CAPS Groups and Workshops

This group tends to focus on relationships, emotional intimacy, boundaries, self-awareness and other components of interpersonal process. It provides an opportunity to practice new behaviors within a safe, confidential, and supportive environment where group members learn to interact in a more honest and genuine manner. Students dealing with a variety of personal concerns are appropriate for this group.

Weekly: 09/26/2024-11/21/2024

Day: Thursday  Time: 11:15AM-12:45PM

In SUU’s Dungeons and Therapy group, members will take on the persona of fictional characters and complete daring adventures across mysterious worlds as in role-playing games, such as Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and Quest. Dungeons and Therapy builds in additional elements for challenging group members to set goals and try on new ways of thinking, acting and being that will support and facilitate growth, wellbeing, and success in their lives.

In Dungeons & Therapy, you will work with a therapist to create a fantasy character that is personalized to you and your goals. This character might embody characteristics that are aspirational; qualities that you would like to further develop or which have been challenging for you. On the other hand, you may have goals to connect with yourself and the world more authenticity, embracing and leaning into your personal attributes, motives, identities, likes and dislikes. In this case, you might design a character with characteristics that allow you to embody key aspects of you that you would like to more fully embrace.  DnT story lines will incorporate elements custom designed to support each group member in engaging with their identified goals for group. Within sessions of Dungeons & Therapy, you will interact with other players not only to find treasures, solve puzzles, and converse with enigmatic individuals to foster interpersonal growth - but also to express meaningful parts of yourself. *No previous experience with Dungeons & Dragons or any other RPG is required.

Weekly: 09/24/2024

Day: Tuesdays   Time: 2:00PM - 2:50PM

DBT focuses on learning new skills and utilizing the skills and tools that you already have. DBT also focuses on practical skills in day-to-day life. There are four main topics that are addressed over the course of the semester. 1) Mindfulness: Being aware and focused on the present moment. 2) Interpersonal Effectiveness: Improving relationships and overcoming relationship difficulties. 3) Emotional Regulation: Understanding the cause of emotions and reducing painful emotions while increasing pleasant ones. 4) Distress Tolerance: Feeling a sense of control when strong emotions arise. The group meets weekly for 50 minutes. DBT manuals will be provided. 

Weekly: TBD

Day:         Time: 

Our General Poetry Therapy group is a 6-week group with limited spaces available.

The goals of the SUU CAPS General Poetry Therapy Group are:

• To share an opportunity to connect with others to work on mental wellness in a supportive and structured environment through the reading, discussion, writing and sharing of poetry and writing processes.
• To recognize strengths and insights in a community of care that nurtures and promotes the sharing of experiences and the addition of new skills and new perspectives.
• To engage folks who are working on mental health in discussion, insight through creative expression, and to respond to isolation by creating connections.

This therapy group is designed to support the development of personal and group insight through creativity and emotional experience. Poetry Therapy is not about critiquing one another’s writing, rather it is about sharing from our heads and hearts and connecting. Unlike a composition course, we will not be offering edits or suggestions on writing, this is time we can share an appreciation of one another’s work and process.

Weekly: 10/18/2024-11/22/2024

Day: Friday  Time: 1:00PM-2:30PM

Our Trauma Support Poetry Therapy group in a 6-week group with limited spaces available.

The goals of the SUU CAPS Trauma Support Poetry Therapy Group are:

• To share an opportunity to learn and talk about trauma in a supportive and structured environment through the reading, discussion, writing and sharing of poetry and our writing processes;
• To honour the path each participant walks in their journey with the awareness that what survivors of trauma know and do to live lives of courage, beauty and strength, while individual, may be shared in a group setting to create spaces of support, learning and healing;
• To recognize strengths in a community of care that nurtures and promotes the sharing of experiences and wisdoms and the addition of new skills and new perspectives;
• To engage folks who have experienced trauma in discussion, to support the sharing and development of resources, and to respond to isolation by creating connections.

This group is designed to support the development of personal and group insight through creativity and emotional experience. Poetry Therapy is not about critiquing one another’s writing, rather it is about sharing from our heads and hearts and connecting. Unlike a composition course, we will not be offering edits or suggestions on writing, this is time we can share an appreciation of one another’s work and process.

Weekly: 09/05/2024-12/12/2024

Day: Thursday  Time: 1:00PM-1:50PM

This is a time and space to meet others, give and get support and talk about relevant topics. Weekly conversations might include topics like being queer in Southern Utah, coming out, dating, school, current events or whatever is important to participants that week. This is an open group, meaning weekly participation is not mandatory. A brief request for services and group orientation will be required of all participants.

Weekly TBD

Day: Wednesdays   Time: 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

"Manning Up" getting you down? Consider meeting with a handful of other men at CAPS to discuss topics that may be difficult for you to put words to your regular social circles. This group is for SUU students who are men, and the meetings are confidential, free, and oriented to bring out ideas, feelings, and thoughts that probably aren't easily talked about in typical daily interactions. We frequently explore issues around increasing self-understanding, effectively interacting with people around you, emotional closeness, and authentic expression, but we are also a
group that is open to addressing other concerns and ideas.

Please call the front desk at (435) 865-8621 or visit our office on the second floor of the Bennion Building for more information on how to sign up.

Weekly: 09/27/2024

Day: Fridays   Time: 4:00 pm - 4:50 pm

This is a group for women who are SUU Students and non-SUU benefit eligible members of the larger community who have experienced or who are experiencing any form of violence such as (but not limited to) rape, sexualized assault, dating violence, intimate partner violence, family violence, and/or harassment.

We, as a group, gather to:

• Honour the path each participant walks in their journey. We do this with the awareness that what those who have experienced or are experiencing violence know and do to live lives of courage, beauty and strength, while individual, may be shared in a group setting to create spaces of support, learning and healing;
• Recognize strengths in a community of care that nurtures and promotes the sharing of experiences and wisdoms and the addition of new skills and new perspectives;
• Connect women who have or are experienced/ing violence and/or isolation through discussion, sharing stories, developing resources, and group and individual learning and healing.

The group is an opportunity to discuss challenges and successes, share stories, resources and other experiences in a confidential, supportive environment. This group does not always only address our experiences of violence, it is also a space to grow a community of care among women who are interested in recognizing strengths and challenges - and all the spaces in between - in connection with other women who have also experienced or who are experiencing abuse, violence, maltreatment.

We recognize that violence against women is structural, personal and occurs diversely among the many intersections of our social locations and subjectivities that make up our identities. We reserve the right to name ourselves in many ways and to identify in ways we know are right for us including, but not limited to: survivors, victims, resistors, thrivers etc…    

This is an in-person ongoing weekly group that is shaped by supportive group discussion. Therapists from SUU CAPS work to hold confidential space alongside group members.

Women seeking community are invited to attend at any time throughout the semester. Consistent weekly attendance is not required. While the group is open to attendance each week, SUU CAPS requires that participants complete a very brief request of services and group orientation prior to joining the group in order to meet best practices in safety.

If you are interested in this group please call CAPS to complete a request for services. If you are a current client at CAPS, please call our office to register. 435-865-8621.

Time: 12:00 pm 1:30 pm

DATES: Tuesdays - October 8/24; October 15/24; October 22/24; October 29/24 and November 5 /24

The Goals of the SUU CAPS Single Session Poetry Therapy Groups are:

• To share an opportunity to connect with others in therapeutic work on mental wellness in a supportive and structured environment through the reading, discussion, writing and sharing of poetry and writing processes.
• To recognize strengths and insights in a community of care that nurtures and promotes the sharing of experiences and the addition of new skills and new perspectives.
• To engage folks who are working on mental health in discussion, insight through creative expression, and to respond to isolation by creating connections.

This group is designed to support development of personal and group insight through creativity and emotional experience. Poetry Therapy is not about critiquing one another’s writing, rather it is about sharing from our heads and hearts and connecting. Unlike a composition course, we will not be offering edits or suggestions on writing, this is time we can share appreciation of one another’s work and process.

Weekly: 10/23/2024-11/20/2024

Day: Wednesday  Time: 2:00PM-3:30PM

Participants will have the opportunity to learn about their own experience with attachment styles, history of family dynamics, boundary setting, developing trust and vulnerability, and how to navigate the natural ebbs and flows of all types of relationships. The sessions will be semi-structured, providing both education and creating space for sharing of personal experiences if desired.