Therapy Groups
Structured group work has been a successful approach for many of our patients who are seeking mental health support. Attendees receive evidence-based information from our counselors on topics such as parenting, anxiety, depression, and strategies to support their well-being.
Use of the camera or microphone in Zoom groups is not required.
If you are interested in one of our groups, please contact Shannon Porter, our Mental Health Coordinator, at (802) 879-6556.
Parent & Caregiver Book Group
Join Cath Burns, PhD and other parents to discuss the book, “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Raising Connected, Capable and Compassionate Adolescents” by Lisa Damour, PhD. Come and share experiences, strategies and techniques on how to support your child through their teenage years. Cath will provide a facilitated discussion around developmentally appropriate behaviors and teenage responses.
Please read the chapters in advance of the discussion group. Don’t have time to read the book? Try downloading a audiobook version and listen while completing the never ending to-do’s off of your list! Both are available readily on Amazon or at your local bookseller.
The first meeting (April 17th) will cover the first half of the book, introduction to Chapter 3. This discussion will focus on the what we expect from developing teens.
The second meeting (May 1st) will cover chapters 4 to the conclusion of the book, and explores ways to promote emotionally healthy teens.
Reviews of “The Emotional Lives of Teenagers” state that Lisa’s latest book is an urgently needed guide to help parents understand their teenager’s intense and often fraught emotional lives – and how to support them through this critical developmental stage”.
Radically Open DBT Group
All group participants must be in individual counseling, either at Essex Pediatrics or in the community.
The group is for people who struggle with a need for over control that is negatively impacting their life. This may present in a variety of diagnoses, including (but not limited to):
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa and other eating disorders
- Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
- Generalized Anxiety
Radically Open DBT is a variation of Dialectic Behavioral Therapy that focuses on flexibility, openness, and social connection. RO-DBT highlights the value of being open to change.
The group will be using excerpts from the Skills Training Manual for Radically Open DBT by Thomas Lynch.
Please contact Eliza Behrsing at ebehrsing@essexpediatrics.com or (802) 497-4913 for more information or with referrals.
Support Group for Mothers Of Newborns
Enjoy a cup of coffee and a snack while connecting with other mothers with similar experiences. This group is open to mothers of babies under seven months old. To register and receive additional details, please contact our mental health coordinator at 802-662-4206.
Managing Anxiety And Depression: PreTeen Skills Group (Ages 9-12)
Learn about the signs of anxiety and depression. Each week, a new topic is introduced with activities and skill implementation. Practice mindfulness and relaxation strategies, recognize the signs of anxiety and depression and seek to address those bodily sensations. We will practice identifying negative automatic thoughts, use cognitive coping strategies to address those thoughts, and find ways to get and to stay active. Join us in practicing facing, rather than avoiding, the things that make you anxious. This group will run for six weeks, in person at Essex Pediatrics.
This group is facilitated by Allie Krasner, MA and Marissa Dennis, MA.
To register your child for group, please contact our Mental Health Coordinator, Shannon at 802-662-4206.