Group Counseling

UT Dallas > Student Counseling Center > Services > Group Counseling
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What is group counseling?

Group counseling provides an opportunity to improve personal, emotional and behavioral skills, develop increased confidence, overcome blocks to personal effectiveness, and acquire a keener awareness and appreciation of interactions with others. In a group setting, a group of peers and co-facilitators meet to provide feedback and support for self-improvement. Group members are encouraged to explore and express feelings, examine belief systems, reflect on and receive feedback about patterns of behavior, and work toward making healthy changes. For group counseling to be effective, active participation is encouraged. Participation involves regular attendance and respectful, honest communication. Groups may focus on a specific topic or may be general with a particular emphasis.

What kinds of groups do we typically have?

To accommodate the diverse needs, skills, and interests of our clients, we hold a wide range of groups. Below you will find a list of open groups, as well as those that may have already closed. We keep the groups listed even when closed to provide a sense of what types of groups you can expect and plan for in future semesters.

students walking near the Love Jack sculpture

Spring 2025 Offerings

Process Groups

Process groups are focused on the exploration and open processing and discussion of participants. Process groups are typically more open-ended and less structured around a specific lesson or topic for the day. Clients are required to complete a group screening to assess whether the group matches their needs and interest.

For process groups, if you are not a current or recent client, please make an appointment to get started and note your interest in group therapy. You’ll complete intake paperwork and have a 30-minute “IC” (individual consultation) with one of our therapists, and then get scheduled for a brief screening meeting with the group’s leader.

If you are a current or recent client, reach out to our Groups & Workshops Coordinator at sccgroups@utdallas.edu to schedule a screening meeting.

Understanding Self & Others Group (USO)

Group Facilitators: Alanna Carrasco Drummond (she/her) & Mengqing Shang (she/her)
Weekly, Tuesdays 2:00-3:20pm
Location: SSB 4.600, in person

Understanding Self and Others is a weekly interpersonal process group for students who want to explore personal growth and increase self-awareness to enhance their experiences in personal and academic settings. In this safe space, group members can practice communicating more honestly and effectively with others while gaining support from peers. Group topics may include adjustment, loneliness, academic/general stress and relationships.


SPARK (Sex and Pornography Addiction Recovery Kit)

Group Facilitator: Cara Guziak (she/her) and Hana Choi (she/her)
Weekly, Thursdays 1-2:20 pm
Location: SSB 4.600, in person

SPARK is supportive and nonjudgmental meeting place for students who are questioning or struggling with the ways they engage with sex and/or pornography. This group will hold space for students to process their concerns, define healthy sex for themselves, and build tools to help navigate distress. Whether this is an issue that’s recently come up or is something you have navigated for a long time, this group can help meet you where you are.

Learning to Heal: Trauma Recovery Group

Group Facilitator: Dr. Jenna Temkin (she/her) and Camisha Kibble (she/they)
Time/Day TBD (contact us to share availability, time/day will be chosen based on interest)
Location: SSB 4.600, in person 

Learning to Heal Trauma Recovery Group introduces students to the impacts of trauma and topics such as boundaries, power and control, healthy relationships and self-compassion. From these topics, group members will explore their own patterns of responding to trauma, begin to establish new ways of coping and begin/continue their process of healing.

“Untangle” (AEDP – Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy)

Group Facilitator: Maria Chaparro (she/her) and KaLynn Glasper (she/her)
9 Weeks 
Thursdays 2 to 2:50 pm, 1/30-4/3 (no meeting 3/20, Spring Break)
Location: Virtual Group via Microsoft Teams
 
Untangle is a therapy group for those who identify themselves as highly emotionally sensitive (deep feelers) and highly empathetic but that have been made to feel as if their rich emotional landscape is an inconvenience to themselves or others. In this group clients will gain a deeper and affirming understanding of their emotions and be empowered with knowledge and skills to use their emotions in a fulfilling way. They will also have the opportunity to find resonance and connection with those who face similar life experiences. Group is based on Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy. 

Skills-Based Groups

Skills-based groups are focused on building skills to help improve one’s life and tend to be based around a theme or topic (e.g., learning coping skills, distress management, improved self-compassion, etc.).

For skills-based groups, if you are not a current or recent client of the SCC, please make an appointment to get started and note your interest in group therapy. You’ll complete intake paperwork and have a 30-minute “IC” (individual consultation) with one of our therapists, and then get scheduled for a brief screening meeting with the group’s leader.

If you are a current or recent client of the SCC, reach out to our Groups & Workshops Coordinator at sccgroups@utdallas.edu to schedule a screening meeting.


Attention and Motivation

Group Facilitator: Dr. Katie Niehus (she/her)
Weekly, Wednesdays 3-3:50pm
Location: SSB 4.600, in person

This group focuses on building skills for improving attention and focus in college settings, including lectures and studying, as well as in everyday life. Group members will also learn skills for increasing motivation to complete necessary tasks to be successful in college and life. The group will also serve as a support group for individuals who have been formally diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) or for individuals who believe they are experiencing symptoms consistent with ADHD.

DBT-U (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy for University Students)

Group Facilitator: Cara Guziak (she/her) and Sanaa Ali (she/her)
8 Weeks, Tuesdays 1-2:30pm
Location: Virtual Group via Microsoft Teams 

DBT-U is an open eight-week, skills-based group for students to learn and develop coping skills and strategies to improve individual functioning. This group is specifically for clients who have difficulties in emotion regulation, interpersonal difficulties and pattern of crisis. Group members learn topics related to mindfulness skills, interpersonal effectiveness and communication strategies, emotion regulation and distress tolerance skills in a structured and supportive learning environment. Each group consists of a brief mindfulness exercise, check-in/introductions, introduction of new skills, discussion/experiential practice and assignment of practice exercise and check-out.

Unraveling Perfectionism Group

Group Facilitators: Rosanna Lin (she/her) and Jenn Rubalcaba (she/her)
Mondays 1-1:50pm, starting 3/3 
Location: in person, SSB 4.600

Take a step toward self-acceptance and let go of the pressure to be perfect. 

If perfectionism is holding you back, join our skills-based group where you’ll explore how it shows up in your life and find a supportive, welcoming space to grow. Through open conversation and learning about the different types and traits of perfectionism, you’ll discover helpful strategies and resources to start your journey toward recovery. 

Support Groups

These groups provide an opportunity for support from others who hold similar identities or life experiences. Participation is open and drop-in style, meaning members do not have to be current clients of the center, and you may attend meetings as often or as seldom as you like. Support groups are open to all UTD students, and no group screening is required. Please note support groups are not the same as therapy groups in that they are more focused on building community and peer support guided by a facilitator than in-depth therapeutic intervention.

If you are not a current or recent client of the SCC, please follow this link to complete the Groups & Workshops brief intake to get started and note your interest in joining a support group. You’ll fill out a few forms with basic information for contact and data-collecting purposes only, and the Groups & Workshops Coordinator will reach out to you with the link or additional info to join the support group.

If you are a current or recent client of the SCC, reach out to our Groups & Workshops Coordinator at sccgroups@utdallas.edu to get the link or instructions to join.

Graduate Student Support Group

Group Facilitators: Cara Guziak (she/her/hers)
Weekly, Thursdays 4:30-5:50 pm
Location: Virtual Group via Microsoft Teams

Join us to discuss – challenges of being a graduate student, fears about immigration, imposter syndrome, loneliness, motivation, managing relationships with faculty, work-life balance, & more!

OUTer Space LGBTQ+ Support Group 

Group Facilitator: Shelly Turner (she/her/hers)
Weekly, Fridays 2-2:50 pm 
Location: Hybrid – SSB 4.600, in person and Virtual Group via Microsoft Teams

Seeking a place where you can be yourself and feel validated for who you are? OUTer Space is a weekly support group for LGBTQIA+ students of all ages and identifications who want to talk about validating and supporting others and themselves. Whether you are newly out or have experienced self-doubt or disconnection, this group provides a supportive environment to connect with yourself and others.

Regular Offerings

Look for these groups and others in future semesters!


Healthy Relationships Group

This group is open to students interested in increasing their understanding of themselves and how they relate to others. The goal of this group is to improve interpersonal relationships by examining how one contributes to relationship dynamics along with attempting to connect with others in-the-moment by sharing personal experiences. If you are struggling to understand your role in the difficulties within your various relationships, have difficulty balancing your needs with those of others, frequently disagree with others, have trouble connecting or forming relationships or have conflict with others, you may benefit from this group. Along with relationship exploration, the group will also explore general concerns or struggles members may face.

Shelf Compassion “Book Club”

Shelf Compassion is a therapy-focused book club that explores a different book each semester, delving into themes of personal growth, mental health, and resilience. Guided discussions help connect the book’s insights to real-life experiences, fostering self-reflection and meaningful conversations. Whether you’re a book lover or just looking for a new way to support your well-being, this group offers a welcoming space to learn, share, and grow.

Family Re-Imagined Support Group

This is a weekly drop-in group for students who want to have a safe space to discuss family concerns, gain insights into their family structure, learn effective and healthy interactions and boundaries, and feel supported and heard. Students can attend as many sessions as needed.  

Black Women’s Support Group

Support group for Black women who are facing challenges related to mental health, relationships, and/or academics

International Student Support Circle

Supportive space for international students to share experiences and navigate challenges related to studying abroad

ASTRA: An Intersectional Women & Femmes Support Group

Looking for a place to connect with other women & femme Comets? The ASTRA Support Group is a safe space to speak about women & femme issues, support and advocate for yourself and others, and share experiences related to womanhood and the experience of femininity.