Group Therapy
Group therapy is the treatment of choice for students experiencing issues that affect their interactions with others in their lives (e.g., friends, family, romantic partners, peers). The group process gives students the opportunity to get immediate feedback from other group members about how they are being perceived and how they are impacting the people around them. This allows for the increased self-awareness needed to create meaningful change in one’s life. Group therapy also gives students the opportunity to try out new behaviors, to express feelings that may generally be more difficult to express, to assert themselves in new ways, and to experiment with new ideas.
Support Groups
The Student Counseling Center also offers support groups for students across a variety of topics. These support groups are not therapy groups. They are facilitated spaces where students will be able to come together to share with one another, to hear one another, and to know that they are not alone.
Group Topics Offered
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Support Group Descriptions (Downloadable PDF)
Students who are interested in joining other students in discussion about any of these group topics can contact us by phone (901-843-3128) or email (counseling@rhodes.edu) to let us know. We will set up a time to discuss participation.
Myths And Truths About Group Counseling
Myth: I will be forced to share my concerns and worries.
Truth: Group members share when they feel comfortable and only what they wish to share.
Myth: Group counseling is second best to individual counseling.
Truth: Group counseling has been found to be just as effective as individual counseling in improving mental health. In some cases, Group counseling has been found to be more effective than individual therapy.
Myth: I will not be comfortable talking in a group or sharing my problems with people I do not know.
Truth: Most group members find their level of comfort and willingness to talk increases as group progresses. Group members often start to look forward to group meetings because they experience an increased sense of connectedness and belonging as the group moves forward.
Myth: Group members will share my concerns with their friends.
Truth: Confidentiality is mandatory for all group participants. Group members are asked to respect the privacy of other group members and may not discuss any group members or their experiences outside the setting of group.
Myth: Group may be another place where I will feel judged and like I do not fit in.
Truth: People who have had painful or harmful experiences in social groups or organizations often report that this has been an opportunity to find healing and reconnection. Group offers validation, acceptance, and meaningful engagement that is restorative and may translate to enhanced opportunities for connection beyond the group experience.
