Workshops and Drop-in Groups

Facilitators: Joel Kwame, MPsy; Queen-Ayanna Sullivan, MS; Adrian Hernandez, Psy.D.

Session #1: Tuesdays, 1:00-2:00pm on Zoom (starts February 4)

Session #2: Thursdays, 4:00-5:00pm on Zoom (starts March 6)

These 50-minute workshops teach skills and tools to help you manage anxiety and stress more effectively. Skills will include exposure to relaxation exercises, mindfulness practices, and cognitive restructuring tools. You will receive weekly materials that combine into a workbook, full of resources that will be useful in many domains of life. This 4-week series runs twice during the semester – while all four sessions are recommended, join when you can!

Facilitators: Michael Wood, LCPC and Zachary Pocchia, LGPC

Wednesdays 7:00-8:00pm BIWEEKLY, in person at the Center for Diversity and Inclusion on the Homewood campus (starts March 12)

This series provides an opportunity for students and learners to learn new skills and connect with one another, particularly during challenging times that may include socio-political stress or responses to world events. These 90-minute workshops use the principles of Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, an evidence-based therapy modality that will help bring awareness of how emotional dysregulation can happen in your day-to-day life, and skills to regulate and be present when experiencing emotional distress.

March 12: Communicate with Confidence – Assertiveness Skills

March 26: Build Stronger Relationships – Interpersonal Techniques

April 9: Navigate Difficult Conversations – Conflict Resolution Skills

April 23: Understanding Your Emotions

May 7: Managing Intense Emotions

May 21: Cultivating Emotional Balance

Facilitators: Justin Harker, MS and Devonte Joynes, LCPC

Thursdays, 4:30-5:00pm on Zoom (starts February 6)

Emotional Adulting is a drop-in skills workshop series designed to help participants work with emotions from a space of compassion, awareness, non-judgment, and curiosity. The skills taught in this series, which are generally drawn from mindfulness and trauma symptom management practices, are beneficial for our general emotional well-being as well as helping to manage distress related to depression, anxiety, trauma, and other experiences. Each session is just 30-minutes long, and you’ll leave each workshop with helpful resources and suggestions for how to practice the skills in everyday life. While all eight sessions are recommended, join one or more – when it works for you!

Week #1: Grounding

Week #2: Self-Compassion

Week #3: Working Within Your Window of Tolerance

Week #4: R.A.I.N. Technique

Week #5: Containment

Week #6: Creating Space for Emotions

Week #7: Calm Place Imagery

Week #8: Four Elements of Stress Reduction

Facilitators: Kelli Chen, OTR/L; Leeanne Tobler, OTR/L; Jami Imhof, DSW, LCSW

First Thursday of the month, 3:00-4:30pm in person at AON Cottage – pre-registration is required through MyHealth Portal!

• February 6th: Creative Crafts
  Unwind and express yourself through a guided craft session. Whether you’re an experienced crafter or trying something new, this session provides materials and support to create a project you’ll enjoy. Project plan: collage candle holder/jar (prints, pressed flowers, stickers, glitter options)

• March 6th: Quiet Play
  Enjoy a calm and relaxing session designed for quiet leisure activities. Choose from puzzles, Legos, or other hands-on tasks that allow for focus and creativity in a low-pressure, parallel play setting.

• April 3rd: Topic/Activity TBD

• May 1st: Party Games
  Engage in a variety of group games that encourage connection and collaboration. This session offers a casual opportunity to socialize and enjoy lighthearted activities in a supportive environment.

Facilitators: Tristan V. Barsky, PsyD, ABPP

Thursdays April 3^rd, 10^th, And 17^th 4:00-5:00pm in person at MHS Homewood (Group Room)

Living Grounded: Drop-In Group for Stress Around Current Events

Practice grounding techniques to help keep your mind and body balanced in a constantly changing world.
Join a supportive community where you can connect with others and talk about current events with understanding and mindfulness

Facilitator: Nila Berger E-RYT

Wednesdays, 5:00-6:00pm (starts January 29; no meeting on March 19)

Mindful Yoga classes take place at the Ralph O’Connor Center for Recreation and Well-Being MPR B (Multipurpose Room B).  Log into the Rec portal or get the Rec App (in the Apple store or Google Play store) to see the full calendar of events.

What could be a better break in your hectic week than gentle yoga and a chance to ground yourself and simply just BE in the present moment? Join other students and learners for this rejuvenating break! No prior yoga experience and no special attire is necessary. Classes are FREE.

Facilitator: Jami Imhof, DSW, LCSW-C

Wednesdays, 2:00-3:00pm BIWEEKLY on Zoom (starts January 29)

This drop-in group is intended for learners who have received an official diagnosis, someone who is self-diagnosed, or someone who suspects they are neurodivergent and would like to explore their identity. Neurodivergent conditions may include, but are not limited to, autism, ADHD, learning difficulties (such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia), and sensory processing disorders. The goal of the group is to provide psychoeducation on the conditions and the impact it may have on areas of function. Discussions around self-advocacy and accessing resources will also be addressed during sessions. All sessions do not need to be attended, but participants are welcome to join as many sessions as they would like.

Facilitators: Will Nation, Ph.D. and Joel Kwame, MPsy

Tuesdays, 4:00-6:00pm on Zoom and in person at MHS Homewood (starts January 21)

This workshop allows folks to join our pirate crew on daring adventures as we learn to play Dungeons and Dragons, get into interesting trouble, and maybe even save the day. Join us to learn to play D&D in a welcoming environment, meet new people, and relax and de-stress in a supportive space. Join for a week, a few, or all sessions. No prior experience with Dungeons and Dragons needed, and we welcome more advanced players too! All supplies are provided. This series takes place in-person at the MHS Homewood conference room, or you can participate on Zoom.

Facilitators: Leeanne Tobler, OTR/L and Kelli Chen, OTR/L

This workshop series has two sections this semester, participants can register for either the in person or Zoom option.

Tuesdays, 3:00-4:00pm on Zoom (starts February 4)

Fridays, 3:00-4:00pm in person at AON Cottage (3101 N. Charles St.) on the Homewood campus (starts February 7)

This 8-week series will focus on development and implementation of practical skills and strategies for individuals looking to tackle procrastination. If you find it difficult to actually do the things you want to do, you’re not alone! This group will provide a safe space to address underlying causes of procrastination, identify barriers of productivity, and set achievable goals to overcome challenges. Participants are invited to attend any or all sessions. Topics will be selected based on the needs of participants, but may include: focus and attention, sensory integration, low motivation, time management.

Facilitators: Adrian Hernandez, PsyD and Queen-Ayanna Sullivan, MS

Fridays, 3:00-4:00pm on Zoom (starts March 7)

This is a comprehensive sex-positive workshop series that will help participants learn how to talk about sex and intimacy, navigate how your identities affect sexual experiences (e.g., disabilities; race; religion; queerness), dating and sexual health, and more! While all eight sessions are recommended, join when you can!

Week #1: Consent

Week #2: How to Date

Week #3: General Anatomy

Week #4: Contraceptives

Week #5: Intersections of Gender and Sexuality

Week #6: Relationship Types/Structures

Week #7: Intersectionality and Sexual Wellness

Week #8: Pleasure Advocacy, Communication, and Worthiness

Facilitators: Kelli Chen, OTR/L and Leeanne Tobler, OTR/L

Mondays, 3:00-4:30pm on Zoom (starts February 3)

Body doubling is a productivity strategy to promote focused time spent on a less desirable task. For many with executive functioning or attention difficulties, having someone nearby can assist with feeling focused, engaged, and motivated. For this drop-in group, individuals can log in during this time slot to work in the company of an occupational therapist. Executive functioning skills and strategies such as the Pomodoro technique and structured breaks may be used based on participant preference and needs.

Facilitator: Jami Imhof, DSW, LCSW-C

There are two sections of this virtual body doubling group offered this term:

Wednesdays, 2:00-3:00pm BIWEEKLY on Zoom (starts January 29)

Fridays, 2:00-3:00pm on Zoom (starts January 31)

This 60-minute virtual accountability group is for students who benefit from support starting tasks and maintaining workflow. The concept of body doubling leverages the presence of others to support tasks that might be tough to get started or seen through to completion. Bring a task to work on!

Outreach is about increasing mental health awareness through prevention, awareness, education, and stigma reduction. Through various outreach programs, Mental Health Services staff are able to connect with the larger JHU community and ultimately strengthen a campus atmosphere that is conducive to the well-being, personal growth, and psychological health of all students and learners.

To this end, the Mental Health Services staff provide presentations and programs to various groups on campus on topics related to mental health and well-being. Topics include: coping with stress, time management, suicide prevention, dealing with anxiety, developing a growth mindset, resilience, managing emotions, bouncing back from failure, developing a balanced lifestyle, handling transitions, healthy relationships, body image, and many more. If you are interested in a program or workshop, please complete contact Amani Surges Martorella or call 410-516-3311 to speak with a leadership team member about your request.

The staff within Mental Health Services collaborates with staff across Johns Hopkins University to provide suicide prevention training sessions for the JHU students, learners, faculty, staff and community. These evidence-based programs are shown to be effective prevention programs to identify students at risk, empower staff and faculty with skills and knowledge around mental health, and to train the JHU community on making effective referrals.

To learn more, click here.