The EMPWR Program offers an innovative LGBTQ Teen Resilience Group designed for teens 12 to 17 years old who identify as LGBTQ. Each group includes three to eight teens matched by age and/or similar concerns.
Informed by cognitive behavioral therapy, the group teaches practical skills to improve day-to-day functioning. Sessions are led by professional mental health providers and are designed to be educational, interactive and social. Skills are practiced between sessions to bolster learning.
Over eight sessions, teens learn how to:
The EMPWR Parent/Caregiver Resilience Group is designed to improve parental support of adolescents who are LGBTQ or exploring gender and/or sexual identities. Over 8 sessions, parents learn about typical parental reactions, typical gender and sexual identity exploration and development, tangible skills for how to support adolescents (even if parents do not understand or agree), effective communication skills around issues of sexuality and gender, and ways to advocate for their children. Each session has an at-home component that allows parents to practice skills discussed in the group.
