_JPG.jpg)
GROUP TREATMENT
Get Support. Grow Together.
NECOA provides support and therapy groups for Young Adults, Tweens, Teens, Parents, and Neurodiverse individuals.
Group therapy is a cost-effective way to get support, learn new skills, and connect with fellow travelers in a warm and vibrant community.
ACT Mindfully with Peers (PEERS®+ Acceptance and Commitment Therapy)
for Teens or Young Adults
These 2 online groups are tailored for adolescents (12-17) or young adults (18-23) with ASD, OCD and/or anxiety who also struggle with social skills or social engagement more generally. Groups meet once per week for 60 min, and we ask for a 4-week commitment - renewed, if participants and families wish, after each 4 weeks.
Groups are based in the PEERS® model, an evidence-based social skills program for young people on the Autism Spectrum, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). New participants can join existing cohorts at the beginning of each 4 week cycle. The Teen group runs at 5:00 EST and the Young Adult group runs at 6:30 every Monday. Cost is $300 for 4 sessions.
Group Leader: Clinton D. Fuller (he | him | his), M.S, BCBA, LABA, is a PEERS certified provider who specializes in evidence-based, contextual behavior therapies for individuals with ASD who also struggle with other challenges like OCD and anxiety.
Gender Diversity Group for Tweens
This online group is a welcoming and confidential place for participants from MA or CA aged 14-17 with anxiety and/or OCD who are exploring or who identify outside of the gender binary. Participants will have an opportunity to connect with others, access support for exposure practice, and learn social-emotional skills that support whole-person wellbeing.
Group is inclusive of all gender identities and presentations and employs Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The group meets once a week on Monday 4-5 PM (EST) / 1-2 PM (PST). Cost is $200 for 4 sessions. Participants may renew if they wish, and can join existing cohorts at the beginning of each 4 week cycle.
Group Leader: Mack Sushchyk (they | them | theirs), LICSW, specializes in ERP and ACT and works extensively with young people with anxiety, OCD, and related issues, and those in the LGBTQIA+ community.
Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions
(SPACE) Program
The online SPACE group serves parents/caregivers raising children and adolescents with OCD, anxiety, or related issues who are interested in learning evidence-based strategies to support their children and who are willing to learn from and support each other as they go.
Parents will learn supportive communication, how to handle difficult emotions, and specific, effective strategies for reducing accommodation so that they may encourage brave behavior in their children. Group is on Mondays at 3pm - 4:30pm and runs for 6 90-minute sessions. Cost is $600 for six sessions; one or two parents may attend.
Group Leader: Gail Nunes (she/her) is a LMHC who specializes in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ERP, ACT for OCD) for anxiety and trauma-related disorders, as well as DBT and CFT. She is a recognized SPACE provider.
Tween Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Support Group
This online ERP Support Group for Tweens in MA and CA (ages 10-14) offers emotional support and practical strategies to build flexibility and competence in addressing anxiety and/or OCD. Group focuses on goal setting and developing bravery-based behaviors to help young people discover their values and grow their exposure practice at home, school, and beyond.
This group is ideal for tweens in CBT for OCD/anxiety and/or who wish to connect with like-minded peers with constructive, collaborative support from group facilitators. Group employs Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and meets weekly on Tuesdays 5-6PM (EST) / 2-3PM (PST). Cost is $200 for 4 sessions.
Group Leader: Erin Miller (she/her/hers), LICSW, is a social worker with extensive experience working with young people/adolescents and adults with OCD and other anxiety-related disorders.
Teen Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Support Group
This online ERP Support Group serves 14-17-year-olds who struggle with OCD, Anxiety, and/or other challenges. The group’s goal is to create a space for teens to connect and support one another in struggles and successes, and to learn strategies to respond to emotions in ways that are aligned with their values. The group’s therapeutic approach is consistent with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). Group meets weekly on Mondays 6-7 PM and runs for 4-week sessions. At the end of the 4 weeks, members decide if they want to join the next 4-week cycle of the group. Cost is $200 for 4 sessions.
Group Leader: Regina Roberg (she | her | hers), M.S. is an Advanced Clinical Psychology Doctoral Student and Staff Clinician with specialized training in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ERP, ACT) for OCD, anxiety, and related disorders.
Young Adult Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Group
This online group is for young adults 18-26 who struggle with OCD and/or anxiety. This group aims to create a safe space for members to learn and practice adaptive skills and to support each other in exposure practice and engagement in valued pursuits. The therapeutic approach employs Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Group meets weekly on Thursday 5-6 pm EST. New members can join the first week of each month and commit to participate for the full month. At the end of the month, members decide if they want to stay for the following month. Cost is $200 for 4 sessions.
Group Leader: Gail Nunes (she/her) is an LMHC who specializes in evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy (ERP, ACT for OCD) for anxiety and trauma-related disorders, as well as DBT and CFT. She has also done significant work around grief processing.
Neurodiverse Metaverse Young Adult Group
What: An empowering in-person supportive social group for neurodiverse teens and young adults (ages 15-22) who are interested in meeting and making connections with similarly minded fellow travelers.
Participants will have opportunities to process their lived experiences, strengthen psychological well-being, and practice life skills while engaging in a variety of activities including, but not limited to, art projects (drawing, coloring, painting, sculpture, beading, crafts), journaling, games, short excursions on Main Street, videos and movies, and discussions.
Cost: $200 for 4 weeks
Where: Group will be 75 minutes during after-school hours in our Melrose office (612 Main Street)
Group Leaders: Group led by a licensed clinician and/or advanced student clinician(s)
Start Dates:
-
Group 1: Friday, Apr 7, 2023 - April 28, 2023
-
Group 2 Friday, May 5, 2023- May 26, 2023
-
Group 3 Friday, June 2, 2023 - June 23, 2023
In-Person Young Adult Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) Coaching Group
This ERP Coaching Group is intended for folks ages 18-25 who struggle with OCD and/or anxiety. Group members have opportunities to practice real-world exposures while receiving support from peers and coaching from the group leader. The therapeutic approach aligns with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and aims to support group members in fostering flexibility and pursuing values while practicing ERP.
Exposures are designed collaboratively and based on the needs of the group and may include activities like eating at a restaurant, attending an event, exploring Cambridge, etc. The cost to attend is $200 for 4 sessions.
When: 2:45-4:15 pm on Fridays
Where: 1734 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
Group Leader: Anna Larson (she/her/hers), M.S., is a clinical psychology doctoral student and practicum trainee at NECOA. She is trained in using evidence-based therapies (primarily ACT & ERP) for OCD and anxiety.
Are you an adult struggling with OCD? Are you seeking additional support as you navigate individual treatment and/or recovery and symptom management? This group is for individuals aged 18+ looking for a safe and supportive space to learn new ideas and skills to help manage OCD symptoms while pursuing valued living. You will have opportunities to practice various intervention strategies and engage in ERP in addition to goal planning. This group aims to provide additional support to those suffering with OCD and is not a substitute for individual treatment.
We will meet weekly on Wednesdays from 6:30 pm-7:30 pm and are still determining if we will be in person at our Melrose, MA office (612 Main Street) or virtually…stay tuned! New group members are required to commit to four sessions at a time for $200.
Group Leaders:
Becky Browne (She/Her) is a Ph.D. student and practicum trainee at NECOA. Her training has focused on the treatment of OCD and related disorders using evidence-based practices including ERP and ACT.
Jolie Pepperman (She/Her), PsyD is a postdoctoral fellow at NECOA. She specializes in working with children, teens, adults, and families in the treatment of anxiety and OCD using evidence-based interventions (CBT, ERP, & ACT).
Click the button below to enroll, and please to tell us if you would prefer virtual or an in-person group in Melrose!
CBT Group for Hoarding Behaviors
We hope to run an in-person group for adults with hoarding behaviors, aimed at helping them to reduce the clutter in their homes. This is a skills-based group designed to help people to address issues that may contribute to clutter in their homes, such as time management, organization, and problem-solving. The group is also designed to support members in noticing their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about possessions and about acquiring and discarding. The flyer for this group is available here.
When: Mondays from 11 am-1 pm Starting February 27
Where: 1734 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138
Please note that enrollment for this group is now closed. If you are interested in further sessions, please email Meghan below.
Group Leader: Eileen Dacey (she | her | hers), LICSW, is an author and recognized expert on the cognitive behavioral treatment of Hoarding Disorder. See her book here.
If you have questions, please email Meghan Conlin at meghan@newenglandocd.org.