Sometimes the most effective type of therapy for a particular concern is group therapy rather than one-on-one individual therapy. Group therapy is one of the most effective treatments to help with feelings of loneliness and isolation. It can provide the opportunity to engage with peers who share a similar challenge or goal related to their mental health. Together with a facilitating therapist, group members can exchange support, encouragement, questions, and feedback in a safe space.
We offer group settings options for enrolled UW students at no out-of-pocket cost.
- Group Therapy – These are confidential spaces to support UW Seattle students. Each group is facilitated by a therapist and focuses on identity, grief, mindfulness or other topics. In most cases, those who have completed an initial mental health visit with the Counseling Center can register for the group as a part of their ongoing treatment plan.
- Workshops- These pre-scheduled workshops and drop-in groups are facilitated by mental health counselors and open to any current UW student. Their purpose is to teach skills or discuss topics such as how to manage difficult emotions. Online registration may be required.
Workshops and Drop-In Groups
These pre-scheduled workshops and drop-in groups are facilitated by mental health counselors and open to any current UW student. Their purpose is to teach skills or discuss topics such as how to manage difficult emotions. Online registration may be required.
For information about requesting a presentation or workshop, please visit our Outreach and Prevention Services page.
Paws for a Break
For those who would like to enjoy time with furry friends and destress.
Attendance is complimentary and everyone is welcome.
Dates: Spring Qtr.
Location: Schmitz Hall, 4th floor lobby
Times: Thursday; July 11th & 25th, August 15th and 22nd
Focus: Open to all UW students
To accommodate for those with pet allergies, there will be a large air purifier operating in the lobby while the dogs are present. Therapy dogs will be located behind a tested physical barrier for the comfort of those who have a fear of dogs.
No preregistration required.
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Spring 2024 Groups
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Feminist Process Group for Graduate Students
This process group focuses on connection, support, and exploring the range of experiences group members have while navigating life as graduate students. Members will have the opportunity to communicate authentically and relate in healthy ways within a supportive, feminist space. The group is geared toward graduate students and non-traditional age undergraduate students who identify as women, non-binary, genderqueer, or agender.
Start Date: Thursday, April 4th
Time: Thursdays, 10:00am – 11:30 am
Location: Remote over Zoom
Focus: Graduate students and non-traditional age undergraduate students who identify as women, non-binary, genderqueer, or agender.
Facilitators: Amy Collins & Alexandra Katsarelis
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Healing Through Art Therapy
Healing through art is a group open to individuals experiencing many different stresses and traumas in life. In this group, we will use art to explore healing from our hurts and supporting each other in a group setting. No art experience is needed, just a desire to participate.
Start Date: TBD
Time: Wednesdays, 10:00am – 11:00 am
Location: In-person, Counseling Center, Schmitz Hall
Focus: Open to all UW students
Facilitators: Antonia Ramos
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Group Therapy
These are groups for UW Seattle students who, in most cases, have completed an initial mental health visit with the Counseling Center and registered for the group as a part of their ongoing treatment plan. Each group is facilitated by a therapist and focuses on identity, grief, mindfulness or other topics. Some groups are ongoing, while others have set dates each quarter. Find contact information to sign up for each group below.
ACT for Anxiety
Do you feel you overthink so much that you are stuck in your head? Do you feel that your anxiety is out of control? In this 7-week program, you will learn how to “unstuck” – to stay in the present moment and handle your anxious thoughts and feelings, while focusing on the things you find important in your life. This program is based on Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) model, a mindfulness-based therapy model focusing on how to embrace different emotions (instead of avoiding them) and live a value-based life. Group participants are expected to attend all 7 weekly sessions.
Start Date: TBD
Time: Thursdays, 2:00pm – 3:30 pm
Location: Remote over zoom
Focus: Open to all UW students
Facilitators: Heidi Li
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Between Cultures
This is an ongoing group for students who are connected to and identify with multiple cultures but may struggle with finding a full sense of belonging to these cultures.
Start Date: Ongoing
Time: Wednesdays, 3:00-4:30pm
Location: Remote over Zoom
Focus: This group is open to all UW students with intersectional cultures and identities.
Facilitators: Sashya Clark
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Getting Through Grief
This therapy group is for students to come to terms with the support of others to the loss of loved ones in their lives and is open to any student affected by grief and loss in their life
Start Date: Ongoing (this group is currently full, accepting names for waitlist)
Time: Thursdays, 9:00am – 10:30am
Location: Remote over zoom
Focus: Open to any UW student affected by grief or loss in their life
Facilitators: Treg Isaacson & Sashya Clark
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Procrastination and Perfectionism
A weekly group open to anyone who feels badly about how much they procrastinate, or who struggles with perfectionism.
Start Date: TBD
Time: Wednesdays 3:00pm – 5:00 pm OR Fridays 10:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Remote over zoom
Focus: This is a therapy group for graduate and undergraduate students that struggle with perfectionism and/or procrastination.
Facilitators: Arionna Scott
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Tired But Wired: CBT for Insomnia (CBT-i)
This group is for students who struggle with sleep and insomnia, which is often experienced as feeling “tired but wired.” Group members will together learn about sleep/insomnia, engage in self-assessments, learn behavioral and cognitive interventions, and prevent relapse of sleep issues. The group members will support each other to make a difference in each member’s individual quality of sleep. Group members are expected to make a commitment to full participation and attendance in the group, which consists of a total of 6 weekly sessions.
Start Date: April 17. 2024
Time: Wednesdays, 2:30pm – 4:00p.m.
Location: Remote over zoom
Focus: This is a therapy group for people struggling with non-medical sleep difficulties.
Facilitators: Seiko Ryan
To register: Currently FULL. Please Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240 to be put on the waitlist.
Queer Tabletop Role Playing Game Group
This is a group for participants who hold identities in the Queer community and is built on a tradition of tabletop gaming as therapy. This alternative format group therapy will allow participants to build and role play characters in a fantasy setting with their individual presenting concerns in mind. Participants will develop strategies to cope with social anxiety, practice using social skills, and address other mental health concerns brought to the table by the group. No previous gaming experience necessary.
Start Date: April 10th
Time: 11:30am – 1:30pm
Location: In-person, Counseling Center, Schmitz Hall
Focus: This group is open to UW students holding queer identities.
Facilitators: Jamie Welch
To register: Currently FULL. Please Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240 to be put on the waitlist.
Tabletop Role Playing Game Group
This alternative format group therapy will allow participants to build and role play characters in a fantasy setting with their individual presenting concerns in mind. Participants will develop strategies to cope with social anxiety, practice using social skills, and address other mental health concerns brought to the table by the group. No previous gaming experience necessary.
Start Date: April 11th
Time: Thursdays 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Location: In-person, Counseling Center, Schmitz Hall
Focus: Open to all UW students
Facilitators: Jamie Welch
To register:Currently FULL. Please Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240 to be put on the waitlist.
Umoja
This interpersonal and support group prioritizes the experiences and healing of Brown and Black women who are also graduate students (undergraduate students will be considered as space permits). The focus of the group will be addressing sociopolitical and cultural concerns utilizing a multicultural, intersectional, and social justice lens and framework. Topics to be discussed and processed are managing stress, cross-cultural communication, communicating with advisors, the experience of being a student of color at a PWI (predominantly White institution), micro/macro-aggressions, racial trauma, family responsibilities and dynamics, imposter syndrome, the sociopolitical global climate, liberation psychology, radical self-care, restorative justice intergenerational healing, etc. Interventions to be used include support-giving, storytelling, interpersonal processing, mindfulness, play and art therapy.
Start Date: April 12th (accepting names for waitlist)
Time: TBD
Location: TBD
Focus: Brown and Black women who are graduate students (undergraduate students will be considered as space permits)
Facilitators: Charisse Williams
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Mindfulness and Meditation
UW offers mindfulness workshops through a variety of programs. Below are group offerings from the Counseling Center. UW Recreation offers yoga and meditation classes for students, faculty and staff interested in exploring mindfulness and meditation. Visit their website for the most up-to-date list of classes.
Beginning Mindfulness Meditation Group
An 8-week practice and discussion-oriented group that helps people calm and soothe their nervous systems, looking at different aspects of mindfulness and sharing thoughts about the practice. We look at groundedness, loving kindness, self-compassion, gratitude, and dealing with difficult emotions.
Start Date: Ongoing (this group is currently full, accepting names for waitlist)
Time: Mondays, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Location: Remote over zoom
Focus: This therapy group is for students who could sit in silence, and have that be helpful to them for stress, anxiety, etc.
Facilitators: Treg Isaacson & Faraha Hassan
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Ongoing Noon Mindfulness Group
Hour long sessions at noon on Thursdays, where experienced mindfulness practitioners gather to practice mindfulness together. Silent settling practice lasts about 20 minutes and is followed by guided meditation and sharing of observations.
Start Date: Ongoing
Time: Thursdays 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Location: In-person, Counseling Center, Schmitz Hall
Focus: This therapy group is for more advanced student practitioners of mindfulness who find it helpful.
Facilitators: Treg Isaacson
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Information on this page is updated quarterly. Check back each quarter for new group offerings.
We are currently offering both virtual and in-person groups. Please refer to the descriptions of each group for details about attendance and format. For virtual groups, you will need a smartphone or computer with webcam to participate, as well as a good internet connection.
To request disability accommodations for your appointment, contact the Disability Services Office at 206-543-6450 (voice), 206-543-6452 (TTY), 206-685-7264 (fax), or dso@uw.edu, preferably at least 10 days in advance.
