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Group Counseling

Location
Group meetings are held at various locations. See descriptions for more information.

Contacts
Mental Health Service:
617-253-2916

Referral Requirement
None

Overview

Our Mental Health Service offers many different therapy, support, and discussion groups for members of the MIT community. Most groups require an initial interview with the group leader to match your needs with the group's goals.

In addition to MIT Medical groups, our Mental Health clinicians can refer you to other campus support groups or recommend resources in the Boston area. For more information, call 617-253-2916.

Current Groups

ADHD Information and Skill Group

This group, which is for students and staff who have already been diagnosed with ADHD, will answer questions about the nature and impact of the disorder, how it’s diagnosed, and treatment options. The skill training segment of each session will cover coping mechanisms including time management and organizational skills; management of difficult emotions and problematic thinking patterns, and self-advocacy. Facilitator: Xiaolu Hsi.

Creating Opportunities for Personal Effectiveness (COPE)

This is an eight-week co-ed group for graduate students that focuses on learning skills that increase effective management of life issues. Goals are to increase awareness of thoughts, feelings and behaviors; learning to tolerate and manage emotions effectively; improving self-acceptance and self-respect; and replace ineffective or maladaptive behaviors with skillful responses. The format is lecture and discussion with practice assignments that will be reviewed each week. Facilitators: Lisa Bosley and Marcia Yousik.

Graduate Students’ Group for Women

An ongoing weekly support group for women enrolled in a graduate program at MIT. Members discuss issues including work/life balance, self-esteem, friendship, and intimacy. Facilitator: Jessica Barton.

Making Peace with Food

This group helps foster a healthy relationship with food, exercise and body image. It’s useful for those who feel out of control around food; binge or overeat to cope with difficult emotions or stress; restrict their food intake; or rid themselves of calories though induced vomiting, laxatives or overexercise. Facilitators: Audra Bartz and Zan Barry.

Men's Graduate Student Psychotherapy Therapy Group

Topics discussed in this group for male graduate students include dealing with advisors and other professional relationships, developing personal and romantic relationship, finding an acceptable balance between work and social life, and understanding the various emotional responses to graduate student life. Facilitators: James Chansky and Jack Lloyd.

New Life After Mid Life

This ongoing weekly group helps support women as they navigate through changes and experiences that may come with midlife. These experiences may include the areas of work, retirement, relationships, family, and changing roles. Facilitator: Betsy Fisher.

Progressive Relaxation Workshop

This workshop, which is free and open to everyone in the MIT community, will teach breathing and progressing relaxation techniques to help cope with stress. Facilitator: Rita Fischer.

Returning Students Group

This group is for students who have just returned to MIT after having been away on withdrawal for medical problems, academic concerns or other reasons. The group meets weekly for one semester. Students benefit from being part of a supportive group of peers who are all going through the academic and social challenges of returning to MIT. The group is led by a psychiatrist from MIT Medical and a dean from Student Support Services. Facilitator: Adam Silk.

Social Skills for Students with Aspergers/High-Functioning Autism

The focus of this group will be on the pragmatic aspects of social interaction. Topics will include identifying emotions, reading facial cues, picking up subtleties on tones of voice, initiating and maintaining conversations, and building relationships. Facilitators: James Chansky and Lisa Bosley.

Skills for Effective College Living

This skill-building group for undergraduates is helpful for students who may be struggling with stress, anxiety, or overwhelming emotions. Members will learn to observe and identify thoughts, feelings and behaviors; manage emotions and decrease self-defeating behaviors; manage feelings of distress and identify how stress negatively impacts one’s life; and interpersonal effectiveness including assertiveness. self-respect, and negotiating conflict. Facilitators: Maya Hanelin and Lisa Varchol.

Substance Abuse Recovery Group

This group is open to members of the MIT community including students and staff who are struggling with substance abuse concerns. Members have the opportunity to explore their relationship with substances, get support in reaching and maintaining sobriety, and developing skills to support lifestyle changes. Facilitator: Laurie Zelas.

Thesis Coaching Group

A support group for graduate students who expect to complete their theses in the next six to 18 months. The group focuses on skills for better time management, organization, thesis writing, as well as interpersonal negotiation (especially with advisors and committee members), self-care, and stress management. Facilitator: Xiaolu Hsi.

Undergraduate Groups

There are two undergraduate groups; each group of 4-8 students and two therapists meets weekly to discuss topics including relationships, student life, and personal and academic goals and challenges. Group members will have the opportunity to connect with one another and to receive and provide support, facilitated by the leaders. Members are not limited to a fixed number of sessions; they may stay until they feel they have achieved their objectives in the group. Facilitators: (1) Adam Silk and Heidi Ashih, M.D. (a Harvard Medical School clinical fellow andMIT alumna); (2) Haleh Rokni and Maya Hanelin.