Together, we can
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Our general therapy groups are named Understanding Self and Others primarily because they are designed for students who wish to increase self-understanding, self-esteem, and intimacy in relationships, as well as address their interpersonal style and relationship-building skills. Group members come together with others who are also struggling with something about themselves or life with which they are not happy. The group provides a private, warm and supportive environment in which you can constructively experiment with new ways of relating to others, share personal experiences, express fears and concerns, and get support and feedback. A group orientation is required for group membership and is usually scheduled one-half hour before the start of your first group meeting or other convenient time that fits your schedule. Groups can be joined at any time in the semester.
Graduate students entering these Understanding Self and Others graduate groups will have the opportunity to explore personal issues and dynamics that are affecting their personal life, performance, and well-being while at Purdue. Group members will support each other around graduate school and interpersonal concerns and will explore and process how their interpersonal styles are related to their grad school experiences and life in general. The dynamic interactional patterns that occur within the group will be discussed and processed for the therapeutic benefit of group members. A group orientation for new members is required for group membership.
This 6-session group is for students who have lost a loved one due to death. The purpose of the group is to help students move through the grief process. Students will learn about the different aspects of grief and will have time to process their feelings and experiences in the group.
Process oriented group with added structure as needed to incorporate theory and skills related to trauma informed care and empowerment based advocacy. Students who are a good fit have experienced power-based violence (sexual assault, intimate partner violence/domestic violence) recently or are currently struggling with difficulties related to prior history of trauma. Students should have had some experience processing their experiences of trauma prior to participating in the group. This could be done in individual therapy at CAPS or in previous treatment.
The Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Skills Group is for students whose coping skills are no longer working, resulting in their having difficulty controlling emotions and experiencing chaotic friendships and relationships. Students will learn a variety of skills to help control where they focus their attention, understand and reduce painful emotions, navigate relationships successfully, and tolerate distress in a skillful way. This group will have a lesson hour on Wednesdays from 2-3pm that all members will attend. Members will also attend a feedback hour on either Wednesdays from 3-4pm or Fridays from 2-3pm. A group orientation and concurrent individual therapy are required for group membership.
The Advanced Anxiety group provides an opportunity to explore and process personal experiences with anxiety and is designed to develop your understanding of and skill at managing anxiety and panic. Members will meet with others who share similar issues with anxiety and process feelings of anxiety in the moment during group. This is a semi-structured group that will meet weekly and incorporate both psychoeducation-focused discussions and more unstructured process discussions within each session. Topics will largely focus on life aspects that contribute to intense anxiety as well as learning tools and strategies to manage symptoms and improve overall self-care. Learning tools, skills, and using behavioral change will be highly emphasized within this group. This is a more intensive group than the Anxiety Toolbox workshop and will run for at least 8 sessions. An orientation must be completed prior to the group.
The Thrive Hour is a highly experiential venue for self-care and empowerment. Its primary purpose is to help you take care of yourself, let go of your stress, and enable you to get in touch with your inner strength and resources. Every session begins and ends with a mindfulness activity designed to draw your attention to the present moment, allowing you to calm your mind and body and relieve your current stress. Each session will focus on a resiliency strategy that will assist you in cultivating a positive sense of self. Through the use of TED talks, group discussion, and didactic learning, we will help you identify your resiliency and strengths, and offer you alternatives that can change your mindset and your overall sense of well-being.
We get together so that you, college students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or those with similar tendencies, can have a safe space to discuss and understand your experiences while at Purdue. In this group you will meet people who "get" you and who will provide honest feedback and genuine support. You will also have opportunities to try out and to practice social skills and to build friendships with fellow group members. What you learn here you can take to your everyday life outside of the group. The activities and discussions will center on specific themes that come up regularly in college life. Another goal is for group members to have fun, positive social experiences with leaders and other group members that will build confidence.
