Current Groups

Pre-group meeting required.

Undergraduate Understanding Self and Others

These groups are for undergraduates who are interested in gaining a greater understanding of themselves and ways of relating more comfortably to others. These groups are designed to help students learn to deal with a variety of concerns involving feelings of depression and anxiety, resolving relationship issues, and other
personal concerns.

Monday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. 

• Emma Progar, Psychologist
• Allison Horner, Clinical Services Provider

Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Nicole DeFerrari, Psychologist
• Lori Wieder, Extern
   

Graduate Interpersonal Process

These groups are designed for personal growth and self-awareness for students who are older than the typical 18-22-year-old undergraduate population. Issues that will be addressed include relationships, life transitions, family of origin issues, managing stressors both in and outside of academic life, and how these issues affect feelings about ourselves and others. 

Monday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Caitlin Chun-Kennedy, Psychologist
• Wilson Trusty, Intern

Thursday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Jill Hranicka, Psychologist
• Eric Smith, Intern

Friday, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

• John Mitchell, Psychologist
• Tia Rivera, Intern
   

International Graduate Student Process Group

This therapy group is open to international graduate students. The purpose is to get international graduate students together talking about different issues that may be impacting their lives as students at Penn State. Issues that will be addressed include relationships, life transitions, family of origin issues, managing stressors both in and outside of academic life, and how these issues affect feelings about ourselves and others.

Tuesday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Emma Progar, Psychologist
• Jungyeong Heo, Intern

Queer Space

Open to both undergraduate and graduate sexually and gender diverse students. The purpose of this group is to bring together like-minded and identifying individuals to provide a safe, supportive, and empowering space to process different issues (i.e., coming out, spirituality, family relationships, school and personal stressors, depression, self-esteem, oppression/discrimination, etc.) and life circumstances. Topics can vary from week to week and are based on group member needs. Goals include reducing isolation; finding support, particularly in dealing with the pressures associated with being sexually and/or gender diverse; and making positive changes.

Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Raynalde Schagen, Psychologist
• Baron Rogers, Psychologist
   

Men, Talking

This therapy group is open to both undergraduate and graduate male students. The purpose of this group is simply to get men together talking about different issues that may be impacting their life as a student at Penn State. Topics can vary from week to week and are based on group member needs. Sample topics include school and personal stressors, relationship issues, understanding and healthy expression of emotions, and dealing with the pressures associated with masculine ideals and stereotypes.

Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• John Mitchell, Psychologist
• Baron Rogers, Psychologist

Interpersonal Mindfulness

This therapy group is open to both undergraduate and graduate students interested in using mindfulness to increase self-acceptance and relate more comfortably to others. Sample topics include working with social anxiety, self-critical thoughts, mindful communication, and present-centered awareness. Previous experience with mindfulness encouraged, but not necessary to join.

Thursday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Emma Progar, Psychologist
• Jessica Vanderah, Intern

Pre-group meeting required.

Eating Disorder Recovery

These groups are designed for students who have difficulties with binge eating, purging, anorexia, and other eating disorder issues. The group focus is on understanding and managing dysfunctional patterns with food, as well as dealing with difficult emotions. Stress, body image, self-esteem, self-expression, relationships, and academic pressure are all possible topics for the group. This is not a structured group. 

Tuesday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Jill Hranicka, Psychologist
• Tia Rivera, Intern

Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Caitlin Chun-Kennedy, Psychologist
• Jungyeong Heo, Intern

Thursday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Sultan Magruder, Psychologist
• Sarah Hamrick, Clinical Services Provider

Survival Guide to Complicated Families

For students who identify as being a child of a parent(s) with substance use disorders or mental illness. Members will be provided with a safe space to explore and discuss the emotional struggles, relationship difficulties and other ways they have been impacted by growing up in this type of environment.

Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Alex Kinder, Psychologist
• Autumn Keefer, Psychologist

Grief/Loss

This group is for students who have experienced the death of a friend, relative, or close association. It is also appropriate for those who continue to struggle with painful memories of the death of a loved one. The group will focus on adjustment to the loss and reduction in feelings of guilt, anger, depression, and powerlessness.

Tuesday, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

• Maggie Doby, Licensed Clinical Social Worker  
• Julianna Carpenetti, Extern

Women's Empowerment  

This is a semi-structured support group for female students who have some history of exposure to sexual abuse and/or trauma. The group aims to empower the members to find their voice, increase self-worth, strengthen sense of self, and process through societal messages, pressures, and influences.

Tuesday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Camille Sluzis, Senior Staff Therapist
• Tammi Randrianasolo, Clinical Services Provider

Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Camille Sluzis, Licensed Professional Counselor
• Jessica Vanderah, Intern

Connecting Confidently

This group is for people who may feel uncomfortable or insecure showing up authentically in their relationships. Have you ever had challenges connecting with others? Or not feeling that your relationships are fulfilling? Have you ever felt drained from conforming to social expectations? This group will offer the opportunity to learn more about how to connect with others through exploring your inner self, developing social skills, interpreting communication dynamics, and- ultimately- enhancing your confidence to be your genuine self in the world.

Thursday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Stephanie Stama, Psychologist
• Laura McGuigan, Postdoc

Pre-group meeting required.

These structured clinics typically run for four to six consecutive weeks with a focus on education about and development of skills for improving your mental health and wellbeing.

Stress Management/Sleep

Learn strategies to improve your sleep quantity and quality, focusing on behaviors you engage in around sleep. Learn tools to cope with stress and discover a new relaxation exercise each session.

Tuesday, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

• Elana Szczesny, Psychologist
• WanHsuan Huang, Extern

Anxiety

Designed for students who are struggling with various forms of anxiety. Students will learn more about symptoms of anxiety, how anxiety impacts daily functioning, how anxiety works in the body, and learn ways to manage and reduce anxiety. The clinic will also provide an opportunity for students to talk with and receive support from other students who have similar difficulties with anxiety.

Monday, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

• Jason Yoder, Licensed Clinical Social Worker 
• Amber May, Extern

Thursday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (1st half of semester)

• Shannan Smith-Janik, Psychologist
• Wilson Trusty, Intern

Perfectionism

Perfectionistic tendencies can be both helpful and unhelpful in our daily lives. This clinic will help students increase their awareness and insight into their perfectionism, as well as learn strategies for coping with perfectionism. Students will explore the origins of perfectionism, the impact of perfectionism in daily life, and learn to identify and intervene with thoughts and behaviors that maintain perfectionism. 

Thursday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (2nd half of semester)

• Shannan Smith-Janik, Psychologist
• Wilson Trusty, Intern

Mindful Mood Management

In this clinic members will develop emotion-regulation skills, allowing them to navigate difficult or overwhelming emotions, increase distress tolerance, and cultivate self-compassion more effectively. Members will be introduced to the practice of mindfulness, which has been described as "paying attention, in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally" (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). Mindfulness can help with depression, anxiety, social discomfort, self-critical thoughts, anger, and other distressing emotions. Guided, experiential practice in the group will occur and some between-group practice will be encouraged.

Wednesday, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

• Han Wingate, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
• Eric Smith, Intern

Self-Compassion

This process-oriented clinic will focus on developing awareness and practice of self-compassion. At times, students struggle with perfectionism and unrealistic expectations of themselves and others. "Instead of mercilessly judging and criticizing yourself for various inadequacies or shortcomings, self-compassion means you are kind and understanding when confronted with personal failings- after all, who ever said you were supposed to be perfect?" (Neff, 2016). Members will develop skills in self-kindness through discussion, mindfulness practice, and experiential exercises. An intention will be to cultivate and empower the authentic self.

Monday, 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Laura Briscoe, Psychologist
• Henry Xiao, Psychologist

Eating Disorder Skills

Drop-in, screening required. Hands on practice of daily living skills to help with recovery from disordered eating and negative body image. These skills include identifying your values, mindfulness, working with strong emotions and thoughts, self-compassion, and intuitive eating.

Wednesday, 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

• Maggie Doby, Licensed Clinical Social Worker 
• Sarah Hamrick, Licensed Social Worker

Steady (DBT)

Drop-in, screening required. This group is intended for students who want to improve mood management and interpersonal success by learning skills to promote distress tolerance, mindfulness, and emotional regulation. Learn to deal with stress without losing control or engaging in destructive behaviors but instead, by showing more self-compassion and gaining the ability to learn and practice ways to prepare yourself for life’s challenges.

Friday, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Corinne Creppage, Licensed Professional Counselor
• Alex Kinder, Psychologist

SMART RECOVERY

SMART Recovery supports individuals who are considering abstinence - or already have chosen to abstain - from any type of addictive behaviors (substances, activities, or both) by teaching how to change self-defeating thinking, emotions and actions while working toward long-term satisfactions and quality of life. SMART teaches tools to stop problematic alcohol and drug use - and activities that have become compulsive, such as: smoking, overeating, gambling, sexual behavior, and internet use. SMART Uses a Four Point Program: 1) Building and maintaining motivation, 2) Coping with urges, 3) Managing thoughts, feelings, and actions, and 4) Living a balanced life.

Monday, 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., 104 Pasquerilla Center

• Lori Strayer, Licensed Professional Counselor
• Jason Yoder, Licensed Clinical Social Worker 

Women of Color Empowerment  

This is an open discussion group for both graduate and undergraduate students. Our goal is to provide a supportive space to center on the experiences of Women of Color on a majority White campus. Our intent is for attendees to explore topics such as identity, relationships and more; to empower and enhance their voice; and to fully embrace their Penn State experience through academic excellence and relationship-building. This group is a collaborative development between Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) and the Multicultural Resource Center (MRC).

Bi-weekly Wednesdays, 4:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Grange Building Room 217

Dates: 1/25, 2/8, 2/22, 3/15, 3/29, 4/12, and 4/26

• Laura Briscoe, CAPS Staff Psychologist  
• Tia Rivera, CAPS Doctoral Intern  
• Millie Rodríguez, MRC Senior STaff

Being, Believing, Belonging Discussion Group   

Monthly dialogues aim to bring people of different religious, spiritual, and/or humanistic backgrounds together in ways that respect different identities, build mutually inspiring relationships, and engage in common action around issues of shared concern. Interfaith dialogues are not intended to be proselytizing, but a time to hear from one another and appreciate what everyone brings to the table. For more information, visit: https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/spiritual/religious-spiritual-programs  

CAPS Co-Hosts 1x/Semester  

• Emma Progar, Psychologist   
• Rachel Galloway, AD Center for Spiritual and Ethical Development   

Blends of Traditional Heritages (BOTH) 

Members of B.O.T.H. enjoy the supportive environment and openness of members in exchanging opinions, offering support, and learning from each other's perspective of the biracial/multiracial experience. The group has a hand in determining the agenda every other week. Viewing documentaries and films, taking part in activities that promote conversations about contemporary topics or current events that impact their world view, and socializing (barbecues, bowling, game nights, etc.) are just a few of the many activities. For more information, visit: http://equity.psu.edu/mrc/both 

Biweekly, Sundays, 7:30-9:00 PM, 1st Floor Grange Building   

• Caitlin Chun-Kennedy, Psychologist  

• Shernell Elibox, MA   

Black and Latino Male Empowerment 

The biweekly black and Latino Male Empowerment Group (BLMEG) is a facilitated open discussion environment for African American and Latino men to meet biweekly within a brave space. The Black and Latino Male Empowerment Group explores shared experiences as Black and Latino men in the United States, particularly on a majority White campus. The goal is to assist men of color with identifying ways to fully embrace the Penn State experience through academic success, the development of community service initiatives, and relationship building, while taking advantage of all academic and social opportunities within the University. For more information, visit: http://equity.psu.edu/mrc/black-latino-male-empowerment-group 

 Tuesdays, 5:00-6:30 PM 

• Sultan Magruder, Psychologist 
• Sean Hembrick M.Ed., MFA