Group Therapy
Fall 2023 Groups
Fall 2023 groups will be held remotely through secure video or in-person depending on the group. Note that group times may change, or groups may be canceled based on demand and other factors.
fill out our group interest form
Or contact CAPS at (415) 422-6352 or -6351 during business hours if you have any questions or to sign up. While therapy groups can only be offered to students residing in California, due to state licensure laws, all USF students, regardless of location, are invited to join CAPS' online workshops.
Note that most of our groups will be closed to new members after the first few weeks. The following section lists the groups available this semester and when they are held.
This 8-week workshop-style group includes didactic and experiential methods to teach skills for managing anxiety, depression, and stress. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps people identify their unique values and commit to taking actions in line with them, while accepting discomfort and things out of their control. Mindfulness meditation and letting go of unhelpful thought patterns are emphasized.
- Fridays 1:10-2:30pm, 10/13-12/8/2023
- In Person at Gillson Lower Level
- Co-leaders: Dr. Stephanie McGrath (she/her) and Montana Holmes, M.S. (she/her)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) helps people develop skills and tools to manage uncomfortable emotions and interpersonal conflicts in a healthy way. It increases mindful awareness in order to effectively respond, rather than impulsively react. This 8-week workshop-style group utilizes didactic methods and group discussion of skills, which group members are encouraged to practice outside of group.
- Thursdays 1:10-2:20pm, 10/12-12/7/2023
- Via Zoom Meeting
- Co-leaders: Dr. Stephanie McGrath (she/her) and Sophia Norman, M.A. (she/her)
Glow and Grow is a healing space for womxn and womxn-aligned students who are members of the global majority (alternatively Black, Indigenous Womxn of Color). In this space, we focus on building community and empowerment. Topics can include: addressing aggressions targeting our identities, balancing life with academic challenges, relationships and family conflicts, difficulties prioritizing ourselves, and reclaiming our power. In Glow and Grow, group members aim to support each other’s strengths and vulnerabilities, encourage each other to enhance our self care and compassion, as well as find validation and connection through our shared experiences.
- Tuesdays 11:15am-12:45pm; 09/26/2023 - 12/13/2023
- In-Person at CAPS
- Co-leaders: Dr. Jae (she/her/Dr.) and Dr. Natalia (she/ella)
Process and support space for LGBTQIA+/questioning students. Members will connect around community-specific stressors, strengths, coping, resilience, and joy. Topics will be responsive to group member needs.
- Now full - Waitlist available
- Wednesdays 5pm-6pm; will start late September
- In-Person at CAPS
- Co-leaders: Dr. Caitlin Merrill (she/her) and Dr. Christina Schreiner (they/she)
An interpersonal process group that is ideal for students who wish to better understand themselves and their relationships with others, whether that be with family, friends, colleagues, or romantic partners. Through actively discussing the process of members and facilitators engagement in the group, members become more aware of their feelings and reactions and those of others in the moment. Over time, students begin to better understand themselves, their interpersonal style, and their relationship patterns and develop ways to improve their relationships, and, by extension, their emotional experience in general. This group is ideal for a broad range of students with interpersonal concerns, including those who are coping with social anxiety or difficulties adjusting to a new environment.
- Mondays, 4:15-5:30pm
- In-Person at CAPS
- Co-leaders: Dr. Ben Molland (he/him) and Elissa Buchman, M.A. (she/her)
Benefits of Groups
- Groups help you realize you’re not alone and reduce isolation. While each of us is unique, none of us are alone in our struggles.
- Groups facilitate giving and receiving support. In support, discussion, and process groups, members share their experiences and give and receive feedback and support from the facilitators and other members.
- Groups help you find your “voice.” Participating in a group can help you become more aware of your feelings and needs and learn effective ways of expressing them.
- Groups help you relate to others in healthier ways. Often people don’t understand why their relationships aren’t working. Groups provide the opportunity for you to see how you relate to others in real time and receive direct feedback.
- Groups provide a safety net. As members learn and practice skills in a group, their confidence for practicing them in other situations grows. Members also carry the group's support with them between meetings.
- Many CAPS groups are held on a weekly basis throughout the semester, and students are not limited to a set number of group meetings per year, as they are with brief individual therapy appointments.