Group Counseling & Workshops
The Group Counseling Program at Counseling & Psychological Services includes offerings that can help students learn skills, manage distress, and/or build community. All of the group counseling topic categories are listed below. Some things to keep in mind:
- There is no additional cost for groups. CAPS services are covered by your student fees!
- Some groups require a different level of commitment ranging from single-sessions to quarter-long.
- Some groups require a pre-screen to ensure that the group is a good fit for your needs.
- If you are currently located outside of California, your ability to attend may depend on your specific location.
- Some group descriptions fit more than one category, so they are listed multiple times.
Please read through the information for the group(s) you are interested in. If you have any questions, please contact CAPS at (805) 893-4411.
Glossary of Group Counseling Terms
- Drop-in: student can choose to attend just one session or multiple. No expectation of attendance, but may still require an initial registration to get Zoom link access.
- Series: while not a "process group," information being shared builds on itself and it is beneficial to be able to attend all sessions.
- Pre-screen: a short (typically 15-30 minute) appointment with the group leader(s) to ensure that the group you are interested in is a good fit for your needs. These can be scheduled by calling (805) 893-4411 or by submitting a Services Request Form.
- Google request form: each group has a link to a Google Form for registration. This helps keep track of interest and group leaders can reach out with Zoom links and group updates. These will not prompt a pre-screen appointment — those need to be scheduled separately.
- [CLOSED]: this denotes when a group is full, and signups are closed for the quarter. Usually the group will open signups again near the beginning of the next quarter.
- [WAITLIST]: this denotes when a group is full, and students are welcome to sign up to be put on a waitlist.
Group & Workshop Programming
Our group programming includes both skill-based and peer-support opportunities designed to support student wellbeing. Some groups emphasize learning practical tools and strategies for managing mental health concerns, while others may also provide space to process experiences with peers, seek support, and build social and relational skills. All students are welcome to all group offerings.
Managing Emotions, Stress Reduction, & Coping Skills
These groups provide students with practical tools for managing difficult emotions, lowering stress, and finding healthier ways to cope. They also offer opportunities to practice mindfulness, creativity, and self-compassion as part of building resilience.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 2:30-4pm
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: No
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Ashley Gilmore, LMFT & Jennifer Taylor, LMFT
This didactic group that helps students adopt coping skills in the areas of Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, and Interpersonal Effectiveness. A significant focus of this group is psycho-education of emotions and DBT skills training, with mindfulness interwoven in each workshop. The goal of this group is to help students expand their repertoire of emotional management strategies while learning to effectively implement these tools in their lives. Students also have the opportunity to connect with and support their peers as they learn with and from each other. Helpful for a range of issues: Depression, anxiety, stress, mood instability, irritability, feelings of emptiness, identity issues, anger issues, intense or chaotic relationships, impulsivity, substance use concerns, eating disorders, suicidal and self-harming behavior.
Date/Time: Thursdays, 2-4 pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Laina Pauker, LCSW
Are you looking for a break from screen time, a creative space to explore your artistic process, reduce your stress, and connect with others? In this therapeutic art group you can expect to start each session by selecting art materials to experiment with. Depending on your needs and preference, you are invited to chat with others while you work or take some time for yourself. Each session will close with debriefing about your process that day, any takeaways, and goals for the future. Materials are provided. No experience necessary.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 4:30-5:30-pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Laina Pauker, LCSW
Do you notice more intense stress than usual at school, work, or in your relationships? Learn ways to understand your stress and reduce the intensity of your day-to-day discomfort. Practice physiological, visual, behavioral, emotional, and relational self care skills that you can use throughout college and in your life going forward.
See below for session themes we plan to explore!
- 10/15: Sensation - Befriend your physiology.
- 10/22: Imagery - Use visualization to contain the overwhelm.
- 10/29: Behavior - Learn the no-fail activities to use when overwhelmed.
- 11/5: Affect & Emotions - Tune into feelings and address emotional needs.
- 11/12: Meaning - Share and connect.
- 11/19: Boundaries - Notice and express your needs.
Date/Time: Fridays, 2:30-4pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Pavani Khera, Psy.D. & Christina Chatsuthiphan, Psy.D.
Looking for a space to slow down and recharge? This group invites students to step away from daily stressors and reconnect with their bodies and breath. When stress piles up, our nervous system can get stuck in “fight-or-flight” mode, sometimes even leading to a freeze response. Yoga offers simple, powerful tools to help restore balance, using breath as a calming and grounding anchor.
Each session includes:
Gentle yoga postures (asanas)
Breathing practices (pranayama)
Relaxation techniques (savasana)
Aromatherapy and gentle massage to support relaxation and grounding (optional)
Together, we’ll practice slowing down, listening to our bodies, and being present in a supportive group environment. Calming music will be played in the background to create a soothing atmosphere for the session.
Who can join?
Any student who wants accessible ways to manage stress and anxiety—no prior yoga experience needed. Just bring curiosity and a willingness to try.
How it works:
Once you register, you’ll receive weekly email reminders and updates. An RSVP is required for each session so the space can be prepared with care. RSVP links will be sent out Thursday afternoons, and participants must confirm by noon on Fridays to reserve their spot.
Date/Time: Mondays, 3-4:30pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Yuanhong Huang, Ph.D. & Muzi (Nina) Li, M.S.
Do you ever feel so stressed that you can’t breathe or sleep? Do you often criticize or put yourself down? Do you find yourself stuck in thoughts that are not helpful? Welcome to join us for a workshop designed to support Mandarin-speaking students in managing stress and enhancing well-being through mindfulness and self-compassion practices. You will learn and practice methods to help you face challenges and setbacks with reduced stress, better emotional regulation, greater resilience, less self-criticism, and a healthier self-image.
你会因为压力感觉喘不过气或失眠吗？会常常苛责或否定自己吗？会在消极的想法里打转走不出来吗？欢迎加入我们专为华语学生设计的正念与自我关怀工作坊。在这里我们将一起学习如何通过正念练习与自我关怀，来帮助你在应对求学路上和生活中各种挑战和挫折的时候，能够更好地缓解压力，调节情绪，减少自我批评，对自己保持积极的认同，并更好地从中恢复过来。
Relational & Social Skills
These groups create space to build confidence in social settings and reduce anxiety around connecting with others. You may increase your understanding of yourself and your relationships with others. Students can strengthen communication and relational skills while practicing in a supportive environment.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 1-2:10pm
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: No
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Lain Pauker, LCSW & Christina Chatsuthiphan, Psy.D.
This 6-week, in-person group is intended to support individuals who struggle with fear of public speaking, meeting new people, engaging in social events, starting conversations, and being assertive. Participants can expect to strengthen social skills through practice, self reflection, and group discussion each week. Challenge yourself to embrace discomfort and connect with others who have similar experiences.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 2:30-4pm
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: No
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Pavani Khera, Psy.D. & Nancy Whittaker, LMFT
Struggling with academic stress, loneliness, or relational concerns? Join a supportive space where you can explore these challenges and find healing, not just through individual reflection, but through the power of the group dynamic. In this group, therapy happens by the group, for the group—everyone’s experiences, perspectives, and support contribute to the therapeutic process. You’ll engage in somatic practices to manage stress and connect with your body, and you’ll build deeper relational awareness by learning from others in a safe, confidential space.
What to Expect:
🌀 Explore how academic stress and emotional challenges show up in your body and relationships.
🤝 Develop relational awareness and improve how you connect with yourself and others.
🌿 Learn somatic tools to manage stress, regulate emotions, and increase resilience.
💬 Receive and offer support as part of a dynamic, healing group experience.
Neurodiversity/ADHD
These groups and workshops are designed to help students better understand their neurodiverse brains and learns skills and strategies to navigate systems that were not designed for them. In these spaces, you will find peer support and validation, and celebrate the unique strengths of neurodiverse brains.
Date/Time: Tuesdays, 11am-12pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Oscar Lau, Psy.D. & Steven Samrock, Ph.D.
This 6-week workshop is designed for students with ADHD-related difficulties to learn strategies for academic and personal well-being. These workshops offer a supportive, collaborative environment where students are encouraged to share experiences and practice new skills. Topics include: Understanding Strengths and Weakness of an ADHD Brain, Time Management, Goal Setting, Procrastination, Motivation, Working with your Attention Span, Adaptive Thinking, Coping Skills, Accommodations, and Self-Advocacy.
While students are encouraged to attend every session, drop-ins are welcome. You do not need to have an ADHD diagnosis to attend this workshop.
Date/Time: Thursdays, 1-2:15pm
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: No
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Jocelyn Levitan, Ph.D. & Kevin Riordan
The support group is a space for GRADUATE STUDENT ADHDers (formally or informally diagnosed) to connect, support one another, and share strategies and wisdom learned from navigating the UCSB system, finding interpersonal connection, and managing daily life. This space will also be a space to celebrate the strengths of an ADHD brain and connecting with other neurodivergent folx that uniquely “get it.”
Discussion topics will be guided by the group members needs, but possible topics may include understanding the ADHD brain, increasing executive skills, self-advocacy in the face of oppressive systems, the neurodiversity movement, self-compassion, emotion-regulation, mindfulness, and rejection sensitivity dysphoria.
This will be a closed group in that you will be asked to commit to attending all group sessions so that you can build connection and have accountability. If interested, please sign up with the link below and I will reach out to you to schedule a 20-minute pre-screen to determine goodness of fit.
Click here to submit interest/sign up for the waitlist for Winter 2026
Trauma & Loss
These groups create supportive spaces to process grief, trauma, and family addiction, while fostering resilience and healing. They also provide opportunities to share experiences and receive compassionate peer support.
Date/Time: Tuesdays, 3:30-4:30pm
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: No
Location: Zoom
Co-Leaders: Steffanie Tinsley, Ph.D.
This 7-week virtual group is for students who have lost a friend/loved one in a sudden and traumatic way and are experiencing both trauma and grief. The focus of this group is to connect with others on shared feelings of confusion, shock, sadness, and what it means to move forward with life. Information will be shared around the layers of complexity that comes with traumatic bereavement and to develop coping skills to address beliefs about the self and/or the world that can keep an individual stuck in their grief.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30pm
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: No
Location: Zoom
Co-Leaders: Steffanie Tinsley, Ph.D. & Bryan Howell, M.A.
This 7-week semi-structured group is for survivors of Interpersonal Violence (sexual assault, dating violence, stalking, child abuse) who would like to gain an understanding of how trauma continues to affect them and connect with others who have been through similar traumatic experiences. Group members will not be prompted to share their trauma story, as this group will focus more on the different ways in which traumatic experiences have impacted them, discuss coping skills and ways to manage trauma symptoms, and provide a safe space for members to feel less isolated/alone and more empowered to take charge of their own healing process. This group will heavily emphasize safety, self-compassion, and support, and is open to students of all genders and identities.
Date/Time: Fridays, 10-11:15am
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: No
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Whitney Bruice, LMFT & Sarah Porat, LMFT
Join our 7-week free, confidential process group for students who have family members or other loved ones struggling with substance use issues or other related mental health concerns.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 3-4pm (Meets 10/8, 10/22, 11/5, 11/19, 12/3)
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Marrisa Robles, LCSW & Rebecca Foley, LCSW
This 5-week bi-weekly in person drop-in group is for students who are struggling with grief due to personal loss. The focus of this group is to help students recognize their response to grief, process feelings, and provided mutual support. Relevant psycho-education and coping skills may be brought in as needed or as requested. Looking forward to creating a space to weathering the storm.
Any questions can be emailed to the group leaders- marrisar@ucsb.edu or rebeccafoley@ucsb.edu.
Community-Building
These groups aim to foster connection, belonging, and cultural affirmation by providing space for students to share identities and experiences. They provide supportive environments to celebrate community and strengthen wellbeing.
Date/Time: 10/21 and 11/18 5:30-7:30pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: AdCRC
Co-Leaders: Mario J. Barfield, Psy.D. & Antar Tichavakunda, Ph.D.
Barbershop Talk Series is a drop-in, community-building, support space centering the experiences of Black male students, while welcoming all who wish to engage in affirming and respectful dialogue. Through engagement in meaningful dialogue and activities, Black men at UCSB will have an opportunity to build a healthy and sustainable community in a capacity that increases their opportunities for: supporting, challenging, and celebrating each other; authentic emotional expression; and exploring ideas central to Black masculinity. This community space also promotes and encourages inclusive and affirming connections with all, but focuses on Black women, LGBTQIA+ folks, staff, faculty, and community members. We hope to see you there!
Date/Time: Alternating Mondays, 4-5:30pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Mario Barfield, Psy.D & Meridith Merchant, Ph.D
Join us for a discussion that centers the unique challenges commonly experienced among graduate students of the African Diaspora and that is open to all who want to engage in affirming and respectful dialogue. This is an opportunity to build a sense of community where you can collectively relieve stress, speak honestly, breathe fully, be empowered, be encouraged, be validated, and celebrate the successes of your journey. We look forward to connecting with you.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 4-5pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: AdCRC
Co-Leaders: Dominique Broussard, Ph.D. and Tara Jones, Ph.D.
Sister Circle is a weekly drop-in space for those who want to affirm and support Black womxn and non-men.
Date/Time: Mondays, 12-1:30pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Asian Resource Center
Co-Leaders: Sochanvimean Vannavuth, Ph.D. (CAPS Psychologist), Michael Takahara, H&W Health Educator, Ashkon Molaei, MENASARC Coordinator.
Welcome to HAPI, a warm and inviting support and discussion space at UCSB. We welcome all who wish to explore the experiences of South Asian, Southeast Asian, East Asian, Pacific Islander, multi/bi-cultural, and multi/bi-racial students with affirming and respectful dialogue. Our goal is to foster a sense of community where we can share experiences, connect with like-minded individuals, and support each other in a safe and inclusive environment. HAPI is a collaborative effort between CAPS, the ARC, and Health and Wellness, aimed at building a supportive community where everyone feels valued and heard. Our discussions may include mental health topics, and we also offer light refreshments such as Asian snacks to create a comfortable atmosphere for sharing and connection. We look forward to meeting you and creating meaningful connections together.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 2:30-4pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Student Resource Building (SRB- 1st floor conference room)
Co-Leaders: Xin Sui, Psy.D.
This social space offers support for students adjusting to new academic, social, or cultural environments at UCSB. Together we explore experiences of transition, identity, and belonging in a new community, including for those arriving from different countries. The group is particularly beneficial for students transitioning from abroad, while welcoming any student navigating change, seeking peer support, or wishing to support others. The ultimate goal is to foster connection, build resilience, and create a supportive community at UCSB.
*Please sign up if interested or if you have questions/concerns*
*Students are welcome to join at any point in the quarter and do not need to attend every week*
Date/Time: Tuesdays, 12:30-2pm
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Monarch Lounge
Co-Leaders: Raul Poblano, LCSW & Gemma Garcia (USS)
Join CAPS and USS for a weekly drop-in workshop intended to help students build community and connection. Each week, we will provide lunch and explore topics focusing on our campus community, including mental health and navigating university resources. This space welcomes students navigating unique challenges related to identity, sense of belonging, family expectations, and access to resources. Students are encouraged to submit interest for a brief pre-screen in the link below.
Date/Time: Wednesdays, 12-1:30pm
Prescreen required: No
Drop-in: Yes
Location: Participants will receive location information
Co-Leaders: Add here Carla Corral, Ph.D. & Raul Poblano, LCSW & Jimmy Ojeda Pedraza
This weekly dialogue provides a safe space in support of the Chicane/Latine student experience to support each other and recognize their strengths. This group will explore the role that cultural heritage plays in psychological and academic well-being and is open to all who wish to engage in affirming and respectful dialogue. Students will have the opportunity to talk about culture and diversity, family, identity, belonging, financial literacy, healthy relationships, navigating the university, our current socio-political environment, and how that shapes the Chicane/Latine college student experience.
Date/Time: Thursdays, 2:30-4pm
Prescreen required: Yes
Drop-in: No
Location: Main CAPS Building
Co-Leaders: Vanessa Garcia, LCSW & Isabel Campos, Psy.D.
A community space that embraces healthy and open communication, fosters support and centers the Latina experience and connects, explores, and discusses various aspects focusing on growing up in a Latinx community/family. This talking space, open to all who wish to engage in affirming and respectful dialogue, will include topics on mental health, family dynamics, being a first-generation college student, and engaging in meaningful relationships.
More Offerings
Please see these other group programming offerings on campus through other departments.
The Department of Health & Wellness offers student-led meetings and community offerings such as the Gauchos for Recovery Program, which provides a supportive environment for recovery from substance use disorders and addictive behaviors.
The Body Project The Happiness Challenge
The Mental Health Peer Program offers drop-in peer counseling, free massage chairs, mindfulness activities, and workshops.
Gender Empowered Mutuals (GEMs) is a new gender discussion and exploration space for students offered by the Resource Center for Sexual and Gender Diversity (RCSGD) and Health Equity Advocate.
Gender Empowered Mutuals Interest Form
The Koegel Autism Center offers various support services for UCSB students like TEAM, Creative Club, and assessment services.