Group Therapy

Group therapy lets you connect with other students going through similar challenges in a safe, confidential space. Our psychologists offer therapy groups for common mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety, and support groups for international students and graduate students.

Groups typically have an educational component that teaches skills and strategies. They also provide an opportunity for students to share experiences, give and receive social support and build trust. Groups generally run once a week for 4-8 weeks.

How to Register Your Interest

  1. Click the “Register for the info session” link below the group you are interested in and sign up. 
  2. Attend the group information session where you will:
    • Meet the group facilitators
    • Learn about the content, structure, and expectations for the group
    • Better understand if the group is right for you
    • Ask any questions you may have
  3. After the information session you will receive an email with consent forms. If you’re still interested in the group, fill out the forms within two days. If not, no need to fill them out.
  4. Students who submit their forms within the two days will receive confirmation via email that they are enrolled.
  5. If there are more students interested in the group than there is space, we will randomly draw names. The remaining students will be on a waitlist for the next group and will have priority to enroll. They can also attend an initial consultation for alternative options for support.

You must attend the info session to be eligible for the group.

fall 2024 Therapy Groups

Emotion Regulation Skills

The Emotion Regulation Group was created to help students manage or influence which emotions they have, when they have them, and how they experience and express emotions. As humans, we will never have complete control over what we feel, but we have a lot more influence over how we feel than we might think. When we manage or regulate our emotions, we can steer and direct how we feel and react.This 6-week group program will offer a mixture of psycho-educational support and skill building elements to help you understand and accept your emotions, reduce their emotional vulnerability and volatility, and decrease emotional suffering. Each week, skills are taught to help you manage emotions instead of being managed by them. As you learn each piece and practice it, you are putting another building block into the structure of your own emotion regulation, learning little by little how to handle negative emotions and how to build positive ones. Sharing your personal experiences and getting support and input from fellow group members and the facilitators is also a key part of this group experience.

Worrying that Works

Learn practical skills to manage your anxiety. We aim to help students be more aware of their thinking patterns that contribute to anxiety and to understand effective behavioral responses to anxiety. The group focuses on relaxation strategies, controlled breathing strategies, thought checking/challenging/changing, and exposure to feared situations. The group is based in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or “CBT.”

Break-up Boot Camp

This group is designed for individuals who have experienced a difficult break up (recently or in the past) or those who are having difficulty moving on following a break up. The focus of this group will be on building coping skills for grief and loss, developing more helpful and adaptive perspectives, and reconnecting to yourself as an individual. This group is open to those who have ended their relationship in addition to those whose partners ended their relationship.

fall 2024 SUPPORT GROUPS

BIPOC Support Group

The BIPOC support group is for any student who identifies as Black, Indigenous or a Person of Colour. The aim is to provide compassionate space for students to talk about their lived experiences and get support from each other and the facilitators. Topics will be guided by group members but themes could include belonging, racial trauma, cultural expectations, defying stereotypes, intersectionality and general mental health. Join us to connect, build community, and talk about the issues that matter to you.

International Student Support Group

The ISSG is a confidential place for international students to join together to help decrease isolation and increase social connections through a group setting, validate and navigate some of the challenges faced by international students, normalizing group members’ experiences, and fostering positive social support in a non-judgmental setting. Exploration of possible topics such as homesickness, stress management, holiday isolation, etc., alongside experiential exercises, and general support and/or discussion. This group runs twice a month throughout the Fall and Winter semesters.

Grad Student Support Group (Wednesday)

The GSSG is a confidential place for graduate students to join together to give and receive support, and strategize, about making their way through the challenges of graduate school. Mental health, supervisory relationships, imposter syndrome, juggling responsibilities at home and school, and the additional hurdles that BIPOC folks and women face, are all possible topics. We are also here to celebrate successes, too! Some group meetings will focus on a specific topic, others will provide more time for general support and discussion. This group runs twice a month throughout the Fall and Winter semesters.

Grad Student Support Group (Thursday)

The GSSG is a confidential place for graduate students to join together to give and receive support, and strategize, about making their way through the challenges of graduate school. Mental health, supervisory relationships, imposter syndrome, juggling responsibilities at home and school, and the additional hurdles that BIPOC folks and women face, are all possible topics. We are also here to celebrate successes, too! Some group meetings will focus on a specific topic, others will provide more time for general support and discussion. This group runs twice a month throughout the Fall and Winter semesters.

Audience

Students

Category

Health Wellness

Provider
Provost