Group Therapy

Riverside Community Care expanded our offerings to include virtual group therapy during the pandemic. Some groups have returned to in-person, many still run remotely via telehealth, and some follow a hybrid model. All are facilitated by experienced Riverside clinicians. Groups are arranged below according to discussion focus:

Anxiety, Depression, Stress
Domestic Violence
Identity Groups (LGBTQIA+, men, women)
Mindfulness, Meditation, Wellness
Parenting
Substance Recovery
Special Situations
Kids, Teens, and Young Adults

If you are interested in joining a group or would like to learn more, please call the number at the end of each listing. (Please note: Due to state licensing issues, we are only able to accept participants who live in Massachusetts.)

** Indicates drop-in group

Anxiety, Depression, Stress

Anger Management

Thursday 4:00-5:00pm

Leader: Erol Zeybekoglu, PsyD

Members will learn how to monitor anger using an anger meter, identify triggers and cues, understand the cycle of aggression, utilize immediate and preventative coping strategies, develop an individualized anger control plan, and discuss anger in the family. Hybrid group – meets in-person and online. For more information, please call 617-354-2275.

Anxiety Support Group

Monday 5:00-6:00pm – or –

Wednesday 5:00-6:00pm

Leader: Michael Hinckley, MA

For those with challenges managing their anxiety, this group focuses on empowerment through education and coping skills, and through the group’s support. This is a non-judgmental, supportive, and learning environment for members to share their thoughts and feelings. For more information, please call 781-769-8670.

Changing Unhelpful Self-Perceptions and Behaviors
Thursday, 5:30pm – currently accepting referrals
Leader: Robert Saxner, Psy.D.
Using a combination of psychodynamic and CBT modalities, group members will gain insight into longstanding self-perceptions and behaviors that cause depression, anxiety, and various other symptoms. They can use this insight to build a healthier, more fulfilling life. Meets in person at the Newton Outpatient Center. Contact Rsaxner@riversidecc.org, 617-969-4925

Coping and Conversation

Thursday, 12:00-12:45pm

Leader: Katie Mulcahy at 617-969-4925

This in-person support group focuses on helping people with severe persistent mental illness to connect and socialize with others in a structured and nurturing setting. Meets at Newton Outpatient Center. Contact Katie Mulcahy at 617-969-4925 for more information.

Psychodrama for Adults
Wednesday 2:00-3:00pm (in-person)
Leader: April-Emily Moorer, MHC
Individuals will use full body involvement to engage in psychotherapy in the company of others. All members will act as an audience, and some will perform as a protagonist or an antagonist while working through a specific issue or conflict. For more information, please call 617-354-2275 or email amoorer@riversidecc.org

Stress Management

Monday 12:00-1:00pm

Leader: Erol Zeybekoglu, PsyD

A CBT-based group focused on sharing and developing coping strategies with peer support and feedback. Topics include self-care, personal emotional control, safety planning, identifying values and beliefs, and managing interpersonal relationships and boundaries. Hybrid group – meets in-person and online. For more information, please call 617-354-2275.

Domestic Violence

Please call 781-747-8889 for referrals, registration, and questions regarding any Domestic Violence group, including days and times held via Zoom. For more information about our programs, please visit our webpage.

Art and Healing
No art experience is required for this in-person group. Self-exploration and self-expression using art materials, in a safe and confidential group for survivors of intimate partner abuse. Materials provided.

Children Affected by Domestic Violence
Support groups for children of all ages, focused on handling feelings, social skill-building, and for older children, working through their experiences of intimate partner violence and family disruption.

Kids in Action: Therapy Group for Children Aged 4-8
A safe environment where children can explore their feelings and experiences and learn coping strategies.

Moving ON…Surviving and Thriving After Separation and Divorce
Confidential, non-judgmental support group.

New Beginnings Community Women’s Group
In-person group led by peers, offering mutual support, conversation, arts and crafts, and more.

Surviving and Thriving
Online support group for survivors of domestic violence.

Young Adult Women’s Support Group
For young women who were exposed to domestic abuse growing up and may be experiencing partner abuse in their own lives. The purpose of this group is to educate, explore coping skills, promote self-growth, and raise awareness to help break the cycle of abuse.

Identity Groups

Aging Well (for adults aged 60+)
Monday 1:00-2:00pm, in-person in Newton & via Zoom
Thursday, 10:30-11:30 am, new virtual group accepting referrals – time TBD
Susan Adams, LICSW, Suzanne Toukan, LCSW
A group for older adults aged 60+ who are seeking change, engagement, and camaraderie. We’ll address topics such as loneliness, ageism, societal and systemic barriers, meaning and purpose, and coping skills, and focus on creative ways to achieve optimal health and well-being in an atmosphere of support and mutual aid. Contact sadams@riversidecc.org or stoukan@riversidecc.org

LGBTQIA+ Group

Thursday 1:00-2:00pm (adults 18+)

Leader: Kara Trietsch, LCSW

For members of the LGBTQIA+ community dealing with issues related to family and relationships, identity development, past trauma, and experiences of marginalization and oppression. Group members will practice skills such as effective communication, stress management and coping techniques, self-care, and identity exploration. Online group, open to any adult who identifies as lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, transgender, non-binary, intersex, ace, or who does not exclusively identify as straight and/or cisgender. For more information, please call 617-354-2275.

Men’s Groups

Wednesday 5:00-6:00pm

Leader: John Beck, LCSW

This ongoing support group for men focuses on relationships, health/wellness, stress management, and coping with anxiety/depression. Hybrid group – meets in-person and online. For more information, please call 617-969-4925.

Thursday 3:00pm-4:00pm
Leader: Erol Zeybekoglu, PsyD
Open discussion group providing a space for a general mental health check-in, with opportunities for interpersonal processing of affect, peer support, and feedback regarding topics related to men’s mental health care and community resources. Hybrid group – meets in-person and online. For more information, please call 617-354-2275.

Women’s Group

Monday 5:00-6:00pm

Leader: Felicia Falchuk, LICSW

This group is for young adult to middle-age women who are seeking support from other women to help manage anxiety, depression, grief and social isolation. For more information, please call 617-969-4925.

Women’s Trauma Group
Monday 2:00-3:00pm

Leader: Susan Bitensky, LICSW

This ongoing group for older women with mental illness helps develop skills for coping with anxiety, depression, family issues, past trauma, and offers opportunities to practice new skills, receive support, and socialize in a safe environment. For more information, please call 617-969-4925.

Mindfulness, Meditation, Wellness

Creating Healthy Habits
Monday 4:00pm, 12 weeks
Leaders: SiriBrahma, CARC, CPS and Becky Tobin, RN, CSP
Your daily choices either support your well-being or sabotage you. Are your habits purposeful and effective or careless and rigid? Come join this 12-week program designed to align daily habits to our natural biorhythms rooted in the ancient wisdom of the ancient holistic science of Ayurveda. Held online and in-person at Riverside Behavioral Healthcare Center, 176 West Street, Milford MA. Contact SiriBrahma at 339-216-7712 or Becky Tobin at 978-989-8852 for information.

DBT Skills (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)

Tuesday 1:00-2:00pm (adults 18+, all genders)

Leaders: Justine Follett, LICSW and Ashley Niemiec, MS

– or –

Friday 12:00-1:00pm (womxn only)

Leaders: Ana Hernandez, LMFT and Ashley Niemiec, MS

DBT helps identify thoughts, beliefs, and assumptions that make life harder. Learn and practice DBT skills of distress tolerance, emotion regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and mindfulness. Class is currently held via zoom. For more information, please call 617-969-4925 or email aniemiec@riversidecc.org. (Please note registration closes two weeks prior to start date.)

DBT: Interpersonal Effectiveness
Wednesday 1:00-2:00pm, begins December 13, runs eight weeks (for adults 18+, all genders)
Leader: Kara Trietsch, LCSW
This eight-week DBT group will teach skills from the interpersonal effectiveness (IE) module of DBT, helping to increase the ability to communicate and interact with others in a constructive and mutually beneficial way. We’ll discuss skillful communication, active listening, and navigating social situations effectively in order to enhance one’s ability to build positive relationships, resolve conflicts, and collaborate successfully with others. For more information, please email ktrietsch@riversidecc.org. (Please note registration for new enrollees closes one week prior to start date.)

DBT Skill-Building
Tuesday 3:00-4:00pm
Leader: Paula Younge Eed,C.A,G.S
Members learn DBT coping skills through group format which includes homework assignments, completion of DBT Diary Cards weekly and worksheets. Group members are encouraged to practice, implement DBT skills daily to manage their symptoms. Consistent attendance required to maintain the integrity of the group process. Contact pyounge@riversidecc.org.

**Mindful Mondays
2nd & 4th Monday each month, noon-1:00pm
Leader: Judi Locke, LMHC
This is a group that teaches mindfulness, chair-based yoga, breathwork, and visualization exercises designed to promote a sense of well-being. For more information, please call 617-969-4925.

Mindfulness through Fiber Arts
Monday 2-3pm – offered in-person in Somerville & via Zoom
Leader: Linda McMaster, LCSW
Knitting and crochet are activities that have the potential to reduce anxiety and perseverative thinking, while also providing cognitive stimulation and a sense of accomplishment. This group will provide a framework for clients to learn mindfulness and build social connections while practicing fiber arts. Limited basic supplies (crochet hooks, knitting needles, and yarn) will be available on-site. No experience with fiber arts necessary. Contact lmcmaster@riversidecc.org

Movement for Emotional Health

Monday 12:00-1:00pm (adults 18+, all genders)
Leader: April-Emily Moorer, MHC, RYT 200hr

Therapeutic yoga allows your emotional process to be a whole-body healing experience. It is well established as a treatment modality for depression, anxiety, and PTSD. We’ll incorporate gentle yoga stretches, breathing exercises, meditation, and guided imagery in this virtual group. You’ll need a comfortable space to sit and stretch, cushion, blanket, and blocks (or substitute books). Yoga mat or experience not required. For more information, please call 617-354-2275 or email amoorer@riversidecc.org.

Substance Recovery

The Four Agreements for Recovery
Wednesday 3:00-4:00pm (Milford and Norwood)
Leaders: SiriBrahma, CARC, CPS and Johnny Pike, RSN, CSP
This new group supporting the recovery journey meets online and in-person, alternating weeks between Riverside offices at 176 West Street, Milford, and 190 Lenox Street, Norwood. Discussion is based on the best-selling book, “The Four Agreements,” by Mexican author Don Miguel Ruiz. We will use these principles to help break old habits of shame and self-doubt in order to build a new life of self-worth, personal integrity, and accountability. Contact SiriBrahma at 339-216-7712 or Johnny at 781-915-7524 for information.

Early Recovery Group

Monday 9:30-11:00am

Leader: Erol Zeybekoglu, PsyD

This 12-week group will provide a safe, supportive, and non-judgmental environment to learn about addiction, why we do what we do, and take positive steps in recovery. Focusing on a different concept each week with both an educational component and interactive group process, the group is built upon the concept that small changes have big effects in our lives. Hybrid – meets in-person and online. All group members will need an outpatient intake; please submit referrals to Erol Zeybekoglu at ezeybekoglu@riversidecc.org. Call 617-354-2275 with questions.

Life Beyond Sobriety: Relapse Prevention

Tuesday 5:00-6:30pm

Facilitator: Emily Bliss, LMHC and Collin Nelson, MA

Peer support: Johnny Pike, RSN, CSP

A forum to work on empowerment by reducing shame and stigma. To register or for more information, contact Emily Bliss ebliss@riversidecc.org. (Most insurance, except Medicare, accepted.)

Parenting in Recovery

Thursday 12:00-1:30pm

Leader: Vicki Martin, LICSW and Emily Bliss, LMHC

Support group for parents in recovery with children up to 18 years old. Parents must have at least weekly contact with their child. The group will be utilizing the GROW ARC (Attachment, Regulation, and Competency) Framework, learning to regulate parent-child emotions and building resiliency in the home. The overall goal is to support caregivers in embracing their parent-child connection. For more information, please call 781-769-8670.

Special Situations

ADHD
Monday 11am-12noon, begins January 8 and runs f0r 10 weeks
Leaders: Linda McMaster, LCSW and Kara Trietsch, LCSW
A supportive environment to increase awareness of the symptoms of ADHD in folks who are traditionally under-diagnosed due to gender, race, or other social contexts. This group integrates emerging research and theory into our collective understanding of ADHD and will focus discussion on topics such as emotional regulation, impulsivity, late-in-life diagnosis, and grief. Open to adults who are interested in exploring how ADHD affects their lives (formal diagnosis not required). Hybrid class, offered in-person and virtually. Contact lmcmaster@riversidecc.org or ktrietsch@riversidecc.org

Anger Management

Thursday 4:00-5:00pm

Leader: Erol Zeybekoglu, PsyD

Clutter Treatment Group

Tuesday 11:00am-12noon, begins September 19

Leader: Dara Concagh, LICSW, and Sara Dash, LCSW

This group will meet weekly over the course of seven months. It is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy techniques, and will aim to encourage, support, and motivate those who struggle with clutter. Group members learn skills that inspire them to pare down and organize current belongings, as well as minimize future acquisitions. Contact 617-969-4925 ext. 5950 or dconcagh@riversidecc.org.

Gambling Support Group
Wednesday 4-5 PM, May 15 – June 19
Six-week group for ages 21+, co-led by peer specialist and therapist. We’ll provide you with a supportive and non-judgmental environment to find new coping strategies and renewed motivation as you navigate through problem gambling. Contact Ryan Rivard LMHC, at rrivard@riversidecc.org or 781-246-2010.

Hoarding Maintenance Groups

Monday 5:00-6:15pm

Leader: Jean Rossner, LMHC

Every other Friday 11:45am-1:00pm

Leader: Lori Barry-Smith, LICSW

Ongoing groups open to people who have completed the above 26-week Hoarding/Clutter Treatment Group. The purpose is to provide a supportive environment while reviewing and reinforcing the skills and techniques that help with de-cluttering at home. For more information, please call 617-969-4925.

Managing ADHD in Adulthood
Monday 7:00pm, 8 weeks, begins October 30
Leader: Sara Dash, LCSW, MEd
Participants will have the opportunity to learn more about ADHD, build skills and coping strategies, and connect with others for mutual support. Each week will focus on a different theme with room for psychoeducation, open discussion, goal setting, and questions. The group is designed for adults who either have a diagnosis of ADHD or experience challenges with attention and/or executive function. Please contact Sara Dash at sdash@riversidecc.org for more information.

Reclaiming Your Inner Child
Wednesday 8:00-9:00am
Leader: Paula Younge Eed,C.A,G.S
A place where people can develop, learn, identify and discuss mental health symptoms related to childhood trauma. This group will help implement coping skills to manage emotions and personal healing, look at family dysfunction which can be triggering at times, and help to reframe unhealthy behaviors and internal dialog. Contact pyounge@riversidecc.org.

Kids, Teens, and Young Adults

Adulting: Strengthening Your Independence
Wednesday 4:30-6:30pm (October 4-25, 2023)
Leaders: Michael Needre, MS and Alberto Butts-Lee, BS
Transition to adulthood group for youth ages 16-19, all genders. Covers the responsibilities and privileges of turning 18, money management, accessing transportation, independent living, peer relationships, cohabitation with family, healthcare, post-high school ambitions (e.g. college, employment, independent living), and time management. Meets in-person at Riverside, 255 Highland Avenue, Needham. For information or to enroll, call Mike Needre at 781-752-9518.

Healing Through Art
Monday 2:00-3:00pm
Leaders: Tamar Forman, intern and Amber Tariq intern
A space to create art with your own hands in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere. Explore a variety of materials, methods and themes through art. Creating art in a group setting provides an opportunity for self-reflection, self-expression and connecting with others. If not receiving Riverside services will need intake. Call 339-225-8432 or contact tforman@riversidecc.org or atariq@riversidecc.org

High School Support Group
Mondays, 4pm-5pm, 12 weeks (expected start date November 2023)
Leader: Victoria Mail, MA
This in-person group is for students aged 14-18 seeking support for the stress and transitions that come with high school. We will engage in activities and open conversations, covering topics like healthy relationships, self-esteem, study skills, stress management, and healthy decision-making, learning how to successfully navigate these four years! Held at the Riverside Outpatient Center, 6 Kimball Lane, Lynnfield, MA. For information more, please call or email Victoria Mail at (617) 564-2166 or vmail@riversidecc.org. (Intake required if not currently receiving Riverside services.)

Psychodrama for Kids and Teens
Wednesday 6:00-7:00pm (in-person)
Leader: April-Emily Moorer, MHC
Youth volunteer to act out and engage in role play with others, working together with our peers to learn more about our strengths and needs. All members act as the audience, while some act out a specific issue or difficult event. For more information, please call 617-354-2275 or email amoorer@riversidecc.org

Relationships 101
Thursdays 4:00-5:45 pm, February 15-March 21
Leader: Michael Needre, LMHC
This group will help older adolescents (ages 16-19) develop the necessary social skills to navigate adult relationships including dating, workplace, family, and friends. We’ll explore the challenges in building relationships and focus on inner strengths that we can use for healthy connection and communication with others. Meets in-person in Needham. For more information, please email mneedre@riversidecc.org.

Tuesday Crew (Emotional Regulation Group)
Tuesdays 4:30-6:00 pm, February 13-March12
Leader: Michael Needre, LMHC
A fun and interactive youth group for ages 8-1. Utilizing discussion, games, and mindfulness activities, offers a safe space to strengthen emotional identification and expression, gain insight into how feelings can impact responses to others, and explore ways to build on existing self-regulation strategies. Meets in-person in Needham. For more information, please email gwilliams@riversidecc.org.

Young Adult Group

Wednesday 7:00-8:00pm

Leader: Susan Bitensky, LICSW

This group is for people ages 20-30 who are transitioning to adulthood and dealing with issues such as independent living, relationships, work, school, time management, and self-care. For more information, please call 617-969-4925.

** Indicates drop-in group