North Star Conversations Transcript: Why Kids (and Parents) Love Group Therapy | Mind Chicago
Lee Wells and Brandon Gimbel discuss how group therapy at Mind Chicago fosters connection, normalizes struggle, and surprises even the most hesitant kids with its sense of belonging and fun.
Brandon Gimbel (00:00)
Why would parents want their kids to engage in a group when they can just do treatment individually?
Lee Wells (00:06)
Groups are amazing. Groups are so fun. Individual therapy can be really fun and hard and you know, all the feelings, but groups are an opportunity for kids to connect with other people their age going through similar things. And even though most kids on the front end will say, "I don't want to go to that group because it is awkward or cringy, or I don't want to have to talk about it," 99% of the time after session one or session two, kids are like, "I love it. I met other kids. It's so fun." It's very reasonable for young people to have anticipatory anxiety about something they've never done before and can't picture in their mind. And, I mean, parents know this: kids, even the ones who say, "I don't need any friends," Kids want to connect. We as humans, we want to connect.