Groups Offered | Counseling Center | BYU-Idaho

# Groups Offered

The BYU-Idaho Counseling Center offers group therapy for students in need of additional support in a safe, supportive setting.

## Groups Offered

Group therapy is often the treatment of choice for many of the issues students face. Groups provide students with an opportunity to meet in a safe, supportive setting with other students who share similar concerns and issues.

All group counseling is by referral of a counselor within our office; therefore, a student must first schedule an individual appointment with a counselor before attending any of the groups offered at the Counseling Center. Together, you and your counselor will determine which group will best meet your needs. To schedule an individual appointment with a counselor, call (208) 496-9370.

Anxiety/Stress Management Workshop

Do you feel overwhelmed by the level of stress in your life? We can teach you some basic techniques to help you deal with this. We cover many topics, including sleep, worry, relationships, relaxation and time management.

Building Social Confidence Workshop

This workshop is designed to help individuals increase their social confidence as they learn and practice interpersonal skills. Each week focuses on a specific topic and includes role playing the learned skills. Sample topics include: 

- understanding and using appropriate body language
- navigating conversations
- understanding the "unwritten rules" of social interactions
- managing anxiety and rejection in social situations
- establishing healthy boundaries and communication patterns

Depression Workshop

In this five-week skill-based workshop participants learn therapeutic lifestyle changes that work to alleviate symptoms of depression without medication. They also learn how to effectively address the mind negativity and intentionally create positive emotions and sensations in themselves. They end with learning what to do to enlist friends and loved ones in the healing process.

Emotional Regulation Workshop

This workshop is a six-week course which utilizes the Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) modality. The DBT skills which will be taught are designed to help those individuals who struggle with overwhelming emotions or who are seeking to improve their emotional regulation. Participants will learn skills in mindfulness, emotional regulation, and distress tolerance. Learning emotional regulation skills can help you better manage not only your emotions, but your relationships with others and how to handle stress.

Honoring Faith and Identity Group

This group is for BYU-Idaho students who experience identity questions regarding their own sexual orientation, gender identity, feelings of same-gender attraction, or identification as part of the LGBTQ+ community. This is a place to address faith and identity while navigating life. Openly sharing one's identity, insights, and questions in a confidential, respectful, and inclusive environment provides hope and promotes psychological healing. There is no pressure to determine one's identity in this group; rather, this is a place to thoughtfully explore self within a complex social context and to support one another in our individual journeys. The group is based on individual agency, autonomy, and support.

FEAR-less Emotion Management

In this workshop, you will learn how the brain and body respond to real and perceived physical and emotional threats. This response is called the fear response, and it contributes to the development of excess stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, and suicide ideation. In the workshop, you will learn strategies to better manage the fear response to improve your overall well-being.

Men's Issues Group

Have you struggled with controlling your behaviors? This group is intended for men who struggle with various sexual behaviors or addictions, including pornography use and masturbation. We meet weekly and base the group on sound psychological and gospel principles.

SGA Group

Are you looking for a safe place to receive support and understanding? In the Same Gender Attraction group, we address issues related to anxiety, depression, social difficulties, and other issues that may arise for individuals with same-gender attraction. This group seeks to create an atmosphere of love and understanding in a safe gospel centered environment.

Spouse's Support Group

Feeling fed up? Handling a loved one's addiction can be difficult. This group is designed to support spouses or anyone in a serious relationship with a man who struggles with addiction to pornography and related problems. We focus on understanding the addiction process and coping skills to help you continue a healthy relationship. 
 
******Note:****** **This group will be offered when there are sufficient candidates to fill a group, please call to ask if it is being offered during the current semester.**

Sexual Trauma Recovery and Empowerment Group

This is a therapy and support group for students with a history of unwanted sexual experience. The purpose of this group is to facilitate working through issues associated with trauma. Topics covered include understanding culture, clarifying values, shame, building trust, identifying healthy relationship patterns, defining trauma, increasing coping skills, and healing from trauma. Group members will do best if they have some knowledge of and are able to practice emotional regulation.

Understanding Self and Others

Are you looking to understand more about yourself and how you relate to other people? This group is focused on the interactions we have with others, and how we can make them more meaningful. We highlight finding things in common, showing empathy, taking risks and practicing new social behaviors. This group is helpful for those with depression or issues of low self worth as well.

Women's Therapy Group

Do you feel like an addiction is ruining your life? This group is intended for women who struggle with various sexual behaviors or addictions. We meet weekly and base the group on sound psychological and gospel principles.

Freshstart Group

Are you a freshman student struggling to adjust to college life? Are you experiencing depressive episodes, anxiety, or generally struggling to manage your mood? Are you feeling overwhelmed by academic and social expectations? Are you feeling lonely and isolated from your peers? In the Freshstart Group, you will have the opportunity to learn coping skills and tools to help you thrive as a college student. You will also have the opportunity to give and receive support from your peers.

Autism Support Group

This group provides a place for university students with Autism to connect and help each other navigate their campus experience. We meet weekly to offer support and guidance for managing the ups and downs of college life.

Grief and Loss Group

This weekly group is aimed at helping those struggling with grief and loss. We aim to give words to their experienced emotions through meaningful and constructive dialogue. Each week participants are given prompts and activities to help facilitate discussion, insight, and connection. 
Group objectives include: 

- receive emotional support
- be able to grieve openly
- gain a sense of belonging
- explore ways of honoring your loved one
- learn healthy coping skills for your feelings
- process unresolved issues
- develop a renewed sense of purpose
- learn that peace is possible again