Sitting across from a therapist in a one-on-one session isn’t the only option at for you at Counseling Services. It might not even be the best form of therapy for you.
Counseling Services offers all students group therapy sessions covering topics that range from anxiety to grief.
“Group therapy is one of the best treatment options for a lot of the things that people are coming to Counseling Services with concerns about,” Melissa King, group psychologist, said. “But it’s not what people are thinking about.”
A first meeting with a therapist at Counseling Services will mostly be a chance for the therapist to get to know you, and they may suggest a therapy group that might be a good fit.
One or two licensed staff members lead group sessions of eight to ten students to talk about shared experiences.
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“What will happen is a sense of ‘I’m not alone’ in those groups,” King said. “This helps students feel more comfortable talking about their experiences as well as help their relationship with their fellow group members.”
Some groups are exclusive to certain students, like groups for LGBTQ or graduate students, but most sessions are open to all students.
“It’s nice to know that other people are going through the same thing as you,” Haley Egelhoff, freshman in business, said.
Group therapy members are there for each other as much as they are for themselves. Each group member will give and receive feedback on how they are handling their role as a group member.
There are several groups for students to join, such as Taming Your Anxious Mind, Living With Loss and Understanding Yourself and Others. King said there will be more groups offered in the future. Each group therapy session is $7.
For more information on Group Therapy at Counseling Services, go to Counseling Services’ website.
