Sitting With It: The Importance of the Group
Keeleigh Mahler, a Clinician at Mountain Valley, shares with us how important the group is in the individual treatment of a resident. Each resident brings an important contribution to the therapeutic process.
Humans are social creatures, and adolescents build their lives around the groups that they identify with. Therefore, it would be an impediment to only offer one-on-one therapeutic interventions to young people who have mental health struggles. Group activities help young people learn how they interact with others and function in a world where different personalities must work with each other.
At Mountain Valley, where we treat anxiety and OCD, group activities help our young people learn more about how their mental health effects their place in the world. Groups give our residents opportunities to collect data on their stressors and allow them to practice new skills and strategies in a safe supportive milieu. Our young people are able to meet others who struggle with similar challenges. They are able to intentionally take on leadership roles and also learn from others. And, they are able to make friends and have fun!!!