Mental Health Group Support

Mental Health

Group Support

Group therapy is a powerful way to address a wide array of issues that are a part of a college student’s reality. Through connecting and healing as a group students can:

Address current concerns impacting their day-to-day lives.
Connect with similar life experiences and outlooks.
Learn and try new behaviors.
Increase self-awareness.

What Group Therapy Looks Like

Most groups are limited to 10-12 people and run from 6-14 weeks. It is important to attend every session of your group and to do any homework between groups. Most groups offer a pre-group meeting with group leaders to assess the fit of the group for a student’s specific needs.

What to Know Before Therapy

It is common to feel anxious when thinking about joining a group. It can feel difficult to share personal thoughts and concerns with others, particularly when you begin as “strangers.” Once the group progresses, you will likely develop trust and feel more comfortable participating in the group. Learning about yourself in group therapy usually has a positive effect on your relationships and can improve your quality of life.

Most group therapy groups fill early in the semester and will not accept new members until the next semester. However, some groups remain open. If you are interested in participating in a group or class, please contact the MU Counseling Center  (573-882-6601) to schedule a brief screening and learn more about your offerings.

Graduate Student Support Group

1:30-3 p.m. | Wednesday
Dr. Anne Meyer & Dr. Jenny Lybeck-Brown

This is a support group for students with the main goal of building a supportive community while dealing with the unique life stressors associated with graduate school. Typical topics include creating balance between school, personal, and work demands, finding and maintaining motivation and momentum including dissertation or thesis difficulties, dealing with time management, perfectionism, imposter syndrome, procrastination or advisor conflict.

Healing From Family Challenges

3-4:30 p.m. | Monday
Dr. Adri Molder & Bri King

This group is for students who have experienced significant dysfunction or distress within their family of origin (such as trauma, physical abuse, emotional abuse or neglect) which has impacted their self-perception, sense of self-worth and ability to have healthy and rewarding relationships as adults. The group seeks to provide students an opportunity to heal from their early family experiences by use of validation, support and connection to others with similar experiences. Group members will be provided with psychoeducation regarding the ways in which trauma impacts the body; they will be taught skills such as containment and emotion regulation; and they will be provided with a safe space to process and heal from family experiences.

International Student Issues Support Group

3-4:30 p.m. | Thursday
Dr. Nathan Booth & Harriet Swanzy-Baffoe

This group is intended to help students find support and help with various typical challenges as they adjust to life and academic work in the U.S. Each week, there will be a new theme for discussion, such as getting connected to Mizzou, the impact of mental health on financial and academic concerns and navigating academic and professional relationships in the U.S.

LGBTQ Issues Support Group

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Tuesday
Dr. Kerri Schafer

This support group is for students to address special issues of LGBTQ experiences. It is a space to explore, understand, and celebrate everyone’s unique experiences and journeys. Students do not need to be at any particular place with regard to coming out and/or transition to be in this group. Topics discussed will depend on group members’ needs, but may include: identity exploration and self-definition, cultivating identity pride, coming out, social and medical gender transition, dating, family experiences, dysphoria and navigating hetero- and cisnormative spaces.

Men's Issues Support Group

11 a.m.-Noon | Tuesday
Dr. Nathan Booth

This support group provides a supportive environment for students to talk about the unique challenges that they face related to emotions and mental health. As a college student, you have a lot on your plate, and your life comes with its own unique experiences and expectations.  You may feel pressure to navigate challenges while meeting certain standards of what it means to be a man. If you find yourself feeling stressed, conflicted, doubtful or uncertain, you are not alone.  This group allows participants to discuss their concerns (including but not limited to anxiety, mood, academics, career, relationships or issues related to masculinity), connect over shared experiences, support one another and identify helpful ways to respond to difficult situations.

Navigating Emotions

3-4:30 p.m. | Wednesday
Dr. Remya Perinchery & Donna Strickland, LPC

This skills-based group focuses on mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. This group will teach students different ways of relating to their emotions and allowing them to use their emotions to follow their values, rather than be at war with them. The group will run for twelve weeks, with two six week “rounds” of the modules. Students can join at any point during the semester and be able to do each module once. There are six modules, so expect to commit to six weeks of being in the group.

People of Color (POC) Issues Support Group

4-5 p.m. | Wednesday
Dr. Jason Edwards

This is a support group that serves as a place for students to engage in dialogue around what it means to manage positive mental health and be successful at Mizzou. This group serves to empower students and help them recognize that there are other individuals that share similar experiences. Topics of discussion are determined by group members needs and typically include social isolation, college transition, academic performance and self-care.

Recovering From Grief and Loss Group

4-5 p.m. | Monday
Michael Kaplan, LCSW

Group members often benefit from finding ways to relate to one another, as well as help one another cope. This can happen when clients who are farther along in their grief help others know what to expect. Members often appreciate the opportunity to normalize and express their grief in a supportive setting.

Sandtray Group

1-2:30 p.m. | Thursday
Michael Kaplan, LCSW

This sandtray group is an expressive therapy that provides a safe space for clients to process emotions and work toward solutions using a nonverbal medium of communication. Members will arrange miniatures (i.e., figurines and small toys) in sand to represent situations, problems and solutions in their lives. In some sessions, members will work using individual trays; in others, members will work as a group in a larger tray. Although some verbal processing will take place, much of the work is done quietly. The group format allows members to gain support and see problems from new perspectives.

Therapeutic Role Playing Group

3-4:30 p.m. | Monday
Dr. Chuck Burgess & Madeline Brown, LPC

This group utilizes tabletop role-playing games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, to help clients learn therapy skills in a fun, supportive and safe environment. Clients will be able to identify and work toward specific goals (e.g., navigating social situations, learning communication skills, working collaboratively with others) with the help of a certified therapeutic game master. Time in the group will be split between therapeutic play and discussion of group goals. 

Understanding Self and Others (USO) Group

2-3:30 p.m. | Tuesday

This process-oriented group provides members the opportunity to gain awareness in their relationships with themselves and with others. Members will enjoy a safe place to explore and discuss their thoughts and feelings, while also providing and receiving support and feedback. The conversations and connections created in group will allow students to gain insight into how they can learn to navigate relationships in a healthier manner. Members will also have the opportunity to try out different ways of expressing themselves to others, allowing them to be vulnerable in a trusting environment.

Working With the Inner Critic

3:30-5 p.m. | Tuesday
Donna Strickland, LPC & Dr. Nathan Booth

Many students struggle with a harsh internal voice. These harsh internal voices represent one way of relating to the self and to others—through fear, competitiveness, or shame. This group will provide a supportive space for learning to relate differently to these critical voices through a compassion-focused orientation. The group will include psychoeducation about how the brain works, training in mindfulness and compassion, and processing of any struggles with a focus on compassion. As Paul Gilbert, who developed compassion-focused therapy puts it, “At the heart of this therapy . . . are ways of building caring connections (in contrast to fearful, self-focused, or competitive connections) with others and with self.”

Most group therapy groups fill early in the semester and will not accept new members until the next semester. However, some groups remain open. If you are interested in participating in a group or class, please contact the MU Counseling Center (573-882-6601) to schedule a brief screening and learn more about your offerings.

Alleviating Daily Distractions (ADD)

3-4 p.m. | Thursday
Madeleine Brown, LPC

This is a 6-week class designed for students with ADD or ADHD-like symptoms (e.g. difficulties with concentration, time management, organization, and motivation). Students will learn about strengths and challenges that often accompany this symptom profile, and a variety of strategies for leveraging the former and coping with the latter. Classes will involve a mix of psychoeducation, skills training, hands-on activities and group discussion.

Anxiety Class

4-5 p.m. | Monday or Wednesday
Multiple sections available

This is a 4-week class designed to help students develop coping skills for anxiety symptoms. Students will increase their knowledge of anxiety, its causes and symptoms and will learn and practice new skills to aid in building self-mastery and confidence. The content from each class builds on the previous week and each class can stand alone. Students may join the class at any time and stay until they complete the four classes.

New to Mizzou: Transitioning to Life as a Tiger

3-4:30 p.m. | Thursday
Michael Kaplan, LCSW & Cheryl Jobe, LMSW

Starting college is often a time of exciting, challenging, and sometimes stressful adjustment for students. New to Mizzou is a six-week class providing psychoeducation, experiential activities, and support as students begin their journey at MU. Class will cover topics related to: navigating homesickness, getting connected to campus resources, tips for student success (e.g., when to use what resources, use of office hours, how to appropriately communicate with faculty and staff, etc.), coping with stress, mindfulness practices and engaging/communicating effectively with roommates. Students may join the class at any time and stay until they complete the six topics. The first hour of class will provide psychoeducation on the week’s topic. The last half hour of class will provide space for processing and facilitating connections and support.

Reclaiming Your Roar

TBD

This is a six-week depression class providing psychoeducation, experiential activities and support. Students may join the class at any time and stay until they complete the six topics. The first half of each session will allow members to check in on successes and struggles during the previous week. During this portion, members will give and receive support to one another. The second half of each session will cover topics such as finding motivation, CBT, mindful self-compassion, healthy sleep and nutrition, and building relationships. Most weeks will include experiential activities such as guided meditation and thought records. Members will also be encouraged to share their favorite self-care ideas.