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.
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: Ongoing
Time: Monday, 11:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: BIPOC folx
Facilitators: Hsuan Hsuan Dai, LMHC
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
DROP-IN SPACE FOR BREAK-UPS
Let’s Talk – UW counselors hold a weekly in-person drop-in space to support students going through an end of an intimate relationship. Drop-in times will be reserved on a weekly basis for students to individually meet with a counselor to process the loss associated with a break-up. There is no commitment needed and students are welcome to attend one or more sessions with no appointment needed.
These sessions are free and confidential with no appointment needed.
Break-up drop-in space offers informal consultation – it is not a substitute for regular therapy, counseling or psychiatric care. For updates about today’s drop-in availability, please visit our Let’s Talk page.
Time: Wednesdays, 10:00am – 12:00pm
Location: In-person, UW Counseling Center, 401 Schmitz
Facilitator: Mehvash Ali, PhD
PET THERAPY
For those who would like to enjoy time with furry friends and destress. Attendance is complimentary and everyone is welcome.
Dates: Winter quarter
Location: Schmitz Hall, fourth-floor lobby
Time:
Jan. 19 to Mar. 2 – Thursdays 12-2 – Luke
Jan. 13 to Mar. 17 – Fridays 1- 2 – Tara.
Focus: Open to all
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 needed.
SELF-COMPASSION THROUGH COMMON HUMANITY
From motivation level to stress management, your relationship with yourself has a huge impact on your well-being. Learn to be kinder to yourself with practices grounded in our common humanity to improve your self-compassion.
Time: February 13th, 11:30a.m.-12:20 p.m.
Location: In-person, UW Counseling Center, 401 Schmitz
Focus: All currently-registered UW Seattle students
Intake session needed: No
Facilitators: Anne Swenson, PhD
To register: Drop-in, no need to register
SELF-COMPASSION THROUGH MINDFULNESS
From motivation level to stress management, your relationship with yourself has a huge impact on your well-being. Learn to be kinder to yourself with mindfulness practices to improve your self-compassion.
Time: February 1st, 4:00-4:50 p.m. and March 3rd, 1:30-2:20 p.m.
Location: In-person, UW Counseling Center, 401 Schmitz
Focus: All currently-registered UW Seattle students
Intake session needed: No
Facilitators: Anne Swenson, PhD
To register: Drop-in, no need to register
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.
UMOJA INTERPERSONAL PROCESSING AND SUPPORT GROUP
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).
Start date: Spring quarter
Time: TBD
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: Addressing sociopoltical and cultural concerns utilizing a multicultural, intersectional and social justice lens and framework. Topics include 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 and more. Interventions to be used include support-giving, storytelling, interpersonal processing, mindfulness, play and art therapy.
Facilitator: Dr. Charisse Williams
To register: Contact Dr. Charisse Williams at charisse@uw.edu or call 206-543-1240.
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: January 24th – CLOSED Waitlisting for Spring Quarter
Time: Tuesdays, 2:00-3:30pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: TBD
Facilitator(s): 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: January 12th, late join through first week of February
Time: Thursdays, 3:30-5pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: Those currently enrolled in a doctoral program at University of Washington Seattle seeking support from other doctoral student peers, willing to commit to eight 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
BETWEEN CULTURES
For students who lack a sense of belonging to any cultures/identities with which they intersect.
Start Date: Ongoing
Time: Mondays, 12:30-2:00pm
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
PROCRASTINATION AND PERFECTIONISM GROUP
A weekly group for individuals that struggle with procrastination and perfectionism.
Start Date: Ongoing
Time: Group 1: Wednesdays 3:00pm-5:00pm | Group 2: Fridays 10:00am-12:00pm
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: This group is open to anyone who feels badly about how much they procrastinate or struggles with perfectionism
Facilitators: Ricardo Hildago, MA, LMHC
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
QUEER TTRPG GROUP
This group for participants who hold identities in the Queer community 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: January 27th
Time: Fridays, 1:00 – 3:00pm
Location: In-person, Schmitz Hall, room TBD
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
UNDERSTANDING SELF AND OTHERS
The 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: Jan. 19, 2023 – CLOSED Waitlisting for Spring Quarter
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
GETTING THROUGH GRIEF
This support group is for group members to process with others 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
Time: Thursdays 9:00-10:20am
Location: Virtual over Zoom
Focus: Students experiencing loss
Facilitators: Ricardo Hidalgo, MA, LMHC & Treg Isaacson, MA, LMHC
To register: Call the UW Counseling Center at 206.543.1240
BEGINNING MINDFULNESS MEDITATION GROUP
An eight-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: CLOSED Waitlisting for Spring Quarter
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
UW offers yoga and meditation through a variety of programs. Recreation offers classes for students, faculty and staff interested in exploring mindfulness and meditation. Visit their website for the most up-to-date list of classes.
