The IUP Counseling Center is excited to announce the Spring 2023 Group Therapy options available to IUP students.
Research has shown that group counseling is as effective as individual counseling. Talking with other students who have similar experiences provides support and perspective. Contact the Counseling Center by phone at 724-357-2621 or email counseling-center@iup.edu.
Groups can be a great source of feedback, support, good humor, and creative ideas on how to cope with personal challenges.
Participation in these groups requires an initial 30-minute triage appointment. This is a short information session to see if the group is right for you. To schedule this appointment or to ask questions, contact the Counseling Center by phone at 724-357-2621 or email counseling-center@iup.edu.
Tuesday
BIPOC- Belonging: A Process Group for BIPOC Students
- 4:00–5:30 p.m.
- This will be a confidential space to connect with one another around the challenges and blessings that come with our racial identities, as well as the experience of attending a predominantly white institution and existing in a rural community. With the support of IUP counselors (who are also BIPOC and/or international), the group provides an opportunity to find validation, new perspectives, motivation, and acceptance among BIPOC and international peers. We’ll also take some time to focus on general wellness and staying emotionally healthy during college and beyond. We welcome anyone who identifies as BIPOC or international with their whole intersectional selves.
- 4:00–5:30 p.m., G18
- This group is primarily a support group for students who have some concerns related to their family—defined broadly. Examples of family issues may include parental abuse/neglect, substance abuse by parents, or over-involvement that causes significant distress. The family issues can be current or in the past, but must present some barrier to current functioning. Additionally, members of the group will be expected to be willing to share some of their concerns in the group. As long as students have family concerns and are not likely to experience significant crises that would interfere with group participation, they would be appropriate for group membership.
Wednesday
- 5:00–6:00 p.m.
- People identifying as female or femme face unique challenges in today’s world. Why not get connected to others and start talking about these challenges? Fem Fusion is a therapy group designed to provide a safe, open space for women, or anyone identifying as "Femme," to discuss and process issues such as healthy communication skills, boundary setting with self and others, healthy relationship modeling, as well as empowering individuals to take on the world’s tests.
- 4:00–5:30 p.m.
- The Counseling Center has created a group to help students build concrete skills to manage emotions, relationships, and self-care. Join us to learn more about yourself while building skills that are essential to improve your quality of life. Skills will include mindfulness, distress tolerance, interpersonal effectiveness, and emotion regulation.
Thursday
- 4:00–5:30 p.m.
- This is a therapy group where students meet with others and share who they are, learning about themselves and each other while gaining skills and insight to use outside of the therapy room. This is a meaningful way to receive multiple perspectives, support, encouragement, and feedback, and to learn how to relate to others in a safe and confidential space.
- 4:00–5:30 p.m.
- Feel sad, isolated, angry, stressed? Want to improve relationships and how you talk about your emotions? The Men’s Connection Project is a supportive space for those who identify as men or masculine to connect and share about personal experiences. Society often sends messages that it is inappropriate or “weak” for those who identify as men to discuss mental health struggles such as depression, anxiety, isolation, feelings of emptiness, etc. The Men’s Connection Project provides a nonjudgmental space for members to practice being open/vulnerable, get support from other men in similar situations, learn how to better manage personal challenges, and improve their relationships. Meetings will be used for creating connections, discussing general/personal men’s issues topics, and offering support as we share about ourselves.
Participation in group therapy requires an initial 30-minute triage appointment. To schedule this appointment or to ask questions, contact the Counseling Center by phone at 724-357-2621 or email counseling-center@iup.edu. Counseling services are open to all students who are currently paying the Wellness Fee.
The IUP Counseling Center is closed during regular university breaks. In case of an emergency, please contact the Indiana County Crisis Hotline at 1-877-333-2470, University Police at 724-357-2141, or go to the .