Groups
The Power of Groups
- The group structure allows for a unique opportunity to address peer interaction concerns, be it a result of social anxiety, self-regulation challenges, or social competence deficits.
- In addition to skills, groups also provide support and accountability for working on individual goals and the message that “you are not alone”.
- The group context provides an environment that more closely replicates a peer interaction at school, home or outside activities.
- In addition, children and teens are able to learn cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills while receiving immediate feedback from the group leader and peers.
- Group CBT is also an ideal setting in which to enhance resilience and wellness skills.
We offer the following groups
The Resilience Builder Program®
The Resilience Builder Program® (RBP) is a group therapy program based on a CBT framework, which teaches skills that help children strengthen their social competence and self-regulation. Groups are available for youth in kindergarten through high school as well as a specialized college group. The curriculum is published by the Research Press. which lists the table to contents with specific session topics for unit 1 (Fall) and unit 2 (Spring). Click here for more information.CBT for Anxiety Middle School Group (grades 7-9)
This 8-week group is rooted on the principles of cognitive behavioral therapy, which is the gold-standard treatment for anxiety disorders (generalized, social, panic disorder, phobias, obsessive-compulsive) in adolescents. As such, the group’s aim will be to change adolescents’ inaccurate/unhelpful thoughts along with unhealthy behaviors that inadvertently maintain the anxiety. Click here for more information.CBT For Anxiety Teen Group (grades 10-12)
The CBT for Anxiety Group for Teens is a 8-session skills group for high schoolers who are experiencing anxiety of any type, including generalized worries (“What if?” thinking), panic attacks, social or health anxiety, or more specific fears/phobias. The group will focus heavily on exposure to feared outcomes or situations; however, other anxiety management skills will be included as well. Click here for more information.Teen Mindfulness Group (grades 9-12)
The Teen Mindfulness Group (MBSR-T) is an 8-10-week group therapy treatment for stress, anxiety, and depression. Mindfulness means noticing your environment (both external and internal) in the present moment with curiosity and kindness. This experiential group will teach teens mindfulness skills to lower stress, regulate emotions, tolerate distress, manage impulses, build self-compassion, and improve well-being. The program is an adaptation of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program for adults that has been modified for teenagers. MBSR is an effective, evidence-based intervention for stress, depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and problems with sleep. Click here for more information.Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C) Group
The Unified Protocol for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders in Children (UP-C) is a group treatment program for youth ages 8 to 10 of all genders and their parents. Group members may present with symptoms or diagnoses of depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and/or difficulties regulating strong emotions. The UP-C is an evidence-based treatment that promotes change by reducing intense negative emotion states that present across emotional disorders. Child-focused techniques include emotion-focused education, awareness techniques, cognitive strategies, problem-solving, exposure to feared stimuli, and behavioral activation. Parents will also learn these skills as well as specific parenting techniques to help their child tolerate and reduce negative emotions. The group will include 12 child sessions and 12 parent sessions offered simultaneously by two psychologists with clinician certification in the UP-C. It will be conducted at the Rockville location on Thursdays at 4:45pm in the fall of 2023.
For families new to our practice, teens must first participate in an intake session prior to registering for the group. For more information or if you would like to register, please contact our intake coordinator at 301-593-6554 x23 or email at intake@alvordbaker.com.SPACE Parent Training Group (virtual)
The Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) Virtual Group is a 10 week group that works with parents to address childhood or adolescent anxiety and/or OCD. While the child is the patient, it is the parent who attends the therapy sessions, learning to identify family accommodations that may inadvertently be contributing to their child’s anxiety. Participants will practice these skills in a personalized way in-between sessions to facilitate immediate change in household routines leading to anxiety reduction for their child.