Spring Groups provide supportive spaces for UW Seattle students to discuss various mental health topics and improve their well-being. These groups are facilitated by therapists and are available at no out-of-pocket cost.

Group therapy is a form of psychotherapy where a small group of individuals come together under the guidance of a trained therapist to share their experiences, discuss their challenges, and work on their personal growth. For college students, group therapy can provide a supportive environment to address common issues such as stress, anxiety, depression, relationship problems, and academic pressures.

Monday

Beginning Mindfulness Meditation 

Start date: April 7, 2025 

Time: 3:30-5:00 PM

Location:  Remote 

Facilitators: Treg Isaacson & Herleena Verraich 

Focus: 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 to the senses in the body, loving kindness, self-compassion, gratitude, and dealing with difficult emotions.

Tuesday

Healthy Connection – Going Beyond the Body Image

Start Date: April 15, 2025

Date and Time:  1:00 – 2:30 PM

Location: UW Counseling Center, Large Group Room

Facilitators: Seiko Ryan & Wendy Lendrum

Focus: The Healthy Connection is a group therapy program designed to address common issues encountered by people struggling with disordered eating and body image. The group learns and practices healthy connections between the self, body, and eating behaviors in a safe and supportive environment. The group is an opportunity to reimagine one’s relationship with food and body. Active participation, a commitment to the eight weekly sessions, and participation in home exercises are all crucial components of the program. Appropriate for any students who are struggling with any types of disorder of eating and wanting to make changes.  

Wednesday

Between Cultures

Start Date: Rolling Admission

Time: 3:00 – 4:30 PM

Location:  Remote over Zoom

Facilitators: Sashya Clark

Focus: This group is open to all UW students with intersectional cultures and identities. 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.  

Thursday

ACT for Anxiety  

Start date: April 24, 2025

Time: 2:00 – 3:30PM

Location: Remote over Zoom  

Facilitators: Heidi Li  

Focus: 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.  

Feminist Process Group for Graduate Students  

Start date: April 10, 2025

Time: 10:00 – 11:30 AM

Location: Remote over Zoom  

Facilitators: Amy Collins & Vanessa Prosper

Focus: 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. Open to all, this group focuses on the experiences of graduate students who identify as women, non-binary, genderqueer, or agender

Getting Through Grief 

Start Date: Rolling Admission

Time: 9:00 – 10:30am

Location:  Remote over zoom 

Facilitators: Treg Isaacson & Sashya Clark

Focus: Open to any UW student affected by grief or loss in their life. 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

Ongoing Mindfulness Group

Start Date: Rolling Admission

Time: 12:00 – 1:00 PM

Location: Large Group Room, Counseling Center, Schmitz Hall

Facilitators: Treg Isaacson

Focus:Hour long sessions at noon on Thursdays, where experienced mindfulness practitioners gather to practice mindfulness together, in order to help decrease stress and anxiety. All Group members have an opportunity to check in at the beginning of the group session. Silent settling practice lasts about 20 minutes and is followed by guided meditation and sharing of observations.

Queer Tabletop Role Playing Game Group   

Start date:  TBD 

Time: 12:00 -2:00 PM

Location: Small Group Room, Counseling Center, Schmitz Hall   

Facilitator: Jamie Welch   

Focus: This group for participants who are navigating the Queer experience 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.   

Friday

Procrastination and Perfectionism 

Start Date: Ongoing

Time: 10:30 am – 12:00pm

Location:  Remote over zoom

Facilitators: Arionna Scott

Focus:A weekly group for individuals who struggle with procrastination and perfectionism. This group is open to anyone who feels badly about how much they procrastinate or struggle with perfectionism.

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.