Group Therapy and Workshops

Did you know that healing as part of a group can be more effective than individual therapy?

Group Therapy

Getting started

Schedule an appointment at the Counseling Center (425-352-3183 | uwbcc@uw.edu | UW1-080) to learn more about group therapy and how it can help you. Most groups start near the beginning of the quarter, so if a group has already started, ask to be placed on a group interest list for next quarter.

The University of Washington is committed to providing access and accommodation in its services, programs, and activities. To make a request connected to a disability or health condition contact us 10 days in advance at 425-352-3183 or email uwbcc@uw.edu.

Anxiety

This interactive skills group is for all students who experience the impacts of anxiety. Learn how to unhook from unhelpful thoughts and feelings so that you can move towards a full, rich, meaningful life with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and mindfulness strategies. This group runs fall (Mon 11:30am-12:50pm), winter (Tues 1:30-2:50pm) and spring (Wed 1:30pm-2:50pm) quarters.

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Creative Expressions

Use expressive arts to explore and process feelings in an emotionally safe environment with peers. All identities and experiences welcome, no art experience necessary. This group runs fall, winter, and spring quarters on Tuesdays at 11am-12pm.

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Understanding Self and Others

This weekly process group is for students who want to increase their understanding of themselves and their relationships by practicing new ways of communicating and having authentic experiences while giving and receiving support. Potential topics include assertive communication, boundaries, difficulty family dynamics, loss, loneliness, and identity concerns. Previous individual therapy experience is preferred. This group runs spring quarter (date and time TBD).

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Build Your Social Confidence

This weekly skills group is for students who want to improve their social skills. You will learn about where social anxiety comes from, how to navigate common social scenarios, and how to reduce the impact of negative thoughts. We start slow and build each week as your confidence increases so that you can create meaningful relationships with friends, coworkers, and romantic partners. This group runs winter quarter (Thurs 1:30-3:50pm).

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Bridging Cultures

This support group is for students who are living one culture at home and another culture in their daily lives at school, work, and with friends and experiencing cultural clashes with family. Connect with other people with similar experiences as you navigate two worlds. This group will be scheduled if there is enough interest.

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Types of groups

Groups typically have 6-8 people, meet weekly for a set amount of time, and are facilitated by a licensed mental health professional.

Skills

Skills groups are experiential opportunities to develop mental health-related skills such as mindfulness and emotional regulation. They are highly structured and often build on past week’s content.

Support

Support groups bring together people with a shared experience (e.g., eating disorders, loss of a loved one) to normalize and validate those experiences to find self-acceptance.

Process

Process groups are unstructured and the focus is on the interactions of group members to increase self-awareness and learn how you relate to others and how others relate to you.

Steps

1. Referral (self or clinician)
2. Prep for group (if needed)
   • When group is the recommended treatment, individual sessions may be used to get you ready for group rather than starting the treatment in an individual setting.
3. Meet with group facilitator to learn more about the group
4. Attend!
   • Group therapy is a commitment, but it can be an extremely powerful experience

Outreach and workshops

We schedule several workshops for students throughout the academic year. If you would like to request outreach/workshops, please give us at least two weeks’ notice to schedule based on clinician availability.

Mindful Monday

Give yourself the gift of mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is a highly effective tool for difficulties with thoughts, feelings, and relationships. Each week will offer a different guided mindfulness exercise. All identities and levels welcome, no experience necessary! Drop-in on Mondays at 1:15-1:45pm in the ARC Fitness Studio.

Register here

Your future awaits: Support for graduates

Join us for a 3-week workshop series to help address graduation anxieties. Come to any or all three!

Register on Gather in spring quarter

Stress management

What is stress? When does it become distress? We’ll go over signs of too much stress and tools for stress management and distress prevention. We’ll also review campus resources and services available at the UWB Counseling Center.

Request workshop here

Active listening

What does it really mean to be listened to? Learn how to listen to someone in a way that helps them to feel heard and understood. Gain a better understanding of the difference between sympathy and empathy and then practice active listening skills in small groups

Request workshop here

Counseling Center 101

A staff member from the Counseling Center can give a 5-10 minute presentation about services we offer at the Counseling Center, how to make an appointment, and answer questions.

Request workshop here

Neuroinclusivity

Help support neurodivergent students by learning about communication and learning styles, empathy, and universal design principles in this interactive workshop.

Request workshop here

End of quarter de-stress event

Join the Counseling Center and the Health and Wellness Resource Center at the end of fall, winter, and spring quarters (dates to be announced) for a chance to enjoy a snack and engage in creative activities to help with stress management in preparation for finals. A clinician from the Counseling Center will also be available for Let’s Talk which is an opportunity for students to meet for an informal, confidential consultation. Although Let’s Talk consultations are with mental health professionals, this service is not a substitute for formal counseling and does not constitute mental health treatment.