Group Counseling

Counseling groups provide a unique opportunity for students to learn, grow, and address their concerns through engagement with others in a safe and confidential space. All drop-in groups offered by Mental Health Services are available to all Hopkins students and learners. Treatment groups are currently available to students who are eligible for services at the Homewood clinic location only. Beginning in fall 2024, treatment groups will be accessible to all students and learners. Descriptions for treatment groups that were offered in Spring 2024 can be found here.

Why group counseling?

Some groups provide opportunities for students and learners to explore personal issues and interpersonal relationships in a setting where honest feedback, reflection, and support from peers can occur; others may provide a space for discussion, exploration, or support around common experiences. For many clients, group counseling can be the most effective approach to treatment, particularly for folks struggling with interpersonal or relational concerns. Treatment groups tend to be especially effective for those interested in exploring their interpersonal style and enhancing their approach to relationships in such areas as trust, intimacy, anger, conflict, assertiveness, taking risks, and improving self-esteem.

Drop in groups offer connection and support around shared identities and experiences, often have few or no requirements for attendance, and don’t require participants to be an established client of Mental Health Services. 

Not sure if group counseling is right for you? Your provider can discuss the ways in which one or more of our groups could be beneficial to you. 

Group confidentiality

One of the most important aspects of participating in a counseling group is the trust that is built between members. While group therapists have an ethical and legal obligation to uphold client confidentiality, group members must be prepared to make a commitment to respect and uphold the confidentiality of all members in the group. As in any relationship, the development of trust, cohesion, and a sense of relational safety allows people to talk personally and honestly; these factors are essential to the group process. Depending on the group and its guidelines, some other commitments might include participating in a minimum number of sessions, making an effort to attend every group meeting, and informing group facilitators if you should need to miss a group session. 

Interested in joining a treatment group?

Treatment groups address mental health or other concerns through participation with a limited roster of group members. Prospective members will meet with the group facilitator(s) prior to being added to a treatment group in order to discuss interest in the group, basic mental health history, set goals, and review group guidelines. Descriptions for treatment groups that were offered in Spring 2024 can be found here.

For more information or to schedule a group screening appointment, please call MHS Homewood at 410-516-8278.