This structured trauma-informed skills group is a six-week experience that provides members grounding understanding of how trauma impacts our brains and bodies as well as skills for how to cope while working toward healing. Members will participate in experiential grounding exercises, discuss key elements of trauma coping and recovery, and complete homework assignments. Importantly, this is not a group to discuss or process traumatic experiences in detail as the focus will be on discussing responses to trauma, coping skills, and paths toward healing. Trauma is a word often used and perhaps not always understood. For this group, trauma is defined as anything that is overwhelming to you and leaves you feeling helpless and out of control. This could be a single traumatic incident or a series of experiences. Responses to trauma (symptoms you may experience) can get in the way of everyday life and healing. This group hopes to provide space for learning, recovering, and connecting with others. A screening meeting with the facilitators is required.

Taming the Anxious Mind

This structured group employs strategies from mindfulness and acceptance-based therapies to better manage and relate to anxiety.  This group will support members in accepting anxiety and transforming their relationship to anxiety.  The ultimate goal of the group is to assist members in freeing themselves from the pull of constant struggle with anxiety so they can focus on living a more rich and meaningful life.   Members will participate in experiential exercises and complete homework assignments. Group is a six-week commitment.  The group accepts members throughout the semester.  Screening is required.

Coming Out, Being Out and Questioning Support Group

The Coming Out Group is a place to meet and gain support while discussing your sexual, romantic, and/or gender identities in a confidential setting. This group is for folks who are coming out, considering coming out or may already be out. Topics might include using labels (or not), celebrating and pride, deciding to tell others, family relationships, intimate relationships, heterosexism, homophobia, transphobia, and finding community, support and resources. Members are welcome to attend just one semester or both. Questions and referrals can be directed to Karen Eichel, (970)495-4252.

Transgender and Gender Fluid Support Group

Do you identify as trans* or gender non-conforming and are looking for more support and more sense of community surrounding your gender identity? This group will provide a confidential forum to meet others who identify as trans* or gender non-conforming, and to share experiences related to gender identity. Topics may include transitioning, coming out, physical health, family and social relationships, and dating/sexuality. However, discussion will primarily be guided by group members’ current interests and experiences. The group emphasizes group participation, mutual respect, and inclusivity. The group welcomes FTM and MTF spectrum individuals, genderqueer persons, intersex folks, and those questioning their gender identity. Screening is required.

BIPOC Support Group

The BIPOC Support Group is a supportive space for students who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Together we will cover various topics including, but not limited to, mental health, social relationships, and cultural experiences. This group is an opportunity for CSU undergraduate and graduate students to come together to receive support, opportunities for reflection and connection, and education on a variety of topics of concern.

DBT Tools for Success

This structured DBT-informed skills group employs strategies from mindfulness and acceptance based therapies, and is an excellent fit for anyone feeling anxious, depressed, overwhelmed or simply having difficulty enjoying life.  Skills focus on learning to be more present, self-compassionate, and able to handle intense emotions effectively.  Members will participate in experiential exercises and complete homework assignments. Group is an eight week commitment.  After the completion of the group, members will have a toolkit to pull from whenever difficult life circumstances arise.  The group accepts members throughout the semester.  Screening is required.

DBT – Taking Next Steps

The Advanced DBT group is a space for students with previous participation with DBT to gain support in continuing to use their DBT skills in navigating life’s ups and downs.  Students will participate in mindfulness exercises each week and broaden their interpersonal and emotion regulation skills throughout the semester. Members often report that the skills are effective in decreasing feelings of overwhelm, anxiety and depression. Similarly, members often state they feel supported by one another and experience more joy and a sense of connectedness by attending group and using skills. This is a semester long commitment and screening is required.

Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Support Group

This is an ongoing group for students who are ready to make changes in their substance use.  Through discussion and self-exploration activities, we will process the role substances play in our lives and help students create goals and a pathway for change.  Topics may include reasons for use, triggers, harm reduction, shame, replacement behaviors, coping techniques and other use reduction strategies.  Members will be able to connect with one another on challenges they are facing and help hold each other accountable for goals they are working on.

This group has limited availability and will close once membership reaches maximum participation.  A group screen is required. Participants are highly encouraged to participate in individual therapy. 

Body Positive

Do you find yourself thinking a lot about your weight, body shape, or body size? Does planning around calories, food, and “making up” for what you eat seem to consume a lot of your time? Do you often find yourself feeling guilty, ashamed, or comparing your appearance to others and always seeming to fall short? Then the Body Positive group is right for you! In this group, you will be able to both give and receive support in a safe space from people struggling with the very same issues as you learn more about body image, begin to change unhealthy behaviors, and develop greater self-esteem. You are not alone!

Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga

The Mindfulness, Meditation, and Yoga group will offer students to opportunity to practice meditation and gentle yoga postures as a means of increasing mindful awareness of the relationship between the mind and body. Students will learn how mindfulness can help them to engage with their own thoughts, feelings, and sensation without getting caught up into anxiety and striving. During the group, students will be offered tools to build presence and awareness, not only on the mat, but also as they live their day-to-day lives. By learning to pay attention to breathe, alignment, and internal reactions in a mindful way, group members will begin to cultivate patience, curiosity, kindness, and the recognition of the basic wholeness of the self and others.

Depression Skills Group

Are you having trouble getting out of bed and getting to your classes? Do you struggle to feel motivated and to focus on school work? Are you noticing that you would rather isolate yourself rather than hang out with your friends or roommates? Is it difficult for you to fall or stay asleep? Do you experience down moods that last for more than a few days for no apparent reason? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, check out the Depression Skills Group. Understand more about your experiences in a supportive environment; then learn skills and strategies for improving your mood and creating positive changes in your life. This group meets for 6 weeks.

NeuroInclusive Group

This group is intended to focus on skills related to decision making and improving daily functioning by providing lessons in and processing making and keeping friends, developing romantic relationships, and managing conflict and rejection. Lessons include starting and maintaining conversations, finding a source of friends, electronic forms of communication, using humor appropriately, entering and exiting conversations, organizing social activities, dating etiquette, managing disagreements, and handling direct and indirect bullying and other forms of rejection.