Group Counselling
Is Group Counselling Right for Me?
Group counselling can be a powerful and valuable venue for change and growth. Group counselling offers many benefits such as peer support, reduced stigma and isolation, as well as normalization of feelings and experiences. Research indicates that group therapy is just as effective as individual counselling. Before joining a group, you will meet a group facilitator one-on-one to discuss what to expect, group content, and whether or not the group is a right fit for you at this time. More and more students are joining groups for the opportunity to connect with peers and feel less alone! Consider if group is the next step in your wellness journey.
Groups | Winter 2025 Offerings
Creating S P A C E
Who? Students who are looking for an open space to create connections with others.
What? We will agree to a set of principles and behaviours that will foster safety, trust, and respect. We will journal about current and relevant topics. Participants will be asked to share what's in their minds and hearts. We will close our space with a grounding exercise or meditation to help us integrate processing and/or move on with our day. Some topics for exploration could include coping with change, uncertainty, procrastination, boundaries, grief, anger, fear, body image, expectations etc.
Why? Space is a safe and supportive sharing circle where there is room to explore common life challenges and speak out loud about struggles. We will come together with compassion, to support and empower each other, not advise, fix or judge. In this group we will "hold space" for meaningful connection.
When: Starting January 16, 2025 this group will meet Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for 9 weeks.
Where? In person. Counselling Services AH153.
Register: Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to register or call at 403-317-2845 for more information.
* This is a closed group meaning you must sign up prior to the start date.
Roll for Resilience
Who? Students looking to build skills, improve distress tolerance, and make connections via a DnD campaign.
What? “Your party meets in a tavern counselling office”. Roll for Resilience is a therapeutic Dungeons and Dragons group that is being offered to U of L students via Counselling Services. No experience with therapy or DnD is required, only a willingness to participate and a commitment to attend.
Why? Participants can expect to practice skills that are based in therapeutic concepts like acceptance, contacting the present moment, values clarification, committed action, distress tolerance, and more, all accomplished via a DnD campaign run by a counsellor. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own individual goals, such as anxiety management, building social skills, improving self-advocacy, and challenging perceptions about self, among many other possibilities
When: Starting January 17, 2025 this group will meet Fridays from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. for 10 weeks.
Where? In person. Location to be confirmed upon registration.
Register: Registration is limited to 6 participants. Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to register or call at 403-317-2845 for more information.
*As this is an initial offering, space for this group will be quite limited and there may be a waitlist for participation. The amount of interest shown for this initial group will help determine how often/many similar groups will be offered in the coming semesters, which could even include summer semesters.
*This is a closed group meaning you must sign up prior to the start date.
DBT Group
Who? This group is for those who wish to navigate the waves (big or small) of their emotions more effectively and enhance their interpersonal skills to foster positive interactions with the people in their lives.
What? This group will use DBT principles to support you in attuning to your inner experience and provide key strategies and skills to attend to your emotions, empowering you to find calm amidst the chaos of life. Themes covered will include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and self-awareness skills.
When: January 21, 2025, this group will meet Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. for 8 weeks.
Where? In person. Location to be confirmed upon registration.
Register: Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to be added to the waitlist for next semester, or call at 403-317-2845 for more information.
* This is a closed group meaning you must sign up prior to the start date.
Groups | Fall 2024 Offerings
Creating S P A C E
Who? Students who are looking for an open space to create connections with others.
What? We will agree to a set of principles and behaviours that will foster safety, trust, and respect. We will journal about current and relevant topics. Participants will be asked to share what's in their minds and hearts. We will close our space with a grounding exercise or meditation to help us integrate processing and/or move on with our day. Some topics for exploration could include coping with change, uncertainty, procrastination, boundaries, grief, anger, fear, body image, expectations etc.
Why? Space is a safe and supportive sharing circle where there is room to explore common life challenges and speak out loud about struggles. We will come together with compassion, to support and empower each other, not advise, fix or judge. In this group we will "hold space" for meaningful connection.
When: Starting October 24th, this group will meet Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. for 6 weeks.
Where? In person. Counselling Services AH153.
Register: Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to register or call at 403-317-2845 for more information.
* This is a closed group meaning you must sign up prior to the start date.
Support on The Spectrum
Who? This group is for YOU if you are looking to connect with peers and build skills. Anyone who identifies on the Autism spectrum, or with Autism traits, is invited to join!
What? Themes covered will include interpersonal effectiveness, emotional regulation, and self-awareness skills. The overall mission of this group is to build the self-confidence of all members.
When: Cancelled. Sadly we had to cancel group due to not having enough registrants.
Where? Cancelled.
* This is a closed group meaning you must sign up prior to the start date.
DBT Group
Who? This group is for those who wish to navigate the waves (big or small) of their emotions more effectively and enhance their interpersonal skills to foster positive interactions with the people in their lives.
What? This group will use DBT principles to support you in attuning to your inner experience and provide key strategies and skills to attend to your emotions, empowering you to find calm amidst the chaos of life. Themes covered will include mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, interpersonal effectiveness, and self-awareness skills.
When: Starting October 29th, this group will meet Tuesdays from 10:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. for 6 weeks.
Where? In person. Location to be confirmed upon registration.
Register: Registration is closed. Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to be added to the waitlist for next semester, or call at 403-317-2845 for more information.
Groups | Spring 2024 Offerings
Relationships Group
Who? Students who are hoping to connect more authentically in relationships with themselves and close others.
What? We will explore foundational aspects of supportive and nourishing relationships, as well as intimate relationships. We will also bring gentle awareness to your relationship with yourself to support a deepening of attunement, vulnerability, and connection within your closest relationships. Areas of focus throughout the group will include attachment, emotional regulation/co-regulation, boundaries, needs/values, trust and communication.
Why? Relationships are foundational to our well-being and development. We often grow up in family and relational systems steeped with trauma, wounding, and dysfunction. Through integration of reflection, education, and processing we can expand our capacity to recognize, understand, and feel connection with those that we care for and love.
When? Wednesdays from February 28th to March 27th from11:00 a.m. -11:50 a.m.
Where? In-person. Counselling Services, AH153.
Register: Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to register or call at 403-317-2845 for more information.
** Please Note: This is a CLOSED GROUP - meaning you must register on or before the start date and attend the initial session to participate. Commitment to weekly attendance is strongly recommended **
Chronic Illness Connection + Support Group
Who? This group is for people who identify as having a chronic medical illness that impacts their life. For e.g. multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic pain, post-concussive syndrome, crohns, colitis, Lyme disease, PCOS, endometriosis, arthritis, diabetes, ALS, IBS and more. No diagnosis needed.
What? Chronic Illness Connection and Support Group is a process group for members to connect with others and yourself. This is a space for members to explore their relationship and connection with their body and strengthen their mind-body relationship. Body awareness, self-compassion, mindfulness and expressive arts will be used.
Why? People suffering from chronic illness may have limited social support networks, decreased energy, and increased risks of mental health concerns (stress, anxiety, depression, grief, etc.). Group therapy is supported by research for a wide range of concerns and may offer health management coping strategies, self-understanding, connection, safety, support, and improved quality of life.
Where? In-person. Counselling Services AH153.
When? Starting January 26th this group will run weekly on Fridays from 1:30 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. for 6 weeks (excluding reading week).
To register: This group is no longer accepting registrations. Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to be added to the waitlist.
** Please Note: This is a CLOSED GROUP - meaning you must register on or before the start date and attend the initial session to participate. Commitment to weekly attendance is strongly recommended **
Creating S P A C E
Who? Students who are looking for an open space to create connections with others.
What? We will agree to a set of principles and behaviours that will foster safety, trust, and respect. We will journal about current and relevant topics. Participants will be asked to share what's in their minds and hearts. We will close our space with a grounding exercise or meditation to help us integrate processing and/or move on with our day. Some topics for exploration could include coping with change, uncertainty, procrastination, boundaries, grief, anger, fear, body image, expectations etc.
Why? Space is a safe and supportive sharing circle where there is room to explore common life challenges and speak out loud about struggles. We will come together with compassion, to support and empower each other, not advise, fix or judge. In this group we will "hold space" for meaningful connection.
When: POSTPONED until March 1, 2024. This group will meet from 11:00-12:00 p.m. each Friday (excluding reading week).
Where? In person. Counselling Services AH153.
Register: Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to register or call at 403-317-2845 for more information.
Art Therapy Group
Who? Any student wanting to experience art therapy in a counselling group setting.
What? Each session includes mental health check-ins, exploration of art materials and a theme based on the current series to make art around. Art materials provided. Feel free to bring any extra supplies or art projects. No art making experience necessary.
Why? Art therapy group provides an alternate way to express feelings and thoughts, and an excellent opportunity to regulate and connect with others. Viewing images and forms concretely can help provide answers and further questions, and the process of “making” can be therapeutic in and of itself.
When:
- Series 1: Self Regulation - Mondays from January 22nd to February 12th from 1:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Any student who wants to try out artmaking as a strategy to regulate the nervous system, bring calm to the mind and relaxation to the body.
- Series 2: Exploring Identity - Mondays from February 26th to March 18th from 1:45 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Any student who is curious about diving further into understanding who they are. Each session will provide a directive to explore some aspect of identity, whether it is in a specific context, the variety of roles we play, the masks we wear, or how our histories inform our present.
Where? In-person. Counselling Services, AH153.
Register: Students can email us at counselling.services@uleth.ca to register or call at 403-317-2845 for more information.