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Counseling and Psychological Services
Group Psychotherapy at CAPS
Sometimes a problem is better addressed through group counseling than individual therapy. Talking to other students who have similar experiences provides support and perspective. A counseling group can be powerfully healing and for some students, one of the most rewarding experiences during their years at UVA.
CAPS will offer several therapy and support groups this year. All of these groups are confidential and free of charge to full-time UVA students. In order to join a group, students must first participate in a Brief Screening or Intake Assessment with a CAPS therapist. For more information about group therapy or to schedule an initial appointment at CAPS, please call 434-243-5150.
Click here for more information about our groups.
Group Descriptions and Group Leader Contact Information
Offerings 2012-2013
Active Solutions Workshop
Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Black Talk: Support Groups for People of Color
Dealing with Emotions
Eating Disorders Support Group
Finding your Niche: A Transition Group for First-Years and Transfer Students
Interpersonal Process Group: Understanding Self and Others
Men's Gay, Bi and Questioning Support Group
Active Solutions Workshop
This workshop focuses on helping students with anxiety learn strategies to help them cope with and begin to control their anxiety. This is a didactic workshop with time allotted to practice strategies presented. The workshop is composed of 4 units, one each week. The complete workshop requires a commitment to complete all 4 units- a student can join at any point in the workshop as long as all 4 units are completed.
Fridays 1 - 2:00, Belinda Overstreet Ph.D.
Bipolar Disorder Support Group
This on-going support group is open to those previously diagnosed with bipolar disorder. It will provide a safe and confidential setting where members can explore experiences of living with unstable and unpredictable mood states, changing energy levels and variable functioning. The group offers support and can assist members with coping skills pertaining to mood instability, medication issues, life planning and managing the complexities of relationships from a "bipolar perspective."
Fridays 1:30-3:00, Russ Federman Ph.D. & Ilyse Zable, M.Psy.
Black Talk: Support Groups for People of Color
This group provides an opportunity for men and women of African descent to receive and give support in a comfortable and safe environment. The group uses a supportive atmosphere to facilitate discussion between women and men of color about their challenges, celebrations, and other complexities related to their lives at UVA. Areas of support include: examining their sense of self and identity, exploring issues of transition, academics, personal development, and achievement, and exploring the implications of gender dynamics on their personal experience at UVA.
Mondays 10:00 – 11:30 & Thursdays 3:00 – 4:30, Michael Mason Ph.D., LPC
Dealing with Emotions
If you are having difficulty dealing with your emotions, then you might benefit from this group. Issues discussed include, but are not limited to, frequent emotional ups and downs, feeling too emotionally sensitive, getting frustrated or anxious easily, and/or difficulty experiencing or managing certain types of emotions (e.g., sadness, guilt, shame, anger). This skill- oriented group will focus on teaching techniques to help you better understand and manage your emotions, reduce your emotional suffering, and enable you to live life more fully.
Wednesdays 3:30-5:00, Baozhen Xie Ph.D.
Eating Disorders Support Group
This group is for students who have been in treatment for anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorder and who are committed to work toward recovery. Discussion topics will be determined by the group and might include: sense of personal identity and self worth, perfectionism and control, body image, exercise extremes, anxiety or low moods, family concerns, relationship skills, sexuality, and balancing achievement with the rest of life.
Tuesdays 3:10-4:30, Angela Gray Ph.D. & Ashley Zavertnik, Psy.D.
Finding your Niche: A Transition Group for First-Years and Transfer Students
This time- limited group is designed as a support system for new and transfer students who are trying to "settle in" at UVA. Discussion issues will be determined by the group, but could include adjusting to college, how to access support and resources around grounds, homesickness or roommate issues, dining hall food, Greek life, transferring past experiences and skills to new situations, making friends, and getting involved in campus activities. Students will be able to share their struggles and to hear how others are coping with finding their way here at UVA.
Fall Semester, Time TBD, William Anderson Ph.D.
Interpersonal Process Group: Understanding Self and Others
This interpersonal process group is for students who want to explore their own identity and self worth, find new ways to connect and communicate with others, and also understand what may be getting in their way of achieving these goals. Students can use the interpersonal interaction of the group itself to learn about themselves, identify and expand their own interpersonal patterns, try new behaviors and clarify confusing feelings within a supportive yet challenging and growth producing atmosphere.
Thursdays 3:00-4:30pm, Jeff Jennings M.S. & Mahkada Taylor M.S.
Men's Gay, Bi and Questioning Support Group
This supportive group is for gay and bisexual men and those who may be questioning their sexuality. The goal of this group is to provide a safe, supportive atmosphere to learn to accept yourself and better your lives. Themes may include: how out is out, talking to relatives and friends, identity, relationships, role models, discrimination, internalized homophobia, self esteem, assertiveness, and taking control of responsibility for one's own life.
Fridays 1:00-2:30, William Anderson Ph.D.