Whether you’re interested in our class-style workshops or a group counseling session where you all have a chance to talk to each other, you’ll find something for you at CAPS. We can help you with everything from mindfulness to grief support.
These aren’t group counseling sessions—they’re more like a class led by CAPS counselors. You’ll learn strategies you can use immediately to improve symptoms of stress, depression, and anxiety, and to better manage problems that affect your academic success. You do not need to be a CAPS client to participate. Everyone is welcome. Attend as many sessions as you would like—no advance sign-up required.
Mindfulness in the Meadow is an outdoor workshop to aid in learning mindfulness practices to support well-being. This is a drop-in support group that does not require students to sign up to participate. This is an introductory level of experience for students who may be new to mindfulness practices or are wanting to enhance the skills they may already possess in a non-committal support space. The focus is to increase comfort by engaging with mindfulness interventions and self-care.
Several popular Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) workshops have been recorded and are now available to watch on demand.
Watch recorded workshopsAttending group counseling has been one of the most positive changes I've made in my life. I don't think anything has improved my quality of life as much.
CAPS support group participant
We offer a variety of counseling groups each semester. These are provided at no charge to all IU students who have paid the student health fee. There are both in-person and online options available.
In these groups of two to eight participants and one or two counselors, you’ll receive weekly support from peers going through similar experiences and can learn how to problem-solve and better manage your symptoms. (We know you may find talking with your peers about your problems uncomfortable at first, but most students get over this discomfort quickly. Don’t let your doubts keep you from joining us.)
If you are interested in participating, please call CAPS (812-855-5711) to arrange a free Initial Consultation appointment. During this appointment, a counselor will offer more details and assist you in enrolling in the group.
Often the personal issues that bring us to counseling (e.g. stress, anxiety, depression) have more to do with how we relate to others than we think. Understanding Self and Others (USO) groups will help members explore the relationship between their interpersonal style and their emotional well-being by focusing on improving students’ relationships with themselves and others. Members will be encouraged to experiment with new behaviors, which can foster more meaningful connections with others and enhance overall emotional health and well-being.
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This group is designed to provide a space for mutual support, understanding, and psychoeducation to IU students who have experienced any sort of brain injury—concussion, lack of oxygen/injury/infection/brain tumor/stroke etc. which is then causing difficulties in their life. The recovery process is often long and complicated, and people can feel very alone living with brain injury because often it is “invisible”, meaning friends, family, and professors think the person should be fine because they look fine.
Moving Forward with Anxiety is a safe space for undergraduate and graduate students to continue learning anxiety management skills while discussing their own personal experiences with peers. This group will be both a skills-based group and a support group, with the first few weeks being devoted to reviewing what anxiety is, how it presents in the body, and what coping skills can help manage symptoms, with the peer support aspect and in-group activities making up more of the group time as it moves along.
A confidential, all gender support group for individuals who are questioning the health of their relationships and/or recognizing patterns of power and control within their relationship. This could be a dating relationship, family of origin, advisor/academic, roommate, and/or friendships. The goal for the group is to create connections, normalize reactions, realize you are not alone, provide validation, and practice self-compassion and self-nurturing.
Being an international student at IU involves unique experiences, challenges, and opportunities that impact well-being and mental health. This group provides a confidential space where international students can both receive and offer support regarding issues related to their experiences navigating life at IU and back home. Open to international students of all nationalities, genders, disciplines, and phases of life.
The death of a loved one causes a variety of grief reactions, which can leave you wondering if your experiences are normal. Grief and loss support group is a safe space for community and connection for those who have experienced the death of a family member, friend, partner, or other important person in their life. Together we will explore various topics and techniques for processing the pain of grief. This group is not for those experiencing anticipatory grief or the death of a pet.
Gender Expressions offers a safe and supportive environment for gender diverse/questioning students to explore issues related to their gender identities including but not limited to interpersonal relationships, mental health, systemic oppression, microaggressions, and transition. In addition to offering one another a space for exploration and social support, group members will discuss potential ways of navigating stress and distress from social, cultural, and political sources.
This group focuses on peer and emotional support, goal setting, and anxiety/stress management related to doctoral dissertations and for those students who have already defended their dissertation proposal. Topics typically include goal setting, anxiety and stress management, time management, writer’s block, negative thinking, working with difficult faculty, and emotional support.
This is a confidential space where students who are living with chronic illness can come together and grow. Topics include managing demands as a college student with health management needs, navigating relationships, and advocating for self and self-care. We understand the journey towards obtaining a diagnosis once chronic symptoms are impacting your ability to live your life fully, so a diagnosis is not needed to attend.
This group is open to undergraduate and graduate students who are survivors of: sexual violence/misconduct, interpersonal violence, intimate relationship violence, childhood sexual abuse, stalking and sexual harassment. There will be room for group processing as well as expressive arts therapy interventions related to the experience of being a survivor of sexual or interpersonal violence and how this is impacting functioning.
Queer Space is a safe space for students who are LGBTQ+ or questioning their identities to come together to offer and receive support on common challenges facing members of our community. In addition to offering one another a space for exploration and social support, group members will discuss potential ways of navigating stress and distress from social, cultural, and political sources.
Managing Emotions is based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills. The goal of this group is to help participants feel more balanced and in control of their lives. For fall, skills fostering emotion regulation discussed. These skills help you to better identify, validate, and utilize your emotions. The skills also help you to reduce your vulnerability to negative emotions, increase positive emotions, and increase your ability to tolerate painful emotions. Group members must also be engaged in individual therapy to participate.
Go Touch Grass is an outdoor workshop to aid in learning mindfulness practices to support well-being. These skills are accompanied by a natural experience to promote a sense of community, calm, and adventure. The focus is to increase comfort by engaging with mindfulness interventions as self-care. The group is set up to build upon skills that are taught each week so by the end of the module, students have learned a variety of mindfulness-based skills to manage the emotions that brought them to group.
A variety of coping skills workshops are offered at CAPS which are 3 weeks in length. The skills learned in these workshops are meant to help students learn tangible tools which they can begin to implement into their daily lives. These workshops are offered throughout the semester.
Designed to help students increase their understanding and knowledge about anxiety. You will be provided with skills to aid in the recognition and management of anxiety.
Focus of this workshop is on developing the skills to both foster and maintain relationships via self-monitoring and effective communication. There will also be discussion on some of the things that can get in the way of effective communication.
Designed to help students to better understand depressive symptoms and build useful skills to manage those symptoms.
This workshop teaches skills to handle painful thoughts and feelings effectively with the goal being that they will impact and influence you less. There are components of mindfulness embedded throughout the sessions.
A supportive, skills-based group for college students who want to sharpen executive functioning—like planning, time management, organization, and emotional regulation. Build practical tools, connect with peers, and develop habits to thrive in college and beyond.
Introduces a variety of tools which can be applicable for years to come regarding the management and regulation of emotions. For example, you will learn strategies to manage distress and mindfulness techniques to shift interactions with internal experiences.
100%have a better understanding of themselves and their issues
89%made progress toward their goals in group counseling
I was able to share things with my group that I was too scared to share with other people. Once I learned to do this, I started feeling better about myself.
CAPS support group participant
