 [email protected] https://teentherapycenter.com