What are mental health 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.
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: October 12, 2022
Time: Wednesdays, 3:30-5:00pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: All students
Facilitators: Treg Isaacson, MA, LMHC
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Ongoing Noon Mindfulness Groups
Hour long sessions at noon on Wednesdays and Thursdays, where experienced mindfulness practitioners gather to practice mindfulness together, currently over zoom. Silent settling practice lasts about 20 minutes and is followed by guided meditation, and sharing of observations.
Start Date: Ongoing
Time: Wednesdays and Thursdays 12:00-1:00pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: All students with mindfulness practice experience
Facilitators: Treg Isaacson, MA, LMHC
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
BIPOC Grief Group
This is an ongoing group to hold space for BIPOC folx to talk about grief and loss. As BIPOC folx, we have unique perspectives on grief and loss from our experience of colonization and systematic oppression. We want to offer this space to honor our cultures and stories, as well as provide support to our communities
Start Date:
Time: Tuesdays, 12:00 -1:30pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: BIPOC folx
Facilitators: Hsuan Hsuan Dai, LMHC
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
Between Cultures
For students who lack sense of belonging to any cultures/identities with which they intersect.
Start Date: Ongoing
Time: Mondays, 12:30-1:30pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: This group is for Bi-cultural, bi-racial, multicultural, multiracial individuals with a number of intersecting identities and a sense of not really fitting in to/with any of them.
Facilitators: Ricardo Hildago, MA, LMHC & Sashya Clark, MSW, LICSW
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
What is 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-Unstuck
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” – learn how 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. Attendance and participation for all 7 weekly sessions are required.
Start Date: October 13, 2022
Time: Thursdays, 2:00-3:30pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Facilitators: Heidi Li, PsyD
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
DOCTORAL STUDENT GROUP: SUSTAINABLY SURVIVING GRAD SCHOOL
As a Doctoral Student, the challenges of juggling your responsibilities as a student, researcher, family member, friend, human being are particularly acute. This is a therapeutic support group for doctoral students across disciplines to connect with each other, experience support and center their own humanity. Through therapeutic facilitation, this support group is intended to help members develop a rest ethic alongside a work ethic. Topics of reflection may include recognizing the challenges of acculturating to academia, imposter syndrome, burnout, concerns about “productivity”, intercultural communication, work-life harmony. The group facilitator (s) are psychotherapists and strive to center human experiences and needs that are frequently marginalized in academia.
Start date: September 29, 2022
Time: Thursdays, 3:30 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: Currently enrolled in doctoral program at University of Washington Seattle seeking support from other doctoral student peers, willing to commit to 8 weeks of attendance to help develop group cohesion (Participants have the option of missing 1-2 sessions with prior communication)
Facilitators: Gitika Talwar, PhD
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
TABLETOP ROLE PLAYING GAME GROUP
This group is built on a tradition of tabletop gaming as therapy. This alternative format group therapy will allow participants to build a tabletop character with their individual presenting concerns in mind. Participants will role play their characters in a fantasy setting to 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: Ongoing
Time: Thursdays, 3:00 – 5:00pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: Students wanting to develop strategies to cope with social anxiety and other mental health concerns.
Facilitators: Jamie Welch, PhD
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, 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 are going to support each other to make a difference in each individual’s quality of sleep.The group consists of a total of 6 weekly sessions, all members are expected to attend each session. Members are also expected to make a commitment to full participation in the group.
Start Date: October 13, 2022
Time: Thursdays, 2:30-4:00pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: Students who struggle to sleep
Facilitators: Seiko Ryan, LMHC & Wendy Lendrum, MN, ARNP
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
UNDERSTANDING SELF AND OTHERS
Understanding Self and Others (USO) group will provide a safe space to learn and practice effective interpersonal skills, to become more comfortable having conversations and social interactions with others, to learn how to develop more satisfying relationships, and to practice introspection and acceptance of self. We will seek to develop insights about personal patterns through giving and receiving support and honest feedback, and by discussing and exploring interpersonal challenges and concerns.
Start Date: October 13, 2022
Time: Thursdays, 1:00-2:30pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: Students wanting to improve interpersonal skills
Facilitators: Sashya Clark, MSW, LICSW
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
