Group Therapy at Psych Connect
At Psych Connect, our group therapies are clinically led, thoughtfully formed, and developmentally informed. We do not believe in placing children, adolescents, or adults into groups prematurely or based solely on age. Instead, every group is carefully curated by our clinicians, with clients matched according to their individual needs, social, emotional, and behavioral developmental profiles, as well as their readiness for group participation.
Our Philosophy: Foundations First
We recognize that group settings naturally mirror the demands of school, social environments, and everyday relationships. For many individuals—particularly children and adolescents—these demands can be overwhelming if foundational skills are not yet in place.
As such, group therapy at Psych Connect is never a starting point.
We begin with individual therapy, where we:
Build core emotional regulation and coping skills
Develop a strong therapeutic relationship with your child
Gain a deep understanding of your child’s strengths, challenges, triggers, and learning style
Work with an attachment-informed and relationship-focused lens
Only when these foundations are established do we thoughtfully transition a client into a pair or small group setting. This ensures that:
Your child feels emotionally safe and supported
Clinicians know your child well before introducing group dynamics
Group participation adds supported challenge, rather than overwhelm
Group demands are intentionally scaffolded to mirror school and social expectations when your child is ready
Our Group Therapy Programs
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) Skills Groups
For Children, Adolescents, and Adults
Our DBT Skills Groups support individuals who experience emotional dysregulation, impulsivity, intense emotional responses, or self-destructive behaviours. Grounded in evidence-based Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, these groups focus on building practical skills in:
Emotion Regulation
Distress Tolerance
Interpersonal Effectiveness
Mindfulness
Groups are structured, skills-based, and facilitated by experienced clinicians, with content tailored to developmental level. For many clients, DBT skills are first introduced and practised in individual therapy before being reinforced in a group context.
- Social Skills Groups
Our Social Skills Groups are intentionally differentiated to reflect the distinct skill sets involved in social participation. Groups are matched carefully based on developmental profile, communication abilities, and regulation capacity.
Language & Communication–Focused Social Skills Group
Facilitated by a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT), this group focuses on:
Pragmatic language skills
Conversation initiation and maintenance
Perspective-taking and social inference
Understanding non-verbal communication and social cues
This group is particularly suitable for children who experience social difficulties driven by language-based or communication challenges.
Regulation-Focused Social Skills Group
Facilitated by an Occupational Therapist (OT), this group supports children whose social difficulties are primarily influenced by:
Emotional and sensory regulation challenges
Impulsivity or overwhelm in group settings
Difficulty coping with social demands and transitions
The focus is on building regulation, flexibility, and coping strategies to support meaningful social engagement.
- Emotional Regulation Group
This group supports children and adolescents who struggle with managing big emotions, emotional reactivity, or behavioural responses to stress. Sessions focus on:
Identifying and understanding emotions
Developing age-appropriate regulation strategies
Increasing tolerance for frustration and change
Strengthening emotional awareness and self-control
Skills are taught in a structured yet supportive environment, with careful attention to emotional safety and readiness for group participation.
- ADHD Executive Functioning Skills Group
Designed for children and adolescents with ADHD or executive functioning difficulties, this group targets:
Planning and organisation
Task initiation and completion
Working memory strategies
Time management and self-monitoring
Regulation
The group emphasises practical, transferable strategies that support learning, independence, and school participation.
- Motor Skills Group
Facilitated by Occupational Therapists, the Motor Skills Group supports children with difficulties in:
Gross and fine motor coordination
Core strength and postural control
Motor planning and sequencing
Activities are structured to build confidence, coordination, and functional motor skills in a supportive group environment.
- Dyspraxia Group
This group is designed specifically for children with Developmental Coordination Disorder (Dyspraxia). The focus is on:
Motor planning and execution
Body awareness and coordination
Functional movement for daily and school-based tasks
Building confidence and reducing anxiety related to movement
Groups are small, supportive, and carefully scaffolded to meet each child’s motor and emotional needs.
- Handwriting Group
Our Handwriting Group supports children who experience challenges with:
Letter formation and spacing
Writing speed and endurance
Pencil grasp and fine motor control
Led by Occupational Therapists, this group focuses on developing efficient, functional handwriting skills while reducing frustration and task avoidance.
A Thoughtful, Individualised Approach to Group Therapy
At Psych Connect, group therapy is not about fitting individuals into pre-existing programmes. It is about designing the right therapeutic environment around each person—at the right time, in the right way.
All group placements are guided by clinical assessment, readiness, and ongoing collaboration between therapists, families, and where appropriate, schools.