Middle School Boys Group Therapy in Woodland Hills
A place where middle school boys can be themselves, connect with other guys, and actually have fun doing it.
Middle school is a lot. New school, new social dynamics, new pressures, new feelings that don’t quite have names yet. And for a lot of boys, the instinct is to go quiet. To say ‘I’m fine’ and mean the opposite.
If you’re watching your son pull away, struggle to connect, or hold things in that you can see are weighing on him, you’re not imagining it. And you don’t have to figure it out alone.
The Middle School Boys Group at Child & Teen Counseling is a weekly group therapy program for boys ages 11 to 14 in Woodland Hills and the West San Fernando Valley. It’s affordable, it’s judgment-free, and honestly, it doesn’t feel that much like therapy at all. Call us at (818) 912-6001 or reach out online to learn more or schedule a free intake call.
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Video Transcript
What to Expect from the Middle School Boys Group
Basically, the group is a therapy group, but it’s also a social group for boys to be able to connect with each other, to share what’s going on in their lives, to learn to be themselves, to learn to accept other people for their differences, and to make connections.
Group therapy is really a place where they can connect with each other, and it’s not just an adult saying, “This is what you should do, and this is how I think about it.” It’s a place for them to make mistakes with each other and then learn from those mistakes. There are two adults in the room facilitating that process, but it’s not direct advice giving. It’s not direct therapeutic feedback.
It’s really important for kids to be around other kids. It’s especially important for them to see that they’re not alone in their experience, and that’s where the group setting can be really helpful.
One of the things I really see kids getting out of this group is their ability to connect with each other, but also to empathize. There are times where a big emotion does come up, and watching these boys rally around each other, support each other, and really hone their skill of empathy is amazing to see.
Some of the big changes you might see in your son include confidence with other kids, confidence in school, confidence with you at home, and social confidence overall. Another change you might see is improved emotional regulation. Group is a space where boys are allowed to get things out in whatever way they need to, and for them, that can be really helpful.
If you’re looking for affordable boys group therapy in the West San Fernando Valley, all the information is on this page. Reach out through our contact form or give us a call, and we’ll schedule an intake call to hear from you and talk about next steps for joining the group.
What to Expect from the Middle School Boys Group
What You Might Be Seeing at Home
Your son may be dealing with things he doesn't have words for yet. Some signs that the Middle School Boys Group might be a good fit:
- He's more irritable or angry than usual
- He's pulling away from friends or activities he used to enjoy
- He doesn't want to talk about school, and you can tell something's off
- He's anxious about social situations or making friends
- He seems lonely, but pushes you away when you try to help
- He's navigating a big change: new school, family transition, or something he won't name
What Actually Happens in Group
The Middle School Boys Group is semi-structured, which means there's always a plan, but the group has a voice in it. Here's what a typical session might include:
- A game or activity that opens up conversation naturally, no pressure to share anything
- Card games, board games, improv, or other activities the guys help choose
- Real talk: crushes, school drama, funny stories, hard stuff, whatever comes up
- Facilitated discussion where every voice gets heard and conflicts get worked through
- The occasional Nerf battle
Hey. This Part Is for You.
If your parents are making you read this, here's the honest version: This is not that kind of therapy. Nobody is going to make you sit in a circle and talk about your feelings. You're going to play games, hang out with other guys, and probably laugh a lot. Yes, sometimes you'll talk about stuff that's actually going on. But so will everyone else. And the thing that tends to happen is that at some point you'll hear someone else say something and think, 'wait, that's exactly how I feel.' That part is kind of the whole point. You don't have to say anything you don't want to. You just have to show up.
You're Not Failing Him
A lot of parents come to us feeling like they’ve missed something. Like a good parent would be able to help their son through this, and the fact that they can’t means they’ve done something wrong. That’s not what’s happening.
Middle school boys are developmentally wired to pull away from their parents. It’s not a failure of your relationship. It’s actually a sign that your son is doing what he’s supposed to do at this age, figuring out who he is, separate from you. The problem is that he still needs support while he’s doing it. He just needs to get some of it from somewhere other than home.
That’s not something you can force or fix. But it is something a group of peers and two skilled facilitators can help with. The Middle School Boys Group gives your son a place to hear from other guys his age who are going through the same things. And that, more than anything a parent or a therapist can say, is often what actually moves the needle.
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Video Transcript
Parents: You’re Not Failing Him
If you’ve found your way to this page after searching for some help, you might be a parent who’s feeling nervous about where your son is at socially, how he’s connecting with other people, and hoping to find somewhere he can go to explore himself and his identity a little more.
Maybe you feel like your son is having a really hard time, and you just want to find a place where he’ll be accepted.
It’s really easy as a parent to blame yourself. Am I not attuned to my kid? Am I not enough to help him through this? The truth is, boys are often taught to suppress their emotions, and sometimes the last person they want to hear advice or support from is the person they feel most connected to. Sometimes they need to hear it from someone who isn’t as close to them.
That’s not a reflection of your relationship. It’s just where they’re at developmentally.
What we’d say to put you at ease is this: it’s not your fault. It’s really important for kids to be around other kids, and it’s especially important for them to see that they’re not alone in their experience. That’s where the group setting can be so helpful. Boys this age need to be able to trial and error, support each other, and work things out with peers in a way they wouldn’t accept from an adult.
Some of the changes you might see in your son once he’s in the group: more confidence with other kids, at school, and with you at home. Improved emotional regulation too. Group is a space where boys can get things out in whatever way they need to, so it’s not always coming out at home.
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Video Transcript
This One’s for the Boys
Alright, fellas. If your parents are still in the room, go ahead and give them the boot. Parents, get out of here. We’ll wait a few seconds.
Now that they’re gone: middle school is weird. There’s a lot that comes up during that time, and we both know what it was like. One of us was pretty shy, had a hard time making friends, and mostly cared about skateboarding and Mario Kart.
Boys Group is not school. It’s not a place where you have to sit still or be quiet. You’re allowed to be yourself. No homework.
It’s also not a bunch of people sitting in a circle talking about their feelings. You’re encouraged to join the conversation, have a good time, be joyful, be funny, be weird. Whatever you want to be, you’re allowed to be in Boys Group.
Usually we kick things off with some kind of conversational game, something to get the ball rolling. Sometimes it’s literally a ball. It usually turns into goofiness and silliness, which turns into a game either of your creation or something we came up with. We always leave it up to the group to decide by consensus, whatever’s feeling good for everybody.
Some guys who’ve been in the group have said it’s the one place where they can really be themselves, different than they are anywhere else in their life, because there’s a freedom to be weird and wild and free. You’re going to be accepted for exactly who you are. That’s what makes the group special.
So if you’re interested in Boys Group, all of this and more can be yours with just one simple phone call from your parents.
And a small emotional investment of five million dollars.
Is This the Right Fit?
We take time before a boy joins the group to make sure it’s a good fit for everyone, including him. Our intake process involves a call with parents to hear what’s going on, followed by an intake session where we get to know your son and give him a chance to see what the group is like before committing.
Who Tends to Thrive Here
Boys who get the most out of the Middle School Boys Group are typically dealing with one or more of the following:
- Social anxiety or difficulty connecting with peers
- Isolation, or feeling like they don’t fit in
- Anger or emotional outbursts they don’t know how to manage
- ADHD or other neurodevelopmental differences that affect social situations
- Big life changes like a family transition, a move, or a new school
- A general sense of not knowing how to talk about what they’re feeling
We are neurodiversity-affirming and fully welcoming of all gender identities and sexual orientations. The group is designed to be a space where every boy can show up as exactly who he is.
Why Group Therapy Works for Boys
Sometimes a boy doesn’t want to hear it from an adult. He wants to hear it from another kid who actually gets it. Group therapy works in a way that individual therapy can’t always replicate, because the connection and the insight come from peers, not from a clinician. When a boy hears someone his own age say ‘yeah, me too,’ something shifts. That moment of not being alone in it is often where the real progress begins.
Affordable Group Therapy Near You
The Middle School Boys Group meets weekly on Mondays at 7:30 at Child & Teen Counseling in Woodland Hills, and is open to families throughout the West San Fernando Valley, including Canoga Park, West Hills, Reseda, Van Nuys, Winnetka, and surrounding communities.
Group sessions are $30 per session, making this one of the most affordable therapy options in the area. As a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, keeping our fees accessible for working families is central to everything we do. We are a cash-pay practice and do not bill insurance directly.
Ready To Learn More?
The first step is a quick phone call. We’ll hear about what’s going on with your son, answer your questions, and figure out together whether the Middle School Boys Group sounds like a good fit. If it does, we’ll schedule an intake session so your son can meet Nathan and David and get a feel for the group before committing to anything.
No pressure. No commitment. Just a conversation.
Call us at (818) 912-6001 or reach out through our contact form at childteencounseling.org/contact-us.
