If you or your child is in crisis, call or text 988.
May 6 is National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day, a day to acknowledge what every parent of an anxious or struggling kid already knows: children’s mental health is real, it is shaped by the same things that shape adult mental health, and getting help should not require a Ph.D. in navigating insurance. This year the day falls during Mental Health Awareness Month, which means the search results are louder, the resources are more visible, and the chance to find a group that actually fits your family is better than usual.
If you are reading this because you are worried about a child in your life, you are not alone. Roughly one in five children in the United States has a diagnosable mental health condition in any given year, according to the CDC, and only about half receive any kind of treatment. The gap is not because parents are not trying. The gap is because the care system is hard to use. Group therapy and support groups can be one of the easier doors to walk through.
What Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day is
Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day was first observed in 2005 as part of SAMHSA’s national strategy on youth mental health. The day exists to push back against stigma, fund early intervention, and remind families that asking for help is not a parenting failure. National organizations like NAMI, Mental Health America, and the Child Mind Institute use the day to share resources and run free programming.
It is also part of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week, which runs the first full week of May. The week is a useful window. Schools are still in session, summer logistics have not landed, and many therapists run intake events around this time. If your child needs a group, this is the right week to start asking.
Why group therapy and support groups work for kids and teens
Children and adolescents respond especially well to group settings. Research consistently shows that group therapy is as effective as individual therapy for many youth concerns, including anxiety, depression, social skills, and grief. For some experiences, like adolescent social anxiety, group therapy actually outperforms one-on-one treatment because the group is the environment where the difficulty lives.
Groups also matter because adolescents trust peers in ways they do not always trust adults. Hearing another teen describe panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, or the weight of their parents’ divorce can reach a kid in a way no parent or therapist can. The group becomes a place where the child is not the patient. They are simply a person in a room with other people who get it.
Types of groups for children and adolescents
A few common formats:
CBT skills groups for kids with anxiety or depression. Usually 8 to 12 weeks, often weekly, with a structured curriculum the child can practice between sessions.
DBT skills groups for adolescents with intense emotions, self-harm history, or relationship difficulties. Often run as 24-week programs and frequently include a parallel parent skills track.
Social skills groups for autistic kids and kids with ADHD or social anxiety. These are usually weekly and run by clinicians who specialize in neurodevelopmental differences.
Grief and loss groups for children and teens who have lost a parent, sibling, or close friend. Often peer-led with a clinician facilitating, and frequently free or sliding-scale.
Process groups for adolescents who want a place to talk about life. Less curriculum, more conversation. Usually weekly, ongoing, and led by a licensed clinician.
Don’t forget the parents
If your child is struggling, you are probably struggling too. Parents and caregivers of kids with mental health concerns experience higher rates of anxiety, depression, and burnout, and they often go years without their own support. There are groups for parents too: parents of kids with anxiety, parents of teens in DBT, parents of children with autism, parents grieving the loss of a child. Joining one is not selfish. It is one of the most useful things you can do for your kid, because regulated parents help regulate kids.
How to find a group
Three steps that work:
1. Search by topic and state. Browse the My Therapy Groups directory, filter by topic (anxiety, depression, DBT, social skills, grief), and pick the state where your child lives or your laptop sits, depending on whether you are looking in person or online.
2. Reach the group leader directly. Every listing on the directory shows the facilitator’s name and contact info. You can ask about age range, format, cost, and whether the group is currently accepting new members before you commit.
3. Ask the school counselor. Many school counselors maintain lists of trusted local clinicians who run youth groups. They will not send you to a sketchy provider, and they often know which groups have current openings. They are an underused resource.
Frequently asked questions
How young is too young for a group? Most clinical groups start at age 6 or 7, with separate tracks for elementary, middle, and high school. Some peer support groups for teens are 13 and up.
Will my child have to talk in front of strangers? No. Most groups have an explicit “pass” option, and good facilitators meet kids where they are. Many children listen for several sessions before they share, and that is fine.
Is group therapy covered by insurance for kids? Often yes, especially if a licensed clinician is leading the group and your child has a diagnosable condition. Call the number on the back of your insurance card and ask whether outpatient group psychotherapy for minors is covered.
What if my child refuses? Common. Two things help: pick a group that meets a need your child can name (“I want to feel less anxious about school” rather than “you have a problem”), and try a few sessions before deciding it is not working. Most kids are glad they went after the third or fourth meeting.
How do I know if it is a good group? Look for a licensed facilitator, age-appropriate group composition, clear ground rules, and a comfortable physical or virtual space. After a few sessions, your child will tell you in some way whether it is working.
Other useful resources
- SAMHSA National Helpline — free, confidential, 24/7 (1-800-662-4357)
- Child Mind Institute — evidence-based articles and resources for parents
- NAMI: Kids, Teens, and Young Adults — peer support and education
- Crisis Text Line — text HOME to 741741
Looking for a group for your child or yourself? Browse the directory by topic, age range, and state. Find a group near you →
A note on what we do (and don’t). My Therapy Groups is a directory. Group leaders write their own listings, and we don’t vet, supervise, or endorse them. We’re not a clinic, and we don’t guarantee outcomes — that’s the group’s work, not ours.
If you or your child is in crisis, call or text 988. We’ll be here when you’re ready.