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Therapeutic Groups For Adolescents
Available In The East
Good news for parents and children! Therapeutic group services,
formerly available only in the Port of Spain/St. James area, are coming
to the East! This is a development which is long overdue and one which
we feel sure will meet with a favourable response from parents and
families.
Port of Spain has long been the leader in the country in terms of
availability of mental health services. Although there have been mental
health professionals in the East for nearly as long as there have been
in Port of Spain, the pattern has tended to be a few single
practitioners spread thinly over a large area. However, in recent years,
numbers have increased as professionals have returned from abroad, left
industry to begin a private practice or relocated their practice from
another area. And so, beginning in September 2006, a wide range of
therapeutic groups will be offered.
FACILITATORS
All groups will be run out of the office of Dr. Karen Moore in Champs
Fleurs. Dr. Moore is a Clinical Child Psychologist who works with
children, adolescents and families. The other two group facilitators,
also based in the East, are Alicia Hoyte and Pearl Brown.
Alicia Hoyte is a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in
psychoeducational assessment of children and adolescents. She also works
with individual young adult clients. Ms. Hoyte is based on Eastern Main
Road, St. Augustine, the next block east of Mario’s.
Pearl Brown is a Counselling Psychologist, who has recently opened a
practice on Tenth Avenue in Barataria. Mrs. Brown works with individual
adults and couples and is also involved in a family counselling
programme at St. Dominic’s Children’s Home.
WHY GROUP?
Therapeutic group work is useful for clients for a number of reasons.
Like all therapy, it offers a safe space in which to express feelings
and explore issues. Group offers the added advantage of a supportive
community of peers and the comfort of knowing that one is not alone.
Group work is particularly suited for children or adolescents dealing
with transitions, e.g., to a new school, socialisation issues,
separation/divorce and school difficulties. Children who are going
through the normal process of dealing with these difficult issues may
not require individual therapy, which is more intensive. However, they
often make good use of group therapy, which functions as a support for
them, helps to normalise their situation and their feelings and gives
them a safe place to talk frankly about their experiences. Being able to
share difficult experiences and feelings and being accepted in spite of
these also helps a child’s self-image tremendously.
Because of the powerful influence of their peers at this stage of
their development, adolescents are also often more comfortable in a
group situation than in individual therapy. But while the peer group can
often be difficult to negotiate, exclusive or simply unhealthy, group
therapy offers safe, structured peer group interaction, without many of
the difficult social dynamics which would normally operate. Thus
adolescents feel freer to explore sensitive issues and ask ticklish
questions. Even adolescents who have been reluctant to attend therapy
(and this is a common situation) tend to engage well in a group.
PARENT GROUPS
Many of the factors which make group a positive experience for
children and adolescents are also true for adults. Groupwork offers a
less intensive way to deal with many issues and provides a support
network at the same time. Feedback from peers in the same situation is
also valuable.
Recognising that parents have limited time available to them, all the
parent groups will be short-term, i.e., eight weeks maximum.
GROUPS AVAILABLE
There are two groups presently running, one for older primary school
children ages nine to eleven and one for young adolescents ages
eleven-plus to thirteen-plus.
In the New Year, a group for younger primary school children, ages
six to eight, will be added. There will also be a short-term group for
older teenagers.
Several short-term groups for parents will also be offered in the New
Year: a single parent group, a group for divorced parents and a group
for parents of troubled/troublesome teens.
PARTICIPATION IN GROUP
For the child and adolescent groups (except the short-term teen
group), there will be ten group sessions per term for the three terms of
the school year. It is recommended that participants remain in group for
the full year in order to derive maximum benefit. Under certain
circumstances, facilitators may recommend that a child or adolescent
stay in group beyond the three terms.
Short-term groups will vary in length. The specific number of weeks
for each group will be announced in advance.
Anyone wanting further information on groups can contact the office
of Dr. Karen Moore at 662 2082. Group spaces will be limited, so enquire
early! |
