The Up Center plans a new group for girls ages 14 to 18 to help them cope with issues such as depression, anger and peer pressure.

“It’s a psycho-education group dealing with real life issues,” said Ruth Woods, an outpatient clinician, in-home clinician and group facilitator with the Up Center. Relationships, bullying, stress and social networking also will be topics included in the group, Woods said.

It begins this Saturday and runs until May 2, meeting from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. each Saturday at Suffolk’s Up Center location, 109 ½ Clay St.

Woods said teenage girls need a safe place to talk about issues affecting them.

“You’re a teenager and are dealing with all the other things in your world and in your family, it’s just a really awful time for them.”

Woods said girls will be able to talk with each other during the group, but that’s not all it’s about.

“They’re going to be able to talk about what they want to talk about,” Woods said. “It’s very much their group. I also like to bring in arts and crafts self-expression. It teaches them coping skills to deal with what they’re going through, and it kind of helps in a therapeutic way.”

Self-directed learning will be an important part of the group, as well, Woods said.

“It’s not just going to be sitting there talking or lecturing to them,” she said. “We want them to share, we want them to problem-solve and help others in the group problem-solve.”

Snacks will be provided at every meeting of the group. It is free to attend, but registration is requested. Register by calling Jessica Oulahan at 965-8652.