Group Therapy in New York
Supportive Group Therapy for Children, Teens & Adults Throughout Long Island & New York
At Coast Psychology, our therapists provide specialized group therapy sessions that harness the power of shared experiences and mutual support to foster growth and healing. Based in Oyster Bay and serving clients throughout Long Island, New York City, and all of New York State, our group therapy programs offer effective solutions for social anxiety, interpersonal challenges, specific mental health concerns, and personal development in a safe, structured environment.
Experience the Power of Connection with Group Therapy in New York
Group therapy provides a unique therapeutic environment where individuals with similar challenges come together under the guidance of experienced therapists. This evidence-based approach creates opportunities for connection, feedback, and growth that individual therapy alone may not provide. In our thoughtfully structured groups, members benefit from both professional expertise and the wisdom of peers who truly understand their experiences.
Our experienced New York group therapy facilitators work to create:
A safe, confidential space where authentic sharing is encouraged and respected
Meaningful connections that reduce feelings of isolation and normalize experiences
Opportunities for interpersonal learning through real-time feedback and interaction
Skill-building activities tailored to the specific focus of each group
A supportive community that celebrates growth and provides encouragement
Whether you're struggling with social anxiety, parenting challenges, life transitions, or specific mental health concerns, our specialized group therapy programs provide a powerful complement to individual therapy or a valuable standalone treatment option.
Who Benefits from Group Therapy?
Group therapy for Adults
Coast Psychology offers a variety of adult therapy groups focused on specific concerns and populations. Our current adult groups include:
Anxiety Management Group: Learn practical skills for managing anxiety while connecting with others navigating similar challenges.
Depression Support Group: Build resilience and hope alongside others working to overcome depression.
Social Skills Group: Develop confidence and effectiveness in social interactions within a supportive practice environment.
Parenting Support Group: Share challenges and solutions with other parents while learning evidence-based parenting strategies.
Grief and Loss Group: Process grief in community with others who understand the journey of loss and healing.
Adult groups typically meet weekly for 90 minutes and include both structured skill-building components and opportunities for open discussion.
Group therapy for Children
Our children's therapy groups use play, activities, and developmentally appropriate discussions to build essential skills. Current children's groups include:
Friendship Skills Group: Helps children develop the social-emotional skills needed to form and maintain positive peer relationships.
Emotion Regulation Group: Teaches children to identify, express, and manage their emotions in healthy ways.
Anxiety Management for Kids: Provides child-friendly strategies for understanding and managing worry, fear, and anxiety.
ADHD Skills Group: Focuses on building executive functioning, social skills, and self-regulation for children with attention challenges.
Children's groups typically include parent components, where caregivers learn strategies to reinforce skills at home and school.
Group therapy for Teens
Our adolescent therapy groups address the unique developmental challenges and stressors teens face. Current teen groups include:
Teen Anxiety Group: Provides practical tools for managing academic pressure, social anxiety, and general worry in a relatable peer environment.
Social Skills for Teens: Focuses on building confidence, conversation skills, and authentic connections in a supportive setting.
DBT Skills for Teens: Teaches emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness skills in an engaging format.
Teen Life Transitions Group: Supports adolescents navigating significant changes like school transitions, family changes, or identity development.
Teen groups incorporate age-appropriate activities, discussion, and skill practice in a format that engages and respects adolescent experiences and perspectives.
What to Expect in Group Therapy at Coast Psychology
Our Group Therapy Process
Initial Screening: Before joining a group, you'll have an individual consultation to determine if the group is a good fit for your needs and to address any questions or concerns.
Orientation: Your first session includes an introduction to group guidelines, confidentiality expectations, and an overview of how the group operates.
Engagement: As the group progresses, you'll be encouraged to share your experiences and insights while also offering support to fellow group members.
Skill Building: Most groups include structured components where specific techniques and strategies relevant to the group's focus are taught and practiced.
Integration: Throughout the group experience, you'll be supported in applying insights and skills to your daily life outside the group setting.
Group therapy typically runs in 8-12 week cycles, with some groups offering open enrollment and others maintaining a closed format once they begin. Your therapist will explain the specific structure of your group during the initial consultation.
Group Therapy Approaches at Coast Psychology
Our New York group therapists draw from various evidence-based approaches, including:
Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy: Focusing on identifying and changing unhelpful thought patterns and behaviors
Interpersonal Process Groups: Emphasizing authentic interaction and feedback to improve relationship patterns
Skills Training Groups: Teaching specific techniques for managing emotions, improving communication, or other targeted skills
Support-Focused Groups: Providing validation, normalization, and community for specific challenges
Psychoeducational Groups: Combining education about specific conditions with practical coping strategies
Each group is thoughtfully designed to address the unique needs of its members while fostering connection and growth.
Experience the Benefits of Group Therapy with Coast Psychology
Clients who participate in group therapy at Coast Psychology often report:
Decreased feelings of isolation and "being the only one"
Improved social confidence and communication skills
Greater self-awareness through feedback from peers and therapists
Enhanced ability to express emotions appropriately
Exposure to new perspectives and coping strategies
Development of a supportive community
Cost-effective access to professional therapeutic guidance
Our compassionate, experienced group therapists create an environment where meaningful connections and personal growth flourish together.
Join a Therapy Group in New York
Wondering if group therapy might benefit you or your child? Coast Psychology is here to help. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced therapists. We'll discuss current group offerings, help determine which group might be most beneficial, or explore whether individual therapy might better meet your needs.
Call us at: (516) 206-2081 or Email: hello@coastpsychology.com
Serving clients throughout Long Island, New York City, and all of New York State through in-person sessions at our Oyster Bay office and convenient virtual therapy options.
✺ Frequently asked questions ✺
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While sharing is encouraged in group therapy, you always maintain control over what and how much you choose to disclose. Our therapists create a culture of respect for boundaries and personal comfort levels. Many members find that they naturally become more comfortable sharing as the group progresses and trust develops. You're never required to share anything that feels too private or uncomfortable. Often, you can benefit significantly from group therapy even during periods when you're primarily listening and learning from others' experiences.
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While both offer peer support, group therapy differs from community support groups in several important ways:
Group therapy is led by licensed mental health professionals with specialized training
Therapy groups incorporate evidence-based therapeutic techniques and structured interventions
Group therapy provides more direct feedback and guidance from both the therapist and members
Therapy groups often have a more defined focus and progression than ongoing support groups
Group therapy offers greater confidentiality protections than community-based support groups
Many clients find value in both types of groups, using therapy groups for more intensive work and support groups for ongoing community connection.
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Research consistently shows that group therapy is equally effective as individual therapy for many conditions, and in some cases, more effective. For concerns with social or interpersonal components (like social anxiety, relationship difficulties, or isolation), groups offer unique benefits that individual therapy cannot provide—namely, real-time social interaction and feedback from peers. Many clients benefit from combining individual and group therapy, using individual sessions for deeply personal work and groups for interpersonal learning and skill practice.
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At Coast Psychology, we carefully limit group size to ensure quality therapeutic experiences. Adult groups typically include 6-8 members, while teen groups usually have 5-7 participants, and children's groups are limited to 4-6 children depending on age. These numbers allow for meaningful participation from all members while providing enough diversity of perspectives to enrich the group experience. Smaller groups also allow our therapists to provide personalized attention to each member's needs and progress.
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Many people who join therapy groups, especially those focused on anxiety, worry about speaking in the group setting. Our therapists are experienced in gently supporting even the most anxious members in finding their voice at their own pace. We create a graduated approach where you might begin by participating in structured activities or responding to specific questions before moving to more open sharing. Many members with social anxiety report that the group becomes an invaluable "practice ground" for building confidence in a supportive environment before facing more challenging real-world social situations.