The Middle Ground
My colleague, Naveen Challapalli, and I have created a skills-oriented interpersonal process group for boys ages 11–14 called The Middle Ground. This group focuses on emotional regulation, social communication, and building relational capacity through real-time peer interaction. In our individual work with this age range, we have consistently noticed a strong need for community and a safe container for boys to explore relationships with themselves and each other, especially in the age of social media.
The group is designed for boys who may struggle with emotional reactivity, shutdown, or navigating peer relationships, and who benefit from activity and body-based approaches rather than talk therapy alone. Group sessions emphasize safety, predictability, and connection, with opportunities to practice skills with same-age peers in a supported environment.
