Group Therapy Activities for Teens: 15 Effective Ideas for Your Therapy Groups

Match activities to your group's developmental level, current functioning, and therapeutic goals. For younger teens or those with developmental delays, choose concrete, hands-on activities with clear structure. For older teens or higher-functioning groups, incorporate more abstract processing and self-reflection. Always assess the group's emotional capacity — if energy is low or members are dysregulated, choose grounding or playful activities before deeper work. When in doubt, offer choices to empower teens' agency.

First, pause the activity and attend to the distressed teen(s). Offer grounding techniques, a break, or the option to step out. Validate their experience without pressuring them to share details. If conflict arises, facilitate repair by acknowledging emotions, reestablishing group norms, and redirecting to a calming activity. Debrief after the session — sometimes the most therapeutic work happens in processing what went wrong. Build in a contingency plan: always have a 'pivot activity' ready that's lighter and more regulating.

Normalize 'passing' as a valid option. Use language like 'You can share as much or as little as feels right' and 'You can always pass and come back later.' Offer alternative participation modes: teens can draw instead of talk, share anonymously via written notes, or respond to hypothetical scenarios instead of personal examples. Pair quiet teens with more verbal peers for activities to reduce pressure. Celebrate all forms of engagement, active listening is participation too.

Avoid activities that feel childish (teens are sensitive to being patronized). Don't force eye contact, physical touch, or sharing personal trauma details. Never put a teen 'on the spot' without warning. Avoid overly competitive activities that might trigger shame. Don't skip processing, the activity itself isn't therapeutic without reflection. And don't be too rigid — if an activity isn't landing, pivot. Your relationship with the group matters more than perfectly executing an activity plan.

For low literacy: use visual supports, verbal instructions, or peer buddies to assist with reading/writing. For social anxiety: reduce audience size (use pairs or small groups), allow written responses first, and build confidence gradually with lower-stakes activities. For ASD traits: provide visual schedules, clear expectations, concrete instructions, and options to participate without unpredictable social demands (e.g., written contributions, individual tasks within group context). Always preview activities so teens know what to expect.

Avoid always pairing friends, this can reinforce cliques and exclude others. Instead, strategically pair complementary personalities: verbal with quiet, anxious with calm, or by shared interests/goals. Rotate pairings across sessions to build group cohesion. For sensitive activities, allow teens to choose partners but provide gentle guidance if needed. Watch for dynamics — if certain pairs consistently struggle or dominate, intervene early.

For dominating teens: gently redirect ('Let's hear from someone who hasn't shared yet'), use structured turn-taking, or give them a specific role (e.g., timekeeper). For withdrawn teens: check in privately, offer alternative participation modes, and avoid singling them out publicly. For disruptive behaviors: revisit group norms, provide breaks, use proximity and nonverbal cues, and address patterns privately between sessions. Remember: behavior is communication — explore what need isn't being met.

30-minute sessions: Choose one focused activity with minimal setup (e.g., feelings thermometer, quick values exercise). Skip extensive processing; do brief debrief. 60-minute sessions: Full activity with warm-up, main exercise, and robust processing. 90-minute sessions: Combine activities (e.g., icebreaker + main activity + creative expression), allow for deeper processing, or use extended versions with breakout work. Always prioritize closure, no matter the length, end with grounding and takeaway.

Select activities that align with members' overlapping goals (e.g., emotional regulation, communication skills, trauma processing). Before group, review individual treatment plans to identify shared objectives. During activities, note how each teen is progressing toward their specific goals. Document individual application of group skills in progress notes. Communicate with individual therapists regularly to ensure group work supports, not duplicates, individual therapy. Consider running psychoeducation groups that directly teach skills teens are working on individually (e.g., DBT skills group).

Look for observable indicators: engagement level, quality of participation, emotional regulation during/after activity, skill demonstration, and group cohesion. Use brief check-outs: 'Rate how helpful this was, 1-10' or 'One word to describe how you're feeling now.' Track patterns over time: are teens applying skills outside group? Are treatment goals being met? Solicit feedback directly: 'What worked? What didn't?' Most importantly, trust your clinical judgment: if the group was attuned, connected, and working toward therapeutic goals, the activity was effective even if it looked messy.