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Saginaw Valley State University

Campus Mental Health and Wellness Center

Groups & Workshops

Group Counseling Session

 

Groups and workshops are an opportunity to connect with others in a safe, confidential and supportive space, allowing individuals to:

  • share their experiences with others who understand and relate
  • seek new perspectives, and 
  • strengthen social interactions and connections

Through groups and workshops, students can engage, develop insights and skills that challenge and improve their quality of life. 

For some, joining a counseling group or workshop may be intimidating, scary or even provoke anxiety. That hesitation and uncertainty are understandable, yet students consistently report having positive and impactful experiences in these group settings and feeling improvement in the areas of concern that motivated them to seek help in the beginning.

Contact the Mental Health & Wellness Center at (989) 964-7078 for more information on upcoming workshops or groups.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, all group members are expected to keep information about participants and the discussions during the group sessions confidential. That means what is said in the group, stays in the group.  This privacy and confidentiality ensure group members establish trust and a sense of safety with one another.

A group will generally consist of five to eight group members with one or two counselors facilitating the group.

Groups generally meet for 1 1/2 - 2 hours per week and may last between 4 to 12 weeks per semester, depending on the type of group. The Mental Health & Wellness Center (MH&WC) also offers a number of one-hour workshops and single-session groups focused on specific topics.

Individuals are only expected to share as much and at the pace that they feel comfortable with.  Usually, students find that the more they are able to take risks in sharing their feelings and experiences, the more they gain from the group experience.

Opening up about your concerns is hard because it often means feeling vulnerable, and this can be anxiety-provoking. Group Counseling provides a safe space to take risks in sharing with others and allows the opportunity to learn how to express your thoughts and feelings. In doing so, members often find that they're not alone in their concerns, others can understand and relate to their experience and sharing vulnerability influences a deeper sense of connection with others.

While individual counseling can be helpful--and may seem less scary--group counseling is one of the most effective ways to address social anxiety. Individuals with social anxiety often worry about what others think of them, fear rejection and embarrassment, and avoid social situations to guard against experiencing anxiety and fear. Group provides a safe and supportive space to process those feelings, challenge assumptions of what others are thinking and feeling, and learn to navigate social interactions in meaningful ways, which can all serve to alleviate the anxiety felt around others.

Yes, some students who participate in groups also have individual counseling sessions.

Group counseling has been found to be equal to and, at times, more beneficial than individual counseling in addressing most student concerns.  Our facilitators have strong interests in groups, which adds to the high quality of this form of treatment.

CONTACT US.






Campus Mental Health and Wellness Center
Curtiss Hall 112
counselingservices@svsu.edu
(989) 964-7078