Our mental health support group at Lightfully Behavioral Health provides a safe and structured format for our clients to discuss issues that don’t fit neatly into treatment sessions. It’s a forum where everyone can let their guard down and share their honest thoughts and feelings. Our clients help each other feel seen and validated when they discover they’re going through similar challenges. Quite often, both participants and facilitators walk away from support groups feeling enlightened and inspired.

There are a few reasons why mental health support groups are particularly helpful for teens. Teens are at an age when belonging and acceptance are extremely important. They’re learning how to develop relationships with others and forming opinions about mental health topics.

This article previews what your teen can expect from our free online support group.

What can my teen expect from a mental health support group?

During the first few sessions, your teen won’t be expected to do anything but listen. They’ll hear from other teens who are dealing with mental health symptoms and conditions. Teens in our support groups talk about all kinds of things, from dealing with anxiety and depression to questions about social identities. The opportunity to listen and observe while others are being vulnerable is valuable in itself. Teens will gain perspective and learn to notice how another person is feeling and show empathy.

Your teen will hear helpful and encouraging responses from other group members. Sometimes they’ll hear a group facilitator ask for clarification or redirect comments to be more helpful. Facilitators will often ask open-ended questions to help teens “go deeper” and find meaning or conclusions with clear next steps.

Mental health support groups offer teens the opportunity to talk about what’s going on in their lives and how these things are affecting their mental health. As they progress, these groups are a great place to discuss the challenges teens are facing as they start to change their perspective and apply what they’re learning.

Why are mental health support groups beneficial for teens?

Teenage years can be a very lonely time, especially for those who are facing mental health challenges. Teens who tend to be shy or isolated in other environments are valued and included in a support group. Hearing constructive and meaningful responses will show your teen what productive mental health conversations can sound like. This kind of experience models how your teen can identify who to trust and reach out for help in the future.

During the teen years, many people spend a lot of time wondering and worrying about what other people think. In a mental health support group, your teen will hear the honest and unfiltered thoughts of peers who are taking steps to improve their own mental health. They’ll see transformations take place as people their age make progress. This provides hope and positive peer influences.

Mental health support groups provide the following benefits for teens:

• Improved self-confidence

• Better communication skills

• Positive peer influences

• Better peer relationships

• Reduced stress

How do support group facilitators moderate discussions?

Facilitators begin sessions by focusing the group and asking each person to assess their need to share. They open the floor for the teens with the highest needs to determine who will go first. They keep an eye on the clock, allowing a few minutes for participants to share and up to five minutes for others to respond.

Teens are encouraged to use “I statements” to share their perspectives without projecting onto others in the group. Instead of giving advice or telling others what they “should” do, they’re asked to frame their responses as options or possibilities to consider. The group format puts everyone on an even playing field, so teens are generally respectful and try to give helpful responses.

As group members are sharing, facilitators will ask open-ended questions to deepen discussions. When responses aren’t clearly helpful or stray outside of group guidelines, they’ll gently suggest ways to reframe. After a few weeks of attending, teens who don’t speak up as much as others will be encouraged to participate.

Invite your child to visit our free Lightfully Teen support group

Mental health support groups go a long way to take the stigma and shame out of conversations about mental health. Teens who attend regular support groups can gain valuable perspective just by listening to what other people their age are going through. It takes some courage to speak up and share, so as they start to participate, teens can develop self-confidence. Being a part of a meaningful and helpful conversation shows them their point of view is valuable. It gives them a glimpse at what they’re capable of when they choose to be brave.

At Lightfully, we’re inspired by the kindness and compassion we see in our teen mental health support groups every week. We provide a free online support group for teens who need a safe space and for those who want to preview what they can expect in Lightfully Teen treatment programs.

Is there a teen in your life who’s struggling right now? Invite them to join us on Fridays and experience a mental health support group for themselves.