Counseling Groups & Educational Workshops
Boynton Health offers group services for increased support in moving toward healing or change around specific challenges. Students can learn new skills and strategies, connect, and share difficulties and experiences in a safe, supportive environment. Group offerings are open to all degree-seeking students currently enrolled at UMN Twin Cities regardless of identity.
Counseling Groups, Educational Workshops, and Affinity Spaces are not billed to health insurance and students are not charged a fee.
Boynton also offers Group Therapy options, which are billed to health insurance. If you have questions about billing, please contact 612-624-1444.
Groups and workshops provide opportunities for students to:
- Receive emotional support
- Increase self-awareness
- Enhance self-esteem and self-confidence
- Improve social skills
- Decrease loneliness and isolation
- Learn to deal with personal issues and resolve conflicts
- Gain new perspectives
- Talk with other students who have similar experiences
To request a mental health presentation or workshop, email [email protected].
Counseling Groups
Dissertation and Thesis Support
Wednesdays, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. (virtual)
Thursdays, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. (virtual)
These groups meet every other week to provide support and focus on problem-solving strategies for graduate students at the dissertation or thesis stage of their programs, who have passed oral preliminary exams and/or their dissertation/thesis proposals. These groups fill quickly, and there may be a waiting list for an opening. Space becomes available as students complete their degrees.
Group Leaders: Sarra Beckham-Chasnoff, PhD, LP, LMFT and Alexa Fetzer, PhD, LP
To join: Contact 612-624-1444 to schedule a group screening/orientation meeting with group facilitators.
Grief Support Group for Parent or Sibling Loss
Tuesdays (in-person), 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | September 16 - December 9
Thursdays (virtual), 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | September 18 - December 4
An opportunity for students who have lost a parent or sibling in their lives to share their stories, while giving and receiving support around the many issues faced during the grieving process. Participants will be able to discuss their loss in a safe and supportive setting with others who have been through similar experiences. We know not all families look alike; our grandparents or a foster parent raised some of us. Grief Support Group is inclusive of your family's definition of "parent" and "sibling." It can include the loss of any primary caregiver (e.g., parent, grandparent, uncle/aunt) or a peer-aged relative in the same household (e.g., cousins, siblings) with whom you were raised.
In-person Group Leaders: Sarra Beckham-Chasnoff, PhD, LP, LMFT and Taylor Karnilaw, MS
Virtual Group Leader: Siming Xie, PhD, LP
To join: Contact 612-624-1444 to schedule a group screening/orientation meeting with group facilitators.
Understanding Self and Others
Section 2: Mondays, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | September 15 - December 1
Section 3: Tuesdays, 2:30 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | September 16 - December 2
Graduate Student Group: Wednesdays, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | October 8 - December 3
Do you want to develop better relationship skills? The Understanding Self & Others (USO) group provides students an opportunity to learn from each other while giving and receiving support around the personal issues they face. Participants will help each other develop greater self-awareness and increased ability to have satisfying relationships. Relationships, self-confidence, balancing demands, and more—this group will address the issues of greatest concern to its members.
Group Leaders: Alexa Fetzer, PhD, LP and Ian Evans, PsyD, LP
To join: Contact 612-624-1444 to schedule a group screening/orientation meeting with group facilitators.
Educational Workshops
Academic Stress Workshop for Graduate Students (Pre-Recorded)
Feeling stressed about graduate school? Gather insight and skills to better manage the stress of your program. Emotional responses, skills, and strategies for tackling issues like procrastination, perfectionism, and impostor syndrome are all addressed.
Group Leaders: Sarra Beckham-Chasnoff, PhD, LP, LMFT and Jenny Steiner
Keep Calm and Thrive in Graduate School
Section 1: Fridays, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | September 26 - October 10
Section 2: Fridays, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | October 17 - October 31
Section 3: Fridays, 3:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. | November 7 - November 21
Keep Calm and Thrive in Graduate School is a 3-session workshop designed to provide graduate and professional students insights on how to better prepare for academic demands, to overcome common obstacles, and succeed! We'll cover topics on strategies for academic success, managing expectations, professional relationship building, as well as wellness and self-care.
Group Leader: Eve Sussman, PhD, LP
To join: Contact us at 612-624-1444.
Living Well: A Positive Psychology Approach
Fridays, 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. (In-person)
An opportunity for students to learn how to implement positive emotions, character strengths, and a sense of meaning into their academic and personal life. We will learn about the mental and physical health benefits of positive psychology and promote the positive, as well as alleviating negative aspects of life. This workshop includes 6 weekly meetings.
Facilitator: Jake Loeffler, Psy.D, LP
To join: Contact us at 612-624-1444.
Global Connect: A Support Space for International Students
Fridays, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | October 10 - December 3 (Hybrid)
A welcoming space that supports international students at the U of M to connect, share experiences, and support one another. Topics may include adjusting to academics, navigating cultural differences, managing stress, relationships, and coping with global or political events. Students will also learn practical skills, such as communication strategies and stress management tools, while building community and resilience.
Group Leaders: Siming Xie, Ph.D, LP, and Idil Ugurluoglu, MS, Pre-doctoral Intern
To join: Contact us at 612-624-1444.
Affinity Spaces
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Counseling Groups and Group Therapy?
Counseling Groups, Educational Workshops, and Affinity Spaces are not billed to health insurance and students are not charged a fee.
Therapy Groups are billed to health insurance. Student Service Fees subsidize the cost of services for students who are not on the Graduate Assistant Health Plan. Students on the Graduate Assistant Health Plan are responsible for a $10 co-pay.
If you have questions about billing, please contact 612-624-1444.
How do groups work?
Our groups typically meet for 60 minutes once a week. Some groups meet most of the semester, while others are short-term, four to six sessions. Most groups consist of four to ten members. Process groups provide an environment for students to identify and explore emotions, give and receive support, and practice healthy ways of relating to others. Psychoeducational groups focus on developing skills around a particular concern and often involve discussions and experiential activities to apply the skills you are learning.
How do I get started?
Students new to Mental Health Counseling should discuss their interest in group counseling during the mental health screening. During the mental health screening, you’ll discuss your needs, and the counselor will recommend resources and a plan for your mental health care and connect you with the next steps.
Why should I try a group? Will it be as effective as individual therapy?
Group therapy is considered to be one of the most effective forms of treatment for many issues that confront undergraduate and graduate students, such as depression, anxiety, grief/loss, low self-esteem, and troubled relationships. Students who try group therapy find it provides a safe and supportive place to explore their concerns and learn new strategies for overcoming challenges.
Do I have to reveal all my deepest secrets and feelings to the group?
No. You can decide how much and when to share your feelings with the group and no one will force you to share more than you feel comfortable with. Most students are apprehensive about attending a group for the first time and wonder what it will be like to share with people they do not know. However, most find they become more comfortable over time and value the support and feedback they get from their peers. All group members are expected to maintain the confidentiality of the group so everyone can feel safe sharing.
Still have questions? Contact us.
Contact us at [email protected] or 612-624-1444.