CAPS provides a variety of group services in addition to individual sessions. Some groups are “open” or “drop-in,” which are available to all students without limits. Other groups, such as skills clinics and focused therapy groups, require a brief meeting with a CAPS clinician prior to the group starting, and then continue for a set duration (e.g. 4 weeks) before ending.
Our groups “menu” is always under development. Below is a list of groups CAPS has offered recently. Please call our office at 717-948-6025 or visit 205 SEC to learn about group scheduling.
Have an idea for a group? Click here to submit your ideas!
Black and Latinx Empowerment Group
This group is a supportive and safe space for students to respectfully listen, share, validate and encourage each other. The group is open to discussing the disproportionate impacts of COVID-19, recent and historical violence and racism, and other shared lived experiences, as well as connect and cope with issues as students of color on a predominantly white campus.
Grief/Loss Workshop
The workshop will focus on connecting with peers and supporting one another through various forms of grief and loss related to the ongoing pandemic. The past year has been difficult, and whether it’s been a loss of a college experience, athletic season, internship opportunity, social connection, or important events, this pandemic has been filled with loss for all of us. We will use art in this workshop as a means of processing and working through these losses.
Making Stress & Anxiety Behave (anxiety and stress clinic)
Most of us think of stress and anxiety the same way, but they are very different and require specific approaches to manage. This clinic helps highlight these key differences and offers basic, “Psych 101” strategies for reducing both. (Members will be screened by CAPS staff prior to joining the group)
Mood & Movement
Feel anxious about where to start when it comes to exercising? Join CAPS for a drop-in series of short workouts in an encouraging space with a focus on the connection between exercise, self-care, and mental wellbeing. This event is intended to be exploratory in nature, helping students to determine types of exercises that interest them in an encouraging environment. Workouts are FREE online, providing options that can be continued from your own space. No experience or equipment needed.
No Body’s Perfect
Support group for eating and nutrition concerns (partnering with Student Health Services). This group focuses on body image, the relationship between food and emotional wellbeing, and a compassionate approach to healing negative self-image. (Members will be screened by CAPS staff prior to joining the group)
Roaring for Recovery
In recovery or wanting to be an ally for those in recovery? This weekly meeting is an inclusive recovery and recovery alliance group for students, that offers a safe environment to have candid discussions surrounding addiction, recovery, and stigma of all addictive disorders. It is extremely important to have an encouraging and supportive community in recovery, especially as a student. Because of this, our goal is to provide a space that allows allies and those in recovery a way to create connections and bring awareness to this important yet stigmatized topic. (Drop-in; all students no pre-screening required)
Self-Compassion Talk Space
These drop-in sessions will focus on developing awareness and practice of self-compassion. At times, students struggle with perfectionism and unrealistic expectations of themselves and others. Members will develop skills in self-kindness through discussion, mindfulness practice, and experiential exercises. (Drop-in; no pre-screening required.
Anxiety Groups
Anxiety has been the #1 concern in college counseling centers for several years. Add the impact of a global pandemic and return to in-person learning, most of us can expect to deal with some form of anxiety as we return to campus. CAPS offers several group options for exploring and managing anxiety, whether it’s social anxiety, relationship anxiety, test anxiety, speech/presentation anxiety, or general anxiety, these groups will have something for everyone. (Members will be screened by CAPS staff prior to joining the group).
Mindful Mondays
When the semester is in full swing, it’s not unusual to feel the stress of running from class to clubs, events, athletics, work, or dinner without much time to stop and take a breath. Just rejoining the world right now can create anxiety, too! Taking a few minutes to pause, reset your mind, and experience calmness can go a long way in helping to tackle the rest of the day ahead. Join Mindful Mondays for a short break from the stresses of life and leave with more focus and peace. Drop-in. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome. No weekly commitment required
Relationships 101
Some of the most rewarding and most challenging things in life are relationships – with friends, family, partners, roommates….or anyone! This 4-part clinic will help you better understand yourself and your needs, will help you learn boundaries and how to set them for yourself, and teach you how to communicate and navigate conflict in ways that will strengthen your connection to others, as well as to yourself!