Group Therapy
For many concerns that undergraduate and graduate students face – like overwhelming stress, anxiety, difficult relationships, depression, academic difficulties, and more – group therapy is the best option for support and healing. Facilitated by Student Health and Wellness (SHaW) counselors, our therapy groups encourage peer support, promote emotional wellbeing, and increase a felt sense of connection. Participants often find that they feel less alone in their struggles, and walk away with newfound support and ideas for coping.
SHaW offers numerous therapy groups throughout the year, including the summer months. Groups are led by SHaW counselors, and consist of 6-10 student members.
Group therapy offers unique benefits to students including:
- Allowing students to find more clarity about current challenges with the help of a support system and a knowledgeable counselor.
- Providing the opportunity for students to share and listen to the experiences of other group members.
- Creating a safe space where members can give and receive feedback, support, and validation from others who have had similar experiences.
- Allowing students to have their own journey in the group, which is enriched by the support and experience of others.
To join a group therapy session, please contact SHaW at 860-486-4700.
Interpersonal Group for Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Students Interpersonal Groups focuses on promoting emotional wellbeing as you balance academics, relationships, family, and personal responsibilities.
Groups offer a supportive confidential space to share your concerns, practice skills and get feedback.
Office Hours: | Provider: | Open to: |
Date: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm |
Maritza Lugo-Stalker, PsyD |
All undergraduate students. |
Interpersonal Group for Graduate Students
Graduate Students Interpersonal Groups focuses on promoting emotional wellbeing as you balance academics, relationships, family, and personal responsibilities.
Groups offer a supportive confidential space to share your concerns, practice skills and get feedback.
Office Hours: | Provider: | Open to: |
Date: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 2:30 pm - 4 pm
|
Carlos Gonzalez-Martinez, LCSW |
All graduate students. |
BLOOM: Undergraduate Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC)
This group is a space created for female Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) - identifying students to cultivate vulnerability, safety, trust, connection, and growth. Bloom provides a place for group members to discuss issues unique to their experience at a predominantly white institution (PWI), including academic stress, relationships, race/ethnicity related stress, familial pressures and navigating cultural expectations. There will be an emphasis on healing, maintaining healthy relationships and setting boundaries. Bloom means to be open, blossom and to maintain flourishing conditions that help us grow. It’s time to Bloom.
Office Hours: | Provider: | Open to: |
Date: Thursdays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 4 pm - 5:30 pm |
Chauntal Smith, LMFT |
Undergraduate students. |
Growth Through Grief
This weekly clinical group supports students grieving the death of a loved one and students coming together to support and empower each other during times of grief.
Office Hours: | Provider: | Open to: |
Date: Thursdays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 4:15 pm - 5:30 pm |
Jennifer Fox, PhD |
All students. |
Families with Addiction
This group is for students who are or have been deeply affected by having parent(s) or sibling(s) struggling with addictions. May also consider situations where the family member's primary issue is a severe psychiatric disorder, but that substance use is also present.
Office Hours: | Provider: | Open to: |
Date: Fridays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 12 pm - 1:30 pm |
Jonathan Beazley, LMFT, SW |
All students. |
Maternal Health Group
A support group for pregnant and parenting students designed to provide education and support around the transition to motherhood and navigating the stress of higher education. Group will be co-facilitated by a licensed clinical social worker and an APRN. Specific topics to be discussed include exploring transitions to motherhood, discussing mental health concerns, promoting healthy sleep habits, attachment and bonding, creating healthy work/school/life balance, and many others. Students are encouraged to come as they are and should feel comfortable to bring their babies along!
Office Hours: | Providers: | Open to: |
Date: Every Other Friday (starting on 9/13)
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 11 am - 12 pm |
Natasha Welz, LCSW Carly Odesina, APRN
|
Pregnant and parenting students. |
Mind and Body: Support and empowerment for students with chronic health conditions.
This weekly group is for students adjusting to coping with chronic health conditions in a university setting. This is a safe space for students to share their experiences and support each other in managing their health while also managing the challenges of college life. This group is a joint effort between medical and mental health services to ensure that students are cared for in a complete and holistic manner.
Office Hours: | Providers: | Open to: |
Date: Tuesdays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 10:30 am - 11:30 am |
Jennifer Fox, PhD Ryan Grade BSN, RN |
All students. |
Neurodiversity Support Group
Do you identify as neurodivergent? Or do you think you are neurodiverse? Come and meet others who also identify this way. Build new connections in a supportive space, while learning from one another how to deal with college life and all that comes with it. Celebrate your uniqueness and connect to new friends and bring your neurofabulousness with you!
Office Hours: | Provider: | Open to: |
Date: Fridays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 3 pm - 4 pm |
All Students |
Barbershop
The “Barbershop Group” is a therapy group for men who have had past traumatic experiences and would like to learn new ways of coping and managing the effects of that trauma. The group recognizes the need for men to develop different skills that will effectively improve how we express our emotions and build relationships in a safe space. What better place to do that than the barbershop? The Barbershop model is derived from the “Men’s Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Model”- (M-TREM.) The Barbershop Group uses a Psycho-educational and skills-oriented approach that is person-centered. Over the years The Barbershop has provided men with a safe, non-judgmental setting where they can speak freely and be themselves. Unfortunately, we will not be providing haircuts, but we will be providing open discussion where honest responses in group discussions are encouraged, and we will engage in several exercises that are used to introduce you to and try new coping skills. I look forward to seeing you all at “The Shop”.
Office Hours: | Providers: | Open to: |
Date: Mondays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 3 pm - 4 pm |
Greg Davis, LPC |
Male students. |
Dungeon's and Therapy
Role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and Quest allow participants to take on the persona of fictional characters and to complete daring adventures across mysterious worlds. This therapy group takes the core elements of these games but also challenges you to set goals that will help change your behavior, attitude, and mindset in the real world.
In Dungeons & Therapy, you will work with a mental health clinician to create a fantasy character that is personalized to you and your goals. This character might excel at something with which you struggle, be the complete opposite of who you are, or be designed to help you emphasize any given attribute. Within sessions of Dungeons & Therapy, you will interact with other players not only to find treasures, solve puzzles, and converse with enigmatic individuals - but also to express meaningful parts of yourself.
No previous experience with Dungeons & Dragons or any other RPG is required.
Office Hours: | Providers: | Open to: |
Date: Mondays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 3 pm - 4:30 pm |
Alyson Faires, Psy.D |
All students. |
Every Body Welcome
The Every Body Welcome group is a semi structured therapy group dedicated to improving the relationships students have with food, eating, and exercise. It will focus on practicing body neutrality, developing self-compassion, and coping skills relating to eating and body image concerns.
Office Hours: | Provider: | Open to: |
Date: Fridays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 2 pm - 3:30 pm |
Amy Parent, MSW |
All students. |
My New Home: Adjusting to College Life
How to manage the challenges of adjusting to college and campus life. Learn about resources and practice new coping skills with each other while getting support from your peers in a confidential. Clinician-led group for incoming first year students.
Office Hours: | Providers: | Open to: |
Date: Mondays
Location: SHaW Arjona 4th Floor
Time: 4 pm - 5 pm |
Caroline Farnham, LCSW |
First Year students. |
RA Consultation Group
This virtual group is available to all resident hall assistants on a drop-in basis. This group creates a space every RA can gain consultation from a licensed Mental Health clinician on how to handle difficult student situations on their floor and get support from other RAs.
Attendees will benefit from exploring challenges such as:
- Identifying students in distress
- Responding to disruptive behaviors
- Effective ways to intervene
- Enhancing self-care
- Satisfaction in your role
This is a drop in group and no referral is needed.
- Virtual
- Third Friday of the month
- 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
- An email with the Webex Link will be sent to all Resident Assistants at the start of the third week each month.