The teenage years are challenging for teens and their parents. Teens face many new pressures and may not always react in the healthiest ways to the problems they encounter. In some cases, teens may need counseling to help them cope with their problems. Some of the struggles teens face are a normal part of growing up, like dealing with peer groups, experimenting with new ideas, and going through changes in mood, identity, and interests. Support groups help teens through some of these issues by providing a safe and non-judgemental setting to express themselves, and creating an environment that is structured and supportive.
Problems that teens may address in a group setting include:

• Changes in family life, like moving, divorce, or a death or serious illness of a friend or family member
• Relationships
• Developing an illness or disability
• Any kind of substance abuse or addiction
• Bullying or abuse
• Teen pregnancy
• Tragic events in the community or the world
• Social skills deficits as a secondary symptom of attention deficit, anxiety, or depression

ALLIES -teen support groups help teens to:

• Understand why their behaviors are negative, and how to cope better
• Recognize and change negative thoughts that may cause or trigger their behaviors
• Find better ways to solve problems
• Learn better social skills