Group Dynamics: Theory, Research, and Practice, Vol 30(2), Jun 2026, 106-117; doi:10.1037/gdn0000250
Objective: This article synthesizes clinical principles for conducting children’s and adolescents’ therapy groups when large-scale crises (e.g., war or natural disasters) necessitate a rapid shift from in-person meetings to online sessions and, later, a return to in-person work. The aim is to propose a clinical framework for understanding and guiding therapeutic group processes when treatment shifts between in-person and online settings during times of crisis. Method: The article draws on systematic documentation of ongoing clinical therapy groups alongside supervisory reflections. Observations were organized around three cross-cutting psychotherapeutic constructs: holding and frame in times of crisis, cohesion and alliance, and playfulness as therapeutic flexibility. These constructs were translated into practical guidance for assessment, session structure, and moment-to-moment interventions during online meetings and during the transition back to the therapy room. Results: Therapeutic processes can be preserved, and sometimes strengthened, despite dramatic changes in the treatment setting. When deliberately framed, online meetings can function as a transitional space that expands children’s sensitivity to others and allows graded exposure to interpersonal closeness. The return to in-person sessions benefits from ritualized transitions and explicit renegotiation of group norms. Conclusions: Transitions between online and in-person group settings can be used therapeutically rather than merely tolerated as disruptions, supporting secure relating, psychological flexibility, and developmental growth in children and adolescents. Implications extend beyond group therapy to broader child and adolescent psychotherapy contexts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)