Why Group?
Groups can help you gain support, share experiences and struggles, learn about yourself, and develop skills to relate to others. Students who participate in group therapy tend to feel less isolated, more self-aware, and more connected to others as a result of being in group.
Support groups are open to all Penn undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. More detailed information about each group can be found below.
Group Guidelines
- All students must abide by the following group guidelines:
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Group sessions are confidential. Group members are bound ethically not to disclose information about the group. Regular and timely attendance is necessary for relationships to develop and for you to have sufficient continuity to get as much as you can out of group. If you truly must miss group, please let the leader(s) know as soon as possible.
- If after the initial commitment the group does not feel like a good fit or at some point you feel as though you have gotten all you need from the group, it is important that you inform the group and give the other members the opportunity to say goodbye.
- You are encouraged to take your own pace in group. However, you get more out of group if you work on the concerns that brought you to the group through active participation.
- You may be referred to group during your initial assessment if your counselor believes that your needs would be best met in a group setting.
- Most group leaders prefer to conduct a group intake in which they meet with you individually to learn about what you’re looking for, to give you specific information about how the group works, and to help you decide if the group seems like a good fit.
- *All groups will take place at the Student Health and Counseling office at 3624 Market Street, First Floor West.
If you have interest or questions about any groups that may not be listed here, please reach out to the Group Coordinator, Dr. Mary Brennan at marybr@upenn.edu.
The following Groups and Workshops are OPEN for Registration.
Please note: all groups will take place at 3624 Market Street, First Floor West, unless an alternative address is stated. Reach out to the Student Health and Counseling team for information about group sessions by calling 215-746-WELL (9355).
- Empowerment in Relationships Group
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Weekly on Thursdays starting Oct 17, Oct 24, Oct 31, Nov 7, Nov 14, Nov 21, Dec 5 at 2 pm
This group aims to create a nonjudgmental and supportive space for students to discuss and explore their identities and experiences. Topics explored may include sexual and romantic identities, intersectionality, gender, dating and relationships, family relationships, and finding community. The group is open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. This group is a great fit for students looking to build community, trust, and safety through consistent, weekly in-person meetings. Students interested in joining can email Allison at coynea@upenn.edu for more information.
- Mindful Management: Executive Functioning Support Group
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Tuesdays, from 3-4 pm
Cycle 1
September 10: Mindful Management: Organizing
September 17: Mindful Management: Planning
September 24: Mindful Management: Prioritizing
Cycle 2
October 8: Mindful Management: Organizing
October 15: Mindful Management: Planning
October 22: Mindful Management: Prioritizing
We will explore the emotional processes of having difficulty with executive functioning. Come join us as we identify practical support and strategies specific to the organizing, planning and prioritization of tasks. Register here.
- Grief Support Group
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Weekly on Tuesdays, from 3:30-5 pm (beginning October 1)
This group aims to create a safe space for students to share feelings and experiences associated with grief and bereavement as well as to receive support. The group is open to all graduate, professional, and undergraduate students who are grieving the death of a significant person or significant people in their lives. The group will provide support, grounding, and activities to help guide participants through their grief process. Please note that this is a closed group, so no new members will be added after the group starts, and students must complete a pre-group screening
with the facilitators before joining.Register for this group by email: blackh@upenn.edu or nnardone@upenn.edu.
- Interpersonal Growth Group
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Weekly on Wednesdays, from 3:30-4:30 pm (beginning Oct. 9)
The interpersonal growth group is focused on helping students learn about themselves in relationships and explore and change their relational patterns. Some themes attended to in this group may include trust, belonging, communication, loneliness, social anxiety, or self-esteem. This is a closed group, meaning that no new members are added after the start of the group in order to maintain a comfortable, cohesive, and safe space to explore these topics. To learn more or to register for this group, email marybr@upenn.edu or sauljul@upenn.edu.
- Mindfulness Workshop
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Wednesdays, from 4-5:15 pm (October 9, 16, 23, and 30)
Mindfulness is a practice to assist in reducing stress, bringing an open-hearted awareness to life. In this introductory workshop series, students will have an opportunity to practice mindfulness and apply this practice in daily life. We encourage participation in all four sessions. Register here.
For additional information, questions, or assistance with registration please email: moriconi@upenn.edu or mreiff@upenn.edu.
- Substance Use and You
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Weekly on Wednesdays, from 5-6 pm
This group is designed for Penn students who are reassessing their relationship with substance use. This is a confidential group, not an AA group or a 12-step group. Students with a willingness to examine what is happening around their use of substances are welcome. There is no requirement of abstinence (though some attendees may choose that), nor is there a requirement of regular weekly attendance, although that is a good way to get the most out of the group experience. Students may join at any point in the semester. A brief screening meeting is needed beforehand to ensure that students are matched appropriately to the group.
Learn about Wellness at Penn's SUPER Program (Substance Use, Prevention, Education, and Recovery).Email Phil Meilman, PhD, Director of Counseling at meilman@upenn.edu to learn more and to register for this group.
- Support Group for Victims/Survivors of Sexual Assault
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Weekly on Thursdays, from 3-4:30 pm
This group is open to Penn graduate and undergraduate students who have experienced sexual assault in adolescence and/or adulthood. The group will aim to offer support, collective empowerment, and psychoeducation and participants will choose weekly topics related to healing, reestablishing safety, coping, and self-care. Bramble and Julia will meet with all interested members for a brief screening. Please email them to schedule a screening or learn more about the group. This is a closed group that meets in-person, new members will not be added after the group begins.
Register for this group by email: bramble@upenn.edu or sauljul@upenn.edu.
The following Groups and Workshops are CLOSED for Registration:
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Mandarin Community Support Group 中文社群互助小组
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Thursdays from 3-4:30 pm (beginning October 10)
Facilitated by mental health professionals, this Mandarin Community Support Group aims to provide members of the Mandarin-speaking community with a safe and confidential space to provide therapeutic support for each other, build meaningful connections, and share helpful coping techniques and resources. It is open to all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who speak Mandarin.
由⼼理师带领，中⽂社群⼼理互助⼩组旨在为中⽂学⽣群体提供⼀个保密和安全并能互相⽀持的场域，以建⽴同侪间的连结，彼此分享有帮助的⼼理应对技巧与资源。 由⼼理師帶領，中⽂社群⼼理互助⼩組旨在為中⽂學⽣群體提供⼀個保密和安全並能互相⽀持的場域，以建⽴同儕間的連結，彼此分享有幫助的⼼理應對技巧與資源。
Register for this group by email: Jojo Yao (yaot@upenn.edu)
- International Student Empowerment Group
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Weekly on Thursdays, from 3-4:15pm (beginning Oct. 10)
Supportive and safe space to build meaningful connections and share useful information and resources for all graduate, undergraduate, and professional students.
For additional information, questions, or assistance with registration please email: avelezg@upenn.edu, miaotian@upenn.edu. - Gender Expansive Process Group
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DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
This group aims to create a safe, nonjudgmental, and supportive space for students seeking to explore identity and/or lived experiences. Together we will process topics related to gender identity, sexuality, intersectionality, relationships, academics, family of origin, and resilience and joy. This group is open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. This is an open group that meets in-person. New members may join anytime during the Fall semester. To join, please email Laura at collaura@upenn.edu.
- First-Generation Professional/Graduate Student Process Group
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DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
This group focuses on building a supportive, process-oriented space around individual and shared experiences. Topics that may be explored include navigating college, personal and professional relationships, family, culture, and resiliency. This group is open to all undergraduate students. This is a closed group that meets in-person. New members will not be added after the group begins. Please e-mail Kaden and Janaeyah to join.
Register for this group by email: kadenmo@upenn.edu or janaeyah@upenn.edu.
- The Body is Not an Apology
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DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
Have you ever fallen in love with your body? Do you want to feel different about the body you're in? Do you struggle with your body image and beauty standards? Then this workshop is for you! We've adapted Sonya Renee Taylor's radical self-love work to help bring tools for softening shame and looking at ourselves anew!
Facilitators: Janaeyah - (she/her) & Laura Kay - (they/them) Register here.
- Empowerment in Relationships Group
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DATES TO BE ANNOUNCED
This group is focused on educating and offering a safe space to explore romantic relationship dynamics, specifically unhealthy romantic relationships. Unhealthy relationships can be defined in many ways. This group is open to any individual who has experienced any level of unhealthy romantic relationship dynamics, whether that be psychological, emotional, and/or physical. The purpose of the group is to provide a space where individuals can gain social support, strengthen coping skills, and gain a better understanding and awareness of unhealthy and healthy relationships. The group is open to undergraduate, graduate, and professional studies students. The group will be offered in the Fall and the Spring. The Fall semester group will be psychoeducational, focusing on specific weekly topics such as Stages of Change and understanding types of unhealthy relationship dynamics. The Spring semester will be a process group to explore feelings, thoughts, and experiences in a less structured way. Individuals are welcome to come to the group for either both or one of the semesters.
Register for this group by email: nnovak@upenn.edu or tirivera@upenn.edu.
- Ramadan Reflections: Navigating Your Mental Health During Ramadan
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A safe space to share experiences around mental health and wellbeing during Ramadan, build community, and increase self-compassion.