Groups & Workshops

For those who have personally experienced the loss of a loved one, or are anticipating the grief and loss of a loved one with terminal illness or cognitive decline.

A workshop focusing on how grief impacts us, normalizing reactions to loss and grief, and ways to live and grow around grief.

February 14 from 3:30-5pm at the Cowell Center

For more information, email Kelly Ye, Psy.D. (kye2@scu.edu)

A workshop to learn about the benefits of self-compassion and mindfulness meditation. 

For more information, email Dr. Miri Choi, Staff Psychologist (mchoi@scu.edu) 

Struggling to stay on task or manage your time? Join our 60-minute workshop designed to boost your focus and productivity. Learn practical strategies to:

• Strengthen your concentration and attention
  
  
• Overcome distractions and impulsivity
  
  
• Break free from procrastination and avoidance
  
  

You’ll walk away with actionable skills to manage procrastination, organize your tasks and tackle them with confidence. 

This workshop is not a deep, dark, secret sharing space. Instead, it is a space where you will learn new information, practice skills, and learn ways to individualize these skills to fit your lifestyle. Students do not need a diagnosis of ADHD or any other disorder to participate in this workshop. This NEW workshop will be offered twice during the Spring 2025 Quarter.

If you are interested in Executive Functioning and ADHD Skills Workshop for Spring Quarter of 2025 please email the facilitators to express your interest and to be added to the group.

Facilitators can be reached by email at: dreed2@scu.edu or mgale@scu.edu 

Dates:  Monday - 4/14/2025 at 4PM and Tuesday - 4/29/2025 at 12PM

Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

This semi-structured group offers students the opportunity to engage in various ways including written, verbal, and non-verbal expression. Group topics will vary based on members’ interests but may include building meaningful connections, exploring microaggressions, and navigating the university environment.

A formal diagnosis of autism is not required to participate in this group.

If you are interested in ASEC for Spring Quarter of 2025 please email the facilitator to schedule a group screening appointment prior to attending.

Facilitators: Kelly Ye, Psy.D. ( kye2@scu.edu ) and Rachael Negron, M.A. (rnegron@scu.edu

Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

Dates: Tuesdays - 3:30PM to 4:45PM starting April 8th, 2025

An open and supportive space for BIPOC students to make connections, engage in self-exploration, and gain wisdom and energy from each other. Discussion topics will vary based on members’ preferences but may include micro aggressions, imposter syndrome, race-related stress and trauma, family concerns, and other issues related to being a person of color in this sociopolitical climate and university environment. 

Email the facilitator to schedule a group screening appointment prior to attending.
Facilitator: Dr. Miri Choi, Staff Psychologist (mchoi@scu.edu)

Dates/Time will be based on interested students and determined by Week 3
Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

A weekly confidential therapy group where students can feel safe and welcomed as they explore their relationship with your body and move towards more freedom. Using a social justice lens, we strive to liberate ourselves from the systemic issues that surround us and acknowledge that we cannot fix these all on our own. Students will learn how to reconnect with their innate body wisdom so they can have a relationship with their body guided by self-compassion, intentionality, and humor. 

This group is open to members of all identities and all body shapes. 

Email the facilitator to schedule a group screening appointment prior to attending.
Facilitator: Dr. Estrella Ramirez, Staff Psychologist and Training Director (eramirez2@scu.edu)

Group Time: Thursdays - 3:30PM - 5:00PM
Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

This support group is an open, drop-in style support group for students who may experience symptoms related to depression and/or anxiety. In this group, participants engage in various ways of connecting, relating, and learning from one another. Group facilitators Drs. Reed and Walling lead the group through topics and discussions designed to foster connections and relatability while also providing skills to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety. No formal diagnosis is needed to participate in this group. 

If you are interested in Depression and Anxiety Support Group for Spring Quarter of 2025 please email the facilitators to express your interest and to be added to the group.

Facilitators can be reached by email at: dreed2@scu.edu or jwalling@scu.edu 

Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

Dates: Thursdays - 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM starting April 10th, 2025

This group is designed to provide a safe and supportive environment where those with difficult families can develop greater understanding of their family dynamics and how those dynamics affect them, even outside of their family environment. Topics vary per group meeting and are decided upon by the participants. Past topics have included making and maintaining boundaries with difficult family members; dealing with feelings of guilt related to distancing oneself from family; how family dynamics affect other relationships, including romantic relationships; overcoming and changing negative self-perceptions developed from growing up in a difficult family.

Email the facilitator to schedule a group screening appointment prior to attending.
Facilitator: Dr. Sarah Rotsinger-Stemen, Staff Psychologist (srotsingerstemen@scu.edu)

Dates/Time will be based on interested students and determined by Week 3
Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

A weekly open group designed to offer a variety of support for students interested in creating, understanding and deepening their personal self-care and wellness through a holistic model of treatment. Topics will center around utilizing mindfulness in areas of emotion management, nervous system regulation, creating healthy habits, building stress tolerance, boundary setting and authentic expression. This group will offer open discussion, as well as experiential tools like guided meditation and mindful breathing to accompany students on their wellness journey.

Facilitator: Justin Filiaggi, Therapist-in-Residence, jfiliaggi@scu.edu

Dates/Time: Mondays 6PM -7PM
Location: Sobrato 18

SCQ is a place where identity/sexuality is explored and celebrated while social networks are diversified and strengthened. During the group process, members will learn about minority stress and its impact on LGBTQ+ people. Members will practice ways to combat the negative impacts of minority stress while building self-care and self-compassion. Every round of SCQ is tailored to match the specific identities/topics of interest of each member. 

SCQ runs each quarter for 8 weeks. Students are only asked to commit to 1 quarter at a time. The group does not meet during holidays/finals.

Email the facilitator to schedule a group screening appointment prior to attending.
Facilitator: Clarise Ballesteros, MSW, LCSW, Staff Therapist (cballesteros@scu.edu)

Dates/Time will be based on interested students and determined by Week 3

Stronger Together is a safe community for those that are on a journey of healing from the impacts of trauma. This group creates a foundation of education on what trauma is, different types of trauma, what symptoms likely occur, skills to better deal with the impacts, and a space to garner support from therapists and peers. Trauma therapy exists in phases and this group is designed to provide a beginning and structure for recovery without going too far into the trauma before an individual or the group is ready. 

Email the facilitator to schedule a group screening appointment prior to attending.
Facilitator: Bryan Nguyen, LMFT, Assistant Director of Therapist in Residence (banguyen@scu.edu)

Dates/Time will be based on interested students and determined by Week 3

This group will allow you to explore your inner emotional world, how you make decisions and interpret life's events, and how to relate with others. Especially well-suited for those interested in learning about their relationship patterns, how to interact with others more effectively, and how to build deeper and more meaningful relationships. 

Facilitator: Dr. Sarah Rotsinger-Stemen, Staff Psychologist (srotsingerstemen@scu.edu)

Dates/Time will be based on interested students and determined by Week 3

While individual counseling can be important, group counseling is often even more effective. Perhaps it is the chance to realize that what we see as our most terrible secrets or distasteful aspects are really common human experiences that is so helpful.

Embarrassment or shame keeps many people from taking advantage of group counseling. Overcoming these feelings can be an important part of living our lives more successfully. Group counseling is very helpful in this way.

Each person is unique, but as humans we have a lot in common. (We all grow up in families. We all react to hurt in similar ways. We all have the capacity to change.) While each individual’s concerns are different, the underlying issues are often similar.

Groups provide a special setting to learn about ourselves, others, and our interpersonal dynamics. This can increase our effectiveness in relationships and with ourselves outside the group. It takes time, helpful observations, and support from others to recognize and shift our ways of being.