ADOLESCENT GROUP:
It is our experience that teenagers tend to work particularly well in a therapy group where they perceive that others can relate to them and they are often willing to accept feedback from their peers. Additionally, the group provides the young people with an opportunity to develop a healthy support network for one another. The Adolescent Group at SPS is made up of young men and women of High School age. The group is led by two therapists who are very experienced in working with teenagers and who have specialized training in adolescent development issues, including eating and body-image, self-esteem, experimentation with substances, and dealing with emotions such as anxiety, anger, and sadness. The Adolescent Group meets on Thursdays from 8:00 to 9:30PM.
CHANGE (Social Skills Development) GROUP:
CHANGE is a group for pre-teen boys and girls who come together weekly for an eight-session program to learn new social, problem solving, coping, and communication skills. The group incorporates state-of-the-art techniques to develop self-esteem and assertiveness and awareness of emotions and behaviors. While all children would benefit from participation, the group is of particular help to children experiencing special challenges or stresses in their school or family life -- moving, changing schools, parental separation or divorce, sickness, or bereavement in the family. Children with learning disabilities or attention deficit disorders would also benefit from additional instruction in social and problem solving skills. The group is led by two doctoral-level psychologists skilled in working with pre-teens, and it meets on Thursdays from 5:00 to 6:00PM.
EATING DISORDERS GROUP (“Spectrum”):
This ongoing group is for young women and men ages 15-21. It is co-led by two therapists who specialize in working with eating disorders: bulimia, anorexia, and compulsive overeating. Both therapists are trained to help young people break out of self-destructive eating patterns while learning alternative coping styles. The group provides insight and practical information about coping with an eating disorder and focuses on self-esteem and self-nurturing. Group members address some of the underlying emotional issues that affect them, such as cultural pressures for thinness, challenging body image stereotypes, and fostering the development of healthy self-esteem. The group meets on Saturdays from 12:00 to 1:30PM
PARENTING WORKSHOP (“Great Expectations”):
During this one-day workshop, parents will be presented with an overview of the developmental issues and crises that are part of “normal” rather than “fairy tale” family functioning. They will also receive practical help in determining realistic expectations of themselves and their children. Then, through presentation and practice of communication skills, family problem solving, and approaches to discipline and decision making, parents will be encouraged to relax, recharge their batteries, and enjoy family life. Parents whose children are participating in the CHANGE group are strongly recommended to join this workshop concurrently, since the parenting material will complement the children’s syllabus. Both single and two- parent families are encouraged to join the group. meet in