CAPS Group Therapy and Support Groups
Group counseling allows you to explore feelings in a trusting and supportive environment. You can try out new behaviors, improve social/communication skills, and receive feedback from others. Groups can be especially helpful if you feel isolated or are concerned about how you relate to others. As you hear others experiences and share yours, you gain support and are able to help other people as well.
Participation in any of the groups may require meeting with a group leader to discuss what you can expect from the group and what is expected of you in the group.
Fall and Spring Group Therapy
We offer a variety of groups that meet in the fall or spring semester. Participants must reside in Utah. If you are interested in attending or would like more information please contact the CAPS office at 435.797.1012 or capsinfo@usu.edu.
Skills Training Group
The skills training group consists of mini lectures followed by class discussions, and requires active participation, including completion of simple homework assignments. Group members must concurrently participate in individual therapy. The group is divided into 4 modules of various lengths.
- Core Mindfulness Skills
- Emotion Regulation Skills
- Distress Tolerance Skills
- Interpersonal Effectiveness
Mindfulness Group
This group will introduce participants to the concept of mindfulness and its benefits and applications through four sessions. Participants will also have the opportunity to share their reactions to and experience of in-group mindfulness activities and their outside-of-group mindfulness practice and reflections. After the first “introduction-to-mindfulness” session, the focus of each group session will be the introduction to and practice of a specific mindfulness strategy, including:
- Body scans
- Walking meditation
- Sitting meditation
Understanding Self and Others Group
There are two primary areas of focus for this group, depending on the needs of the group and the style of group leadership. Personal growth is often addressed with individual group members bringing their concerns to the group for feedback and support. Balancing personal needs with the needs of others is an important aspect of the group. Relationship development is the other dimension of group process and provides firsthand experience with effective communication and emotional intimacy. Group members often address setting boundaries, listening, appropriate disclosure and problem solving. Group members will give and receive feedback about initial impressions, positive and negative patterns of interaction and stages of personal and group growth/development.
Compassion-Focused Therapy Group
Compassion-Focused Therapy is an evidence-based therapy for treating treatment-resistant anxiety and is also effective for any individuals struggling with low self-esteem, frequent anger, depression, or relational struggles. The group is semi-structured and builds on each session to teach about the body’s threat, soothing, and drive systems, the importance of social connection in these processes, and cultivating ways to accept all parts of the human experience in ways that reduce suffering in self and others. After concepts are discussed, there are experiential compassion-cultivating activities, and group members are encouraged to discuss their experiences inside and outside of group with each other, practicing compassion for themselves and others during the session. A workbook will be sent home with clients one section at a time each week to remind them of topics discussed. Some weeks will also have audio recordings to help clients practice concepts between sessions.
Tabletop Roleplay-Assisted Group
Tabletop roleplaying games are a creative way to work on personal goals related to interpersonal relationships, self-confidence, and motivation. During the group, clients take part in a tabletop roleplaying game where they create a character and adventure through a world with other individuals who may share similar personal goals. Through intentional decisions about their character in the game, talking with others about the stressors in their life, as well as collaborating with others on goals outside of the group, clients work towards making the changes in their life that they want to see. This group is particularly helpful for individuals who have social anxieties, difficulties connecting and relating to others, challenges with vulnerability or self-confidence, and issues with motivation. No previous roleplaying experience is necessary!
Support Groups
Please Call CAPS at 435.797.1012 to inform us you'd like to participate. Please note that a sign in and acknowledgement of commitment to group guidelines will be required of all in attendance each group meeting to ensure the safety, accountability, and understanding among support group members.
Spiritual Concerns Group
The Spiritual Concerns group is a weekly, open support group. We approach the group with a developmental perspective in mind. Our primary goal is to provide a safe place in which group members can openly discuss their relationship with religion, faith, or spirituality. We aim to provide a non-judgmental space and to keep the dialogue focused on the psychological development of group members as they explore the roles religion, faith, or spirituality may or may not play in their lives. We also keep the dialogue away from any persuasion to leave religion or to stay or return to it. Our group is open to people of all religions, faith traditions, or spiritualities who are interested in better understanding themselves and their relationship with their tradition, wherever that may lead them.
Meets every Monday from 2-3:30pm
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Contact CAPS to sign up to be on an email list for the group or for any other questions you may have: 435.797.1012 or capsinfo@usu.edu
LGBTQ+ Support Group
The LGBTQ+ Support Group is for students that identify or questioning if they are a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Students are provided with the opportunity to get together in a safe environment where they can learn from, and support each other.
Each week, we will discuss important issues that LGBTQ+ individuals face with topics being chosen by those who wish to participate. This group is co-facilitated by a therapist from USU Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) and Erika-Danielle Lundström, the Gender and Sexuality Coordinator at the Inclusion Center.
Meets every Thursday from 12:30-1:30pm
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Contact CAPS to sign up to be on an email list for the group or for any other questions you may have: 435.797.1012 or capsinfo@usu.edu
Multicultural Student Support Group
This confidential and supportive space is designed for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) students to connect with one another, process shared experiences, and foster a sense of belonging. Group members will have the opportunity to: 1) Share their experiences and perspectives on race, ethnicity, and identity, 2) Discuss the challenges and joys of being a BIPOC student, 3) Develop strategies for coping with stress, discrimination, and microaggressions 4) Build community and support with other BIPOC students. This is an open group and individuals are invited to join at any time.
Meets every Monday from 12:30-1:30pm
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Contact CAPS to sign up, for location information, or any other questions you may have: 435.797.1012 or capsinfo@usu.edu
Student Parent Support Zoom Group
Parenting and going to school can be difficult to juggle. Our new student-parent support group aims to promote the academic success of students by improving health and wellness. We hope that this group will provide a source of encouragement, community, and support to our students who are also parents. Participation in the group is online and there is no cost to attend. Participants can attend as often as they would like with no pressure to attend group every time.
Meets every Wednesday from 4-5pm.
Contact CAPS to sign up, for location information, or any other questions you may have: 435.797.1012 or capsinfo@usu.edu
Resident Assistant Support Group
Being an RA can be a challenging and rewarding experience. The RA Support Group would be a place to seek out encouragement, comfort and advice from other RAs that have had similar experiences as well as from Res Life Embedded Therapists. Discussion topics could include general stress, balancing the RA role with academics, and debriefing about individual experiences. This opportunity could open the door for some problem solving with peers as well as facilitating social connection within the Res Life Resident Assistant community. The RA support group will feature an open format that encourages attendance when it is able to fit in an RA’s busy schedule.
Meets every Tuesday from 7-8pm
Canyon Crest Multi-purpose Room.
Contact CAPS to sign up, for location information, or any other questions you may have: 435.797.1012 or capsinfo@usu.edu
Resident Life Transitions Group
The College Transition support group is intended for residents that are experiencing difficulties with transitioning to independent living at Utah State University. Discussion topics in this group could vary significantly and include things such as learning manageable ways to meet personal needs as adults in college, connecting with others, managing conflict with roommates or other peers, finding help, and problem solving. Goals for the group are to increase independent functioning as a way to reduce mental health symptoms related to adjustment to college living.
Meets every Tuesday from 7-8pm
Canyon Crest Multi-purpose Room.
Contact CAPS to sign up, for location information, or any other questions you may have: 435.797.1012 or capsinfo@usu.edu