Support Groups

Services

Group Therapy in San Diego

Joining a support group can significantly benefit both individuals and families looking for guidance. Each support group offered is unique in that it is geared towards specific challenges, which allows you to work with others who are experiencing similar difficulties.

Listening and sharing with other members who are struggling with the same painful and complicated issues can bring enormous relief as you realize that you are not alone. We offer support groups to assist with Adoption, Grief & Trauma, Mindfulness, Parenting, Pregnancy Loss, Sexual Abuse, and Substance Abuse.

Parenting Support Group

This is an open-ended parent support group which offers parenting guidance for both single parents and couples who want to learn more or are struggling with parenting.

The focus of the parenting support group is developmental and varies based on the presenting needs of the participants. Groups specialize in toddlers and elementary school children, middle school children, and adolescents. Each group explores and understands significant shared themes on the subject of parenthood.  The objective is to put into practice all the effective ways that encourage you to be the best parent you can be.

Some of the issues addressed include:

  • anger management
  • attachment
  • positive communication
  • child development
  • identity formation
  • differing parenting styles
  • behavior modification
  • substance use
  • adaptive conflict resolution
  • intrinsic motivation
  • self-esteem
  • launching into adulthood

Sexual Abuse and Assault Support Group for Women and Girls

Sexual abuse and harassment is a traumatic experience that can wreak havoc on the victim’s emotional and mental health. It is no surprise that most survivors of sexual assault struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) throughout their lives. With the right counseling and therapy, many of these overwhelming emotions and disorders can be alleviated.

Our weekly on-going therapy group focuses on women or girls who have experienced some form of sexual abuse or sexual assault in their lifetime.

The Sexual Abuse/Assault Support Group addresses:

  • self-esteem
  • coping
  • sexuality
  • body issues
  • anxiety and depression/PTSD symptoms
  • behavioral and academic difficulties
  • relationships
  • motivation
  • family dynamics

An accompanying parent guidance support group may be provided if there are sufficient numbers.

Support Groups for Young Women

This weekly, on-going therapy group is a safe, welcoming space where teen girls (ages 13-16) and young women (ages 16-20) can feel understood, supported, and learn specific coping tools. Peer support is one the recurring themes in all our group therapy services where the members support and uplift one another through their experiences.

The Teen Girls/Young Women Support Group addresses:

  • self-esteem
  • relationships
  • coping
  • body image
  • anxiety and depression
  • sexuality
  • PTSD
  • academic and professional development

Pregnancy Loss Support Group

Losing a child is nothing short of devastating and most parents find it almost impossible to move on from such a tragedy. In times like these, peer support groups can assist in the management of stress and trauma faced by such a sudden shock.

Our weekly psychotherapy group focuses on pregnancy loss for couples and/or women only. It deals with themes of grieving and healing the impact of such an event which reflects in your relationships and yourself. You will learn skills that will help you cope and develop hope for the future.

Held in San Diego, these support groups are held in a non-judgmental, non-religious environment where you can freely express yourself without anxiety. The Pregnancy Loss Support Group explores and understands significant tools that are used to help you towards long-lasting change, recovery, empowerment, and healing.

Grief Support Groups in San Diego

Grief is an inescapable part of our lives and many of us will encounter it at some point or another. It is the natural reaction to any form of loss. The death of a loved one, for example, is what we refer to as bereavement.

Bereavement and grief can trigger a range of feelings from deep sadness to anger. It can also involve guilt, longing, and regret. Associated emotions can either be very intense or relatively mild and come in random waves, which can also be confusing for those dealing with it.

The process of adapting to a significant loss differs from one individual to another. It often depends on a person’s background, beliefs, and relationship to what was lost.

People in grief can experience different thoughts as they make sense of their loss. People may assign themselves varying levels of responsibility, from “There was nothing I could have done,” to “It’s all my fault.” Grieving behaviors also vary from sharing their feelings with others to being alone and social withdrawal.

Every individual has unique needs when coping with loss. Our grief support groups in San Diego aim to offer guidance to those dealing with death of loved ones, divorce, accidents and all other kinds of loss.

We provide support that focuses on coping mechanisms, adaptive life skills, and adjustment tools for kids, teens, and adults who are struggling with grief and loss. We are sensitive to your religious, and socio-cultural values and belief, and tailor support and treatment to your unique family needs.

We focus on multiple forms of loss, including:

  • Child Loss
  • Divorce
  • Grandparents’ Loss
  • Parent Loss
  • Pregnancy Loss
  • Terminal Illness
  • Traumatic Loss (car accidents, gun violence, natural disasters)

Our support groups focus on:

  • Acceptance
  • Anger
  • Adjustment
  • Adapting
  • Bargaining
  • Coping
  • Denial
  • Depression
  • Guilt
  • Shame
  • Social Life
  • Managing New Routines
  • Future Plans

Mindfulness & Stress Management Support Groups

Stress, anger, anxiety, pain, and grief can impair not only our health, but our judgement, emotions, and mental health too. Fortunately, research suggests an effective way to deal with these difficult feelings — the practice of  mindfulness.

Mindfulness is the ability to pay careful attention to what you’re thinking, feeling, and sensing in the present moment without judging those thoughts and feelings as good or bad. Countless studies link mindfulness to better health, lower anxiety and depression along with greater resilience to stress.

Aspiring Families offers specialized Mindfulness therapy, groups, and workshops to help you with:

  • Adaptive Skills to Cope with Stress
  • Emotional Regulation
  • Pain Management
  • Decrease Anxiety
  • Acceptance of Grief and Loss
  • Anger Management
  • Improved Concentration
  • Improved Attention

Mindfulness lets you observe your thoughts and feelings from a distance, which can help you tolerate and work through unpleasant feelings rather than becoming overwhelmed by them. It provides a mental anchor on which people can focus when they find themselves carried away by a stressful thought or pain.

Mindfulness also helps people stay “present” in the moment, rather than being distracted by regrets in the past or worries about the future. It is a powerful, evidence-based skill that can be easily learned and applied to your daily life and/or to cope with significant stressors. It is a natural means to create mind-body changes and sometimes a better alternative before trying medications.

We offer Mindfulness Therapy, Groups, and Workshops for kids, teens, families, college students, adults, and seniors.

Adoption Support Group

Join an ongoing, weekly psychoeducational and psychotherapy group for any type of adoption for couples or single parents. The group explores and understands significant shared themes, and utilizes effective tools to create positive transitions, attachments, and communication to help the family thrive.

The Adoption Support Group focuses on:

  • Attachment
  • Positive Communication
  • Parenting
  • Child Development
  • Identity Formation
  • Adaptive Conflict Resolution
  • Diversity and Ethnic issues
  • Loss and Grieving
  • Identity Formation and Development as an Adoptive Parent
  • The Adoption Life Cycle
  • Birth Parents
  • Reunification

Substance Abuse Support Group

Substance use and abuse amongst teens, college students, and adults can be very disruptive to the individuals and their families. What begins as exploration, fun, social, and experimentation can often lead to frequent use and abuse.

Using alcohol, cigarettes, vapes, marijuana, stimulants, and mind-altering substances can be unhealthy and dangerous. The easy availability of these substances only adds to the chaos of the situation. This is especially true when substance use begins at a young age, when individuals are using poly-substances, be it frequently or during binge episodes.

Unfortunately, our school, colleges, and social environments are flooded with these practices, especially when peer pressure comes into the picture. As a result, adolescents and young adults not only get addicted to the substances but also risk putting their lives in grave danger.

Our team offers Substance Abuse Support Groups based on age and gender to address the misuse of substances and the following behaviors/symptoms associated with substance abuse:

  • Abuse of nicotine, vapes, marijuana, alcohol, stimulants, and other mind-altering substances
  • Increased withdrawal and isolation
  • Frequent absences from school or work
  • Faltering grades or performance
  • Decreased motivation
  • Irritability
  • Anger
  • Defensiveness
  • Oppositionality
  • Secretive behavior
  • Weight loss or gain
  • Increased lethargy
  • Increased bursts of energy
  • Disrupted sleep patterns
  • Mood lability/swings

Our substance abuse treatment approach includes:

  • Motivational Interviewing
  • AA Models
  • Interpersonal Therapy
  • Process and Educational Groups
  • Family Therapy
  • Comprehensive Assessments using state of the art, standardized measures.

Based on our clinical evaluation and standardized assessment, if appropriate, when the teen, college student, or adult is presenting with a moderate-severe substance addiction, we will help you identify more intensive outpatient or inpatient programs that may be more appropriate based on the severity and type of the addiction.

 

Contact us at 858-531-1122

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