Group Counseling & Support Spaces

What do students say about CAPS groups?

In a recent survey of group counseling participants ...

  • 96% said they would recommend CAPS groups to other Cornell students.
  • 93% said that participation in their group helped them function better in daily life.
  • 91% said they gained skills related to the concerns that brought them to the group.

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Group counseling

Group counseling is one of the most effective tools for addressing issues common among college students. For many students, group counseling can be as effective or more effective than individual counseling. Learn more about the documented benefits of group counseling.

CAPS groups offer a safe environment to discuss problems with others who are dealing with similar concerns. Most students report that they find the group experience to be helpful far beyond their expectations. 

  • Group counseling is FREE and available to:
  • Each group is led by one or more CAPS counselor
  • Groups usually meet weekly for a 90-minute session; some meet in person and some by Zoom
  • Groups are private and confidential; all members must agree that what is disclosed in sessions cannot be shared outside of the group
  • Most groups require a group orientation; learn more below about how to join a group

Group Counseling Schedule (Fall 2025)

See groups meeting on ...

== MONDAYS ==

Interpersonal Support Group for Undergraduates

  • Mondays, 4:45 – 6:15 pm, via Zoom, October 20 to December 8
  • Open to undergraduate students
  • Weekly semester group – no drop-ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Joy Mushabac, LCSW-R and Qiana Watson, LCSW

This group offers an opportunity for undergraduate students to come together, listen, share, and support one another in working through a broad range of interpersonal issues that are commonly experienced in student life, including (but not limited to) academic and career stress, peer and romantic relationship issues, family challenges, loneliness, self-esteem, depression and anxiety, as well as the impact of racism, and various forms of marginalization. Additionally, this group offers a safe space for group members to process their feelings of insecurity and uncertainty in today’s ever-changing political and economic climate. Group members will have the opportunity to share and receive emotional support and feedback from group facilitators and other group members. Although this is not a skills-based group, group members often take away useful tips for help in navigating their short- and longer-term stressors and feel more empowered to take the steps necessary to make changes that support their well-being and self-identity. In brief, this is a group that aims to enhance greater understanding of self and others as well as promote a sense of belongingness and increased self-confidence in relating to others. [How to join]

What You Resist Persists: a Group for Those with OCD

  • Mondays, 3:15 – 4:45 pm, in-person at Cornell Health, October 20 to December 8
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly semester group – no drop-ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Alex Julian, PhD and April Campanelli, LCSW 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) can be an isolating and persistent mental health condition. Often our perceptions of OCD are based on stigmatized representations in media, which are rarely accurate (although Monk is quite entertaining). This group will provide members with education on the sources and perpetuating factors of OCD as well as strategies to manage and confront unwanted thoughts. Group will be interactive and collaborative, with leaders and members providing support to each other in the difficult process of reducing the control of OCD. [How to join]

Write it OUT: Weekly Process Group

  • Mondays, 3:00 - 4:30 pm, via Zoom, October 6 to December 8 (no group October 13)
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly semester group – no drop-ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Lex Santi, MFA, LCSW and Genel Gronkowski, MA, PhD

Write It Out is a therapeutic creative writing group for students navigating emotional stress, relationship dynamics, and internal roadblocks. Have you ever gotten stuck and frustrated with someone or something—and run out of tools to get past it? This group offers those tools, combining principles of narrative therapy and creative writing therapy in a supportive space. Through weekly prompts and reflection, participants explore the stories they carry, transform emotional stuck points, and build greater insight, clarity, and resilience.

Many students find that the group helps them feel more grounded, better able to reflect on challenges, and more connected to their own voice. No writing experience is necessary—just a willingness to be curious and creative. [How to join]

== TUESDAYS ==

ACT (Acceptance & Commitment Therapy) for Anxiety & Depression

  • Tuesdays, 2:30 – 4:00 pm, in-person at Cornell Health, September 30 to December 2
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly semester group – no drop ins; group orientation required with Cory Myler
  • Facilitators: Cory Myler, PhD and Shinong Ji, MCH-LP

This group will focus on "getting better at feeling" rather than "feeling better," how to best have pain rather than get rid of pain, and how to accept internal experiences (e.g., thoughts and emotions) rather than control them. We will work on the identification of personal values and how to engage in action/behavior that is congruent with those values, even while uncomfortable internal experiences persist.

The format of the group is a mixture of "didactic" and "process"; the group will start out very class-like, with facilitators using slides and a book, "The Happiness Trap", to explain concepts and principles. As the group progresses, it will become more like a traditional therapy group, with more opportunity for interaction between group members and sharing personal experiences. [How to join]

CHEP Recovery Group

  • Tuesdays, 4:45 – 6:00 pm in-person at Cornell Health, September 23 to December 2
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly semester group – no drop ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Penny Krainin, PhD and Elizabeth Jonas, LMSW-LP

The CHEP recovery group is a support group for students who have already sought help for an eating disorder and are in the process of ongoing treatment and recovery. The group provides a strongly recovery-focused environment and allows for building skills, sharing wisdom, and fostering self-compassion with peers that have also participated in eating disorder treatment. [How to join]

== WEDNESDAYS ==

The Eating and Body Image Skills and Support Group

  • Wednesdays, 4:45 – 6:00 pm, in-person at Cornell Health, October 22 to December 3
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly sessions – no drop ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Heather Wimmer-Haman, PsyD and April Campanelli, LCSW 

Do you think about eating, your body, or exercise often? Are these patterns negatively impacting your academic performance, social life, or physical health? This group will provide a safe and empowering space to talk about disordered eating habits, notice patterns, and identify individual goals. This group is for students who are considering taking steps towards recovery or who are curious about reducing the harm associated with their behaviors and have little or no previous treatment experience. This group will aim to support students in gaining increased insight into their personal values and to discover ways of using those values to motivate change. This group is open to students of all identities and backgrounds. Most of the content will be based on ideas and questions raised from those in attendance. Group leaders may share education or skills as it pertains to the group discussion and needs. [How to join]

Queering Connection: LGBTQ+ Interpersonal Process & Support Group for Undergraduates and Graduates

  • Wednesdays, 3:00 – 4:15 pm, in-person at Day Hall, October 15 to December 3 (no group November 26)
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly sessions – no drop-ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Alison Bliss, LCSW and Dan Keenan LCSW

This group offers a safe space for exploration of queer identities (sexuality, gender identity, and relationship structure). We will engage in interpersonal processing, mindfulness, and psycho-education related to attachment styles and communication in relationships.

We will meet on a weekly basis in a confidential and affirming group to talk, connect with each other, and offer emotional support. We will explore relevant themes such as relationships with self, family and friends, dating (including navigating relationships on the ace/aro spectrum as well as non-monogamous relationship structures), coming out, being out, transitioning, and ways to embrace all of who you are. There is space to bring all of who you are and your intersecting identities to group. Group is also open to topics that are not exclusively identity related such as academics, depression, anxiety.

Sip and Stim: A Group for Neurodivergent Students

  • Wednesdays, 4:45 – 6:15 pm, in-person at Cornell Health, October 15 to December 3
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly semester group – no drop-ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Karen Williams, PhD and Em McClintock, LMHC-D

This group is open to all students who identify as neurodivergent. Self-diagnosed is valid! We seek to provide members with a safe, judgment-free space to process their life-long experiences with neurodiversity. During aach group session we will pair topics with activities and skill building.

Topics include:

  • Navigating neurodivergence and social and interpersonal dynamics

  • Meaning making through the intersections of our neurodivergence and other identities

  • Creating and maintaining structure - studying and time management

  • Self-care and well-being practices

  • Balancing neurodivergence with other mental health challenges

Members are encouraged to propose topics and share tips that work in their everyday lives. Join us for a cup of tea and discuss these important experiences of life. [How to join]

== THURSDAYS ==

AOD: Discover Recovery

  • Thursdays, 3:15 – 4:45 pm, in-person at Cornell Health, September 4 to December 18
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Orientation required; open enrollment
  • Facilitators: Jacob Parker Carver, LMSW and Brett Jakobson, LCSW

Recovery from Alcohol & Other Drugs (AOD) can mean a lot of different things. For many people it's about giving up a specific substance that has caused a lot of problems, for others it's a commitment to full sobriety. It's common to quit using for weeks or months at a time to improve physical and mental health, and some people decide that ongoing abstinence is an important part of their long-term wellness. Whether you're dropping one substance or many, planning short-term or long-term, this group is for you... because we believe you're in recovery when you say you are.

We know that AOD Recovery is about a lot more than sobriety... It's about understanding your values, enhancing motivation, and building a life you don't need to escape from. Each week we'll help identify common triggers, develop strategies for responding to cravings/urges, and explore experiences that provide genuine fulfillment - so you can lead your best life while maintaining abstinence from one or more substances. Most importantly we'll hold a safe space for each other, and work to establish a community of authentic mutual support. This is primarily a process group, with room for education and skill building as requested by participants. [How to join]

The Art of Relaxation: 8 Week Somatic Therapy Group

  • Thursdays, 5:00 - 6:30 pm, in-person at the Schwartz Center, October 2 to November 20
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Closed 8-week group – no drop-ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Sophia Scholl, PsyD and Shinong Ji, MHC-LP

This group offers a gentle, inclusive space for individuals seeking embodied calm and deeper self-awareness. Over 8 weeks, participants will be guided through a blend of somatic movement, mindfulness, and psychoeducation, with space for reflection and integration. Rooted in a trauma-informed and culturally humble approach, sessions will focus on practices that support nervous system regulation and invite the body into rest.

The focus of this group is to build skills for managing stress and mastering the art of relaxation, tools that students can carry into both academic and personal life. More than a skills group, this is a chance to step away from the grind of student life, slow down, and reconnect with your natural capacity for rest, care, and healing. Designed for all body types and experiences, the group provides both practical strategies for relaxation and the safety of a supportive community to explore boundaries, rest, and joy.

Grief Support Group

  • Thursdays, 4:45 - 6:15 pm, in-person at Cornell Health, October 2 to December 4
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly semester group – no drop-ins; group orientation required
  • Facilitators: Katherine Goldberg, DVM, LMSW and Janna Buckwalter, LMHC

A support group for undergraduate and graduate students who are significantly impacted by the death of someone important to them. Most group members have experienced the death of a close family member - parent or sibling. Some have experienced the death of another family member who has had a primary role for the student - i.e., someone raised by a grandparent. Other group members are grieving the loss of a close friend. The loss may have occurred very recently or many years ago. Topics explored will depend upon group member interests and concerns, but is support focused rather than educational. Common themes emerge around grieving as a young person and related impacts. Orientation required for all, and also available for any students who are unsure whether group would be a good fit for them. [How to join]

== POSTPONED groups ==

AOD: How to Change a Habit

This 6-session group welcomes undergraduate and graduate students who are motivated to change an addictive behavior - use of Alcohol & other Drugs (AOD), social media or other technology, gambling, etc - and support each other in a confidential space. Facilitators will provide psychoeducation on the science of behavior change, with opportunities for reflection and practice so you can apply core concepts to your daily life. People who participate in this group can expect to gain a better understanding of their behavior patterns, to significantly reduce or quit an existing “bad” habit, and to identify healthier replacements.

Session 1: The Science Behind Behavior Change
Session 2: Track Your Triggers
Session 3: Cope With Cravings
Session 4: Responding Versus Reacting
Session 5: Reward and Reinforcement
Session 6: Next Level

The format for this group is inspired in part by the book “Atomic Habits”, by James Clear. We encourage participants to read along with the book while engaging in the group. 

LGBTQ+ Support/Process Group for Graduate Students

This group provides a safe, affirming space for graduate and professional students of any gender who identify as LGBTQ+. Here you will find an opportunity to explore, embrace, question, and share all aspects of your identity. As we connect through shared identities, we welcome you to bring your whole self as we discuss various topics such as coming out, transitioning, relationships, depression, anxiety, and stress. Other relevant topics may include, but are not limited to, advisor/program dynamics, working with uncertainty, stress management, family dynamics, dating, social isolation/connection, as well as any topic that you would like to bring that is relevant to your lived experience. New to groups? No problem! Come join us for a welcoming atmosphere and weekly support, processing, and psychoeducation. 

Moving Forward: A Support Group for Survivors of Sexual Violence

Students of all genders who have experienced unwanted and/or non-consensual sexual contact and/or other forms of sexual trauma are encouraged to consider whether this private and confidential support group may be helpful to them. The group will be a space for those who have experienced sexual violence in recent months or years to gain support from one another and explore ways to heal in the aftermath of an assault. Discussion topics to include: Myth-busting, coping, managing triggers and flashbacks, trust and safety, fear, anger and sadness, grief and shame, body image, self-esteem, intimacy, sexuality and self-care, and identifying ongoing support. 

Positive Action Through Interaction: A Graduate Student Group for All Genders

This group is appropriate for any graduate students who have life dissatisfaction or distress that is primarily linked to how they experience their relationships with important people in their lives (e.g., friends, family, advisors, partners) AND who want to work on being more effective in those relationships. Insight in this group is generally gained through discussion with and feedback from the other group members; however, some mindfulness-based techniques will also be introduced to facilitate this process.  In addition, group will also provide a safer space to practice new, healthier ways of relating to others with the idea that you can 'try it on' in group and 'wear it' in your day-to-day life.  There may also be occasional invitations to enact "experiments" with these insights in your relationships and activities outside of group.

**How to join (or learn more about) a group**

Most groups require potential members to have a brief group orientation with the group leader(s) to see if the group is the right one for you. (Group descriptions below indicate whether an orientation is required.)

Here's how to schedule a group orientation, or to learn more about a group you're interested in:

  • If you’re already seeing a counselor at Cornell Health, you may ask them about joining a group.
  • You can schedule a "group counseling orientation" directly by calling us at 607-255-5155, or by logging in to myCornellHealth and selecting Appointments>Mental Health Appointment>Group Counseling orientation.
  • You can schedule an "Access" appointment if you want to learn about group counseling as well as other options for mental health support at Cornell Health. 

Support & healing spaces (drop-in)

Harm Reduction and Healthy Habits Support Space

This is a safe, supportive space for anyone looking to build and maintain healthier habits—
physically, mentally, and emotionally. Whether you're cutting back on drinking, vaping,
cannabis, screen time, gambling, or other habits, this group offers a confidential space to talk,
learn, and explore healthier options. No judgment, just connection and motivation as we work
toward a more balanced and sustainable lifestyle— navigating challenges together, one step at
a time.

Mondays can be a fresh start. Drop in anytime between 3:15–4:45 p.m. to share, listen, and
connect with others. Facilitators from Cornell Health CAPS will offer support, research-based
strategies, and resources to help you stay on track. Come weekly or whenever you can, and
bring a friend! [How to join]

Neurodivergent Drop-in Question Time!

  • Wednesdays, 1:00 – 2:00 pm , via Zoom, September 24 to December 10
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Weekly semester space – drop-in as desired; no orientation required (Cornell login required; use this link to join via Zoom)
  • Hosted by: Em McClintock, LMHC-D, a neurodivergent therapist from Cornell Health, and Florencia Ardon, PhD, a neurodivergent study skills lecturer and consultant from the Learning Strategies Center

Why is that I do *that*?
What is ADHD? Autism? Neurodivergence?
Is my ADHD or autism why some things seem harder for then than for others?
How do I deal with *it*? Does medication help? How do I access it?
What resources are available on campus and how do I find them?

Get these or any other question you have answered! [How to join]

Finding Healing Through Art Therapy

  • Thursdays, 3:15 - 4:45 pm, in-person at Willard Straight Hall Music Room (WSH411), October 9 to December 4
  • Open to undergraduate and graduate / professional students
  • Open enrollment; group orientation NOT required
  • Facilitators: Alex Julian, PhD and Dan Keenan, LCSW

Navigating the college experience can exciting but at times leave us feeling overwhelmed, lost, and isolated. While support can often be found from traditional talk therapy, alternate methods such as art therapy can be just as helpful or even a better fit for some. This group will provide members with an opportunity to put their experience into a format that may express what they are feeling in a more helpful way. Group will consist of five sessions per cycle and include education on the benefits of art therapy, skill building, managing emotions, and verbal processing. We will be using clay, watercolor, colored pencils, and other mediums. [How to join]

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