TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — “Middle schoolers have a lot of adult stressors, but they don’t have adult ways to handle these things,” said Julie Schuck.
While attending graduate school to obtain her masters in therapy, Julie Schuck knew she had a heart for kids. It was there she decided she wanted to create a safe space for young girls.
Schuck decided what better way than group therapy for middle school girls. The therapy group is aimed at helping with a number of issues such as bullying, peer pressure, and depression.
“I asked my clients, my adult clients, when was the hardest time for you and it always points back to middle school. Even in my personal life, middle school, 7th grade specifically was the hardest time for me. I remember feeling that loneliness and lots of changes go on in middle school,” said Schuck.
Though supportive of the idea, 25-year-old Bainbridge native Makayla Boone feels that middle schoolers aren’t the only ones in need of support.
“I believe high schoolers need to be talked to more. It will get them prepared to know what they’ll go through in life and what they’ll learn about life,” said Boone.
Boone said she didn’t learn how to cope with certain issues until later in life. Adding she struggled mostly in high school.
“I’d say depression and loneliness. Sometimes the teachers really don’t have counselors to help the students get over it,” said Boone.
Right now, nearly 57% of teen girls in the U.S. admit to feeling persistently sad or hopeless. That’s according to data from the CDC.
Schuck believes if everything goes well, she does plan to expand her resources to help as many kids as possible.
“I wanted to start off with middle school right now just because I feel like the need is there for them but hopefully in the future, I want to do elementary, high school, and hopefully even college too.”
The 6-week group therapy costs $40 per session with a limit of 7 girls max. Shuck’s next group therapy session will be this upcoming Monday.
For more information, contact Schuck by calling 850-879-1296.
