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.
Attending 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
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. These workshops can help you make changes faster and, if you’re a CAPS client, use your individual counseling sessions more fully.
Announcement: All of our workshops are now online! See the individual listings below for links to join.
These workshops are designed to be helpful for long-time meditators and for those who have never practiced mindfulness prior to attending.
Mindfulness is the practice of intentionally bringing attention to the present moment with acceptance. The use of mindfulness-based techniques is linked to reductions in anxiety, physical symptoms of pain, and depression. It has also been shown to enhance relationships and to reduce distress.
These workshops offer various ways of practicing mindfulness with optional opportunities to discuss the practices offered, the process and benefits of developing a consistent mindfulness practice, and other ways to bring mindfulness into daily life.
Participation is free and we encourage you to attend as many as you wish.
Click here to join the Monday Zoom meetingIf you’re already familiar with mindfulness and would like to engage in regular practice, this workshop is for you.
The advanced mindfulness/meditation workshop provides an opportunity for people to practice meditating together and to discuss their experiences of independent meditation practice with each other. This can be very helpful when we are trying to maximize the benefits of meditation by developing it into a regular habit.
Typically, we will begin with a warm-up exercise, then open some time for people to share their questions, concerns, and/or insights related to practice. Finally, we conclude with a sitting meditation that typically lasts about 20 minutes. While the advanced mindfulness workshop has been primarily aimed at supporting practice for people who have already had some experience with meditation, beginners are also welcome to join.
Click here to join the Zoom meetingSeveral popular Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) workshops have been recorded and are now available to watch on demand.
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We offer a variety of counseling groups each semester, with free options and pay-per-session options.
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.)
Announcement: All groups have moved online until further notice. To join an online group:
Often the personal issues that bring us to counseling (e.g., stress, anxiety, or depression) have more to do with how we relate to others than we think. Healthy Connections Group will help members explore the relationship between their interpersonal style and their emotional well-being. Members will be encouraged to experiment with new behaviors, which can foster more meaningful connections with others and enhance emotional health.
Students need to already be a client of CAPS or have been referred to group after intake appointment.
Cost:
These groups are based on Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills. The goal of these groups is to help participants feel more balanced and in control of their lives. The skills focus on improving relationships, managing emotions, and getting through distressing moments. The groups are broken into three skills training modules – Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Interpersonal Effectiveness – which are 6-8 sessions each. One or more will be offered each semester, and Mindfulness skills are included in each, to help you bring your attention to your experiences and stay in the present moment.
Emotion Regulation skills help you to decrease vulnerability to negative emotions, increase positive emotions, and tolerate emotions. Distress Tolerance skills teach new coping skills to help get through high-distress situations without making things worse and to decrease the use of unhelpful or unhealthy ways of coping. The Interpersonal Effectiveness skills teach you to communicate more assertively so that you can achieve your goals, maintain relationships, and maintain your self-respect. These groups focus on teaching and discussion about the application of the skills or difficulties using them.
Students need to already be a client of CAPS or have completed the CAPS Now appointment before starting group. Clients in these special population groups need to be in individual counseling services, either at CAPS or with a community provider, during the time period they are attending the group.
Each group is $17 per session.
Interpersonal process-oriented therapy where members explore eating disorder struggles while building awareness of relationship with self, others and world around them. Members are encouraged to explore the function of their eating disorder, triggers, factors that maintain their eating disorder, barriers to recovery, and alternative ways of coping. Discussion does not focus on numbers (weight, frequency of behaviors, calories, duration of exercise) or when, where, and how members engage in eating disorder behaviors.
Emerging themes in group are practicing ways to label and stay with emotions, identify and strengthen one’s healthy strong voice, disempower one’s eating disorder voice, and practice being curious, gentle and compassionate with self and others.
This group is not a substitute for IOP, Partial, or Residential services.
Students need to already be a client of CAPS or have completed the CAPS Now appointment before starting group. Clients in these special population groups need to be in individual counseling services, either at CAPS or with a community provider, during the time period they are attending the group.
We have multiple MAPs, Anxiety Toolbox, and Getting Unstuck groups starting throughout the semester. Call 812-855-5711 to schedule a CAPS Now appointment or talk to your CAPS counselor to find out the start date and which group might be a good fit for you.
MAPS will help you better be able to recognize your concerns, identify what is keeping you stuck, and give you a clearer picture of your values and what you’re wanting to change in your life. This experiential three-week group is FREE. It focuses on the overall themes of: meaning, acceptance, and progress, what we believe to be the best tools in creating your own personal roadmap.
The group is designed to answer three important questions:
It is our hope that once you have developed your roadmap toward a more valued and meaningful life, that you will have a better understanding of what needs to change.
Anxiety Toolbox is a fast-paced three-session group specifically designed to help people who struggle with a variety of anxiety-related concerns (e.g., panic attacks, Generalized Anxiety, test anxiety). The goal of this group is to provide education on anxiety and to teach coping skills for managing anxiety symptoms.
Getting Unstuck is a fast-paced, three-session (50 minutes each) group specifically designed to help people who struggle with a variety of depression-related concerns. The goal is to provide education on depression and to teach coping skills for managing symptoms. The three sessions are divided into content that builds upon itself.
Students need to already be a client of CAPS or have completed the CAPS Now appointment before starting group. Students interested in Self-Care and Support for Survivors need to call to schedule time with group leader before starting group.
This group focuses on peer and emotional support, goal setting, and anxiety/stress management related to doctoral dissertations.
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 group is only open to graduate students only in May 2022.
The group will serve as a safe space for students who identify as LGBTQ+ to come together to offer and receive support on common challenges facing members of our community. Topics include:
Gender Expressions offers a safe and supportive environment for gender diverse students to explore issues related to their gender identities including but not limited to:
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 is an in-person, drop-in group to help people work on making big changes in their lives. A primary focus is on changes with alcohol and drugs but it can also involve issues with gambling, pornography, and other compulsive behaviors. This is a place to talk about what is going on and for group members to encourage one another in starting and maintaining change.
Chronic illness can be stressful, but you don’t have to experience it alone. In this support group, we provide a confidential space to process and share your story, connect with others, and develop tools to manage your illness. Topics include adjusting to your new life, how to share your illness with others, advocacy, navigating health care, and self-care.
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. The purpose of this group is to provide a safe and therapeutic environment to decompress from weekly stressors.
Have you lost a loved one? Are you grieving the loss of a family member, a friend, a partner or anyone else whose death is affecting you? Whether your loss was recent or years ago, this group will give you support through the grief process, the opportunity to connect with others experiencing a similar loss and a space to work through the pain of grief.
This group is only being offered through June 24, 2022.
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
