Groups & Workshops

Getting Unstuck is a 2-session, 50-minute workshop that focuses on helping participants understand depressive symptoms and build skills to manage these symptoms. The sessions focus on: understand depression, exploring how thoughts and behaviors impact depression and addressing ways to change our thoughts and behaviors in order to better manage depression. A special thanks to Cal Poly CAPS for creating these materials with SCU CAPS and allowing SCU CAPS to modify them for our students.

Section 1 Monday: 10/21/2024 and 10/28/2024 at 3PM
Section 2 Wednesday: 11/13/2024 and 11/20/2024 at 12PM
Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

For more information, reach out to emailing Daniel Reed, Psy.D. (dreed2@scu.edu) or Joe Walling, Psy.D. (jwalling@scu.edu)

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.

Tuesday, 10/22/2024 2pm-3:30pm 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.

Self-Compassion Workshop will be offered via Zoom on Monday 10/28/2024 3:30pm-5pm. 

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

A 90 minute workshop to help anybody who experiences anxiety better understand what anxiety is and how it affects you. Attendees learn useful, research-backed tools to help reduce anxiety symptoms in both body and mind.

Wednesday 10/23/2024 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at the Cowell Center
Thursday 10/31/2024 3:45 p.m. - 5:15 p.m. at the Cowell Center

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

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

Email either facilitators to schedule a group screening appointment prior to attending.
Facilitator: Daniel Reed (dreed2@scu.edu) and Sarah Rotsinger-Stemen (srotsingerstemen@scu.edu)

ASEC is postponed until Winter Quarter of 2025, while recruitment for group will continue throughout the Fall Quarter of 2024.

Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

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 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

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
Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

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
Location: In-Person at the Cowell Center

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.