Teen First Divorce Treatment Program: A Facilitator's Guide for Group Work with Adolescents

This facilitator’s guide details procedures for conducting engaging and age-appropriate group sessions to help adolescents adapt quickly to the changes brought about by parental divorce or separation. The guide has everything a therapist or counselor needs to facilitate the program, including a full script and abbreviated outline for each session, numerous handouts for group members and parents, a sample consent form, a program graduation certificate, and much more.

Sessions give teens the opportunity to clarify misperceptions about divorce and separation, engage in meaningful activities, and discuss topics that they may not have been allowed to explore previously. Because some of these topics may be difficult, each group session includes practice of relaxation skills, homework focused on seeking social support, and opportunities for adaptive cognitive coping.