COUNSELING CENTER GROUPS Fall 2013
Flourishing Group
(Tuesdays 5:10pm -6:30)
Co-led by Jeff Volkmann, Ph.D. & Laila Salem, M.A.
The Flourishing group encompasses a variety of concepts and exercises that encourage people to identify and further develop their own positive emotions, experiences and strengths. The Flourishing group offers a safe and supportive environment in which group members explore topics such as personal strengths, forgiveness and gratitude. Group members give and receive feedback and can use the group to improve their self-esteem, overall well-being and enhance the satisfaction they get from daily interactions.
The Empowerment Group: for students who have experienced unwanted sexual contact
(Tuesdays, 5:00 pm-6:00 pm)
Co-led by Mimi Martin, Ph.D. Sarah Godoy, M.A.
In this group, members can address feelings and reactions to the unwanted sexual contact, reactions of friends/family, relationships and dating, spirituality and identity questions, and academics. Many people feel they are alone and no one could understand their problems and it is encouraging to hear that other people have similar difficulties.
MulticulturalStudent Support Group
(Wednesdays 5:10pm-6:30pm)
Co-led by Afiya Mangum, Ph.D.Katherine McMorran
The focus of the group is to provide a supportive atmosphere where students of diverse cultural backgrounds can engage in discussion and self-expression related to the challenges, celebrations, and complexities related to their life at CUA as a multiculturally-identified student. This group offers a safe environment for students to share feelings, explore identity, build community and understand how differences influence their everyday relationships to themselves or others. Topics include, but are not limited to: academic issues, racism, stress management, family concerns, and healthy relationships.
Exploring Relationships Group: An interpersonal process therapy group
(Thursdays 5:10pm-6:30pm)
Co-led by Katie Campana-Scherer, Ph.D. Amanda Schwait, M.S.
In the Exploring Relationships group, five to eight people meet face to face with trained group therapists and talk about what is troubling them. Common presenting problems vary, but have included relationship issues, grief, adjustment, depression and anxiety. This group is aimed at helping members better understand themselves and others. Members give feedback to each other by expressing their own feelings about what someone says or does. This interaction gives group members an opportunity to try out new ways of behaving and to learn more about the way they interact with others.
Graduate Student Process Group
(Fridays 1:10 pm – 2:30pm)
Co-led by Mark LaSota, Ph.D. & Sarah Godoy, M.A.
This group is geared toward graduate students as a hybrid of a support group and process group. As the majority of the group shares a commonality as graduate students, key themes focus on academic stress, conflict with professors/departments, maintaining a healthy balance of school and social responsibilities, and achieving general life and professional goals. In addition, more unique and personal themes in recent years have also included: partner relationship stress, loss and grieving, social anxiety, depression, self-esteem, general interpersonal feedback, and cultural identity concerns.
Redefining Your Relationship with Substances Group
(Fridays 3:10 pm – 4:30pm)
Co-led by Katie Campana-Scherer, Ph.D. & Rebecca Elliott, M.A.
In the five-week long Redefining Your Relationship with Substancesgroup, three to eight people meet face to face with trained therapists and explore their history with substance misuse and how it currently affects their lives. This group is best suited for people who are thinking about decreasing their substance use and would like a safe place to explore this. This is not a substitute for substance addictions treatment nor support groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous. If you are interested in these options, please discuss this with your intake counselor.