What is the program about?
At The Cole Project we provide peer support groups for adolescents and young adults and their families. The Cole Project does not provide private therapy or counseling. Participants meet others who also have experienced the death of a close family member, the reality and effects of a terminally ill loved one, or those struggling with the death of a close friend, peer, classmate, or partner. All groups are facilitated by trained volunteers who are in turn coordinated by the professional staff of The Cole Project.
What ages do our programs support?
We work with young people ages 13-22 . Typically, our groups are divided by age range, to insure proper peer support for each individual. We have 3 groups: 13-15, 16-18 and 19-22.
How much does it cost ?
As a registered 501(c)3 we offer our services at no cost . Because we rely on donations and grants to run our programs, contributions are always welcome but never required to join a Cole Project group.
Do parents attend with their children?
If a child is under 18, a parent or guardian is required to attend. The parents will meet separately from their child . Young adults over the age of 18 can come alone , but they are welcome to bring a parent/guardian if they prefer .
How often do we attend group?
Our groups run September-May. Each group meets twice a month. The day will depend on the age of the participant.
Is this therapy?
The Cole Foundation does not provide individual or group therapy or counseling. We do have referral sources we can provide you for finding therapists and counselors who work with children, adolescent and families dealing with grief issues. Upon request we can provide you with these resources, but we do not endorse therapists.
What is the difference between group therapy and support group?
Support Group: You must cope with what you cannot change. Support groups are best suited for handling issues and challenges that cannot be changed. You cannot change the fact that you have a child with autism or that you’re going through a divorce or that you’ve lost a loved one who died. What you can change, though, through involvement in a support group, is how you cope with these struggles. The goal of a support group is to help you cope. You join a support group when you realize that you’re usual coping skills are not enough to help you through a current difficulty in your life and that you need more support than your friends and family can provide. The group members are all going through a similar challenge in their life. Having a supportive environment in which to talk about what you’re going through can greatly increase your chances of having a better outcome than someone who doesn’t receive any support.
Group Therapy: Change yourself, change your life. There are many problems in life that can be changed through gaining new insight into the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that are impacting the problem. Depression, anxiety, addiction, unsatisfying relationships, low self-esteem, difficulty asserting yourself; all of these difficulties can be treated and positively altered through the personal work done in group therapy. The group members are focusing on understanding themselves better and changing their problematic thoughts and behaviors. Group members challenge themselves to be truthful, vulnerable and able to give and receive feedback. In a therapy group, the group members can have one particular issue or that they’re addressing such as depression, anxiety or relationship issues or they can be a very diverse group with members working on all three of these issues and more.
At The Cole Project we provide peer support groups for adolescents and young adults and their families. The Cole Project does not provide private therapy or counseling. Participants meet others who also have experienced the death of a close family member, the reality and effects of a terminally ill loved one, or those struggling with the death of a close friend, peer, classmate, or partner. All groups are facilitated by trained volunteers who are in turn coordinated by the professional staff of The Cole Project.
What ages do our programs support?
We work with young people ages 13-22 . Typically, our groups are divided by age range, to insure proper peer support for each individual. We have 3 groups: 13-15, 16-18 and 19-22.
How much does it cost ?
As a registered 501(c)3 we offer our services at no cost . Because we rely on donations and grants to run our programs, contributions are always welcome but never required to join a Cole Project group.
Do parents attend with their children?
If a child is under 18, a parent or guardian is required to attend. The parents will meet separately from their child . Young adults over the age of 18 can come alone , but they are welcome to bring a parent/guardian if they prefer .
How often do we attend group?
Our groups run September-May. Each group meets twice a month. The day will depend on the age of the participant.
Is this therapy?
The Cole Foundation does not provide individual or group therapy or counseling. We do have referral sources we can provide you for finding therapists and counselors who work with children, adolescent and families dealing with grief issues. Upon request we can provide you with these resources, but we do not endorse therapists.
What is the difference between group therapy and support group?
Support Group: You must cope with what you cannot change. Support groups are best suited for handling issues and challenges that cannot be changed. You cannot change the fact that you have a child with autism or that you’re going through a divorce or that you’ve lost a loved one who died. What you can change, though, through involvement in a support group, is how you cope with these struggles. The goal of a support group is to help you cope. You join a support group when you realize that you’re usual coping skills are not enough to help you through a current difficulty in your life and that you need more support than your friends and family can provide. The group members are all going through a similar challenge in their life. Having a supportive environment in which to talk about what you’re going through can greatly increase your chances of having a better outcome than someone who doesn’t receive any support.
Group Therapy: Change yourself, change your life. There are many problems in life that can be changed through gaining new insight into the thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that are impacting the problem. Depression, anxiety, addiction, unsatisfying relationships, low self-esteem, difficulty asserting yourself; all of these difficulties can be treated and positively altered through the personal work done in group therapy. The group members are focusing on understanding themselves better and changing their problematic thoughts and behaviors. Group members challenge themselves to be truthful, vulnerable and able to give and receive feedback. In a therapy group, the group members can have one particular issue or that they’re addressing such as depression, anxiety or relationship issues or they can be a very diverse group with members working on all three of these issues and more.