Group approaches to personal growth are frequently the most effective way to explore and support changes you may wish to make in your life. Through these formats, students can gain specific skills and strategies to meet personal goals, explore areas that present personal challenges, and gain support and encouragement from other students. CAPS offers a wide range of Groups in various formats to serve the diverse needs of the UC San Diego Community. These formats are:test
| Workshops |
Workshops meet regularly. Because these workshops focus on the acquisition and practice of specific skills, these workshops typically meet for a shorter period of time (e.g., one quarter) than the other group formats. To join one of our workshops, please contact the leader(s) to get more information. |
| Community Connections |
Community Connections are drop-in groups that meet throughout the academic year and do not require weekly attendance. |
| Psychotherapy Groups |
These groups typically meet weekly throughout the quarter except where indicated. Regular attendance is expected. To join one of these groups, please contact the leader(s) to get more information. |
If you have any further questions about Groups, please contact the CAPS Central Office at (858) 534-3755.
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Tritons RISE Workshops
Visit our Tritons RISE Together page for more information. |
NOTE: CAPS programs are open to all currently registered UC San Diego students, regardless of race, color, national origin, or any other protected status. These meetings are not professional counseling. If you would like professional counseling or mental health treatment, please call the CAPS Central Office at (858) 534-3755 or go to our Getting Started page to arrange an appointment.
If you are interested in joining a psychotherapy group, please contact the group leader to schedule a group screening appointment. Currently psychotherapy groups meet virtually. Prior to the first group meeting, participants will need to complete the Group Virtual Consent Form and send the form back to the group leader through MyStudentChart or the MyChart app.
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Taming Anxiety Group
Manage stress, tame anxiety, and work on your well-being. This is a CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) group to learn how to better manage stress and anxiety. Topics covered include how to identify and change anxious thought patterns, reducing worry and avoidance, managing panic, improving sleep, and increasing well-being. Each week students will learn effective strategies that they can immediately apply to help tame anxiety.
WINTER QUARTER 2025:
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Building Social Confidence Group
Would you like to improve the quality of social interactions and the availability of social support? This group focuses on identifying fears related to social situations, reducing self-defeating coping patterns and strengthening effective social skills. It combines an educational and support approach. Topics covered are tailored for each group, and have included building conversation skills (how to start, sustain, and end conversations), assertiveness training, how to speak up in class, and how to reduce anxiety in social situations such as dating, parties, or professional meetings. This group is not offered in the Winter 2025 Quarter, but if you are interested in joining in a future quarter, please send an email to Dr. Tiffany O'Meara, Ph.D. at tmomeara@health.ucsd.edu or fill out the online request form to be added to the group list. |
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Advanced Building Social Confidence/Advanced Anxiety Group
This is a group for students who have completed one quarter of the Building Social Confidence OR Taming Anxiety group and would like to continue to work on reducing anxiety, increasing comfort in social situations and increasing their self-confidence. Students get more individualized attention in this group, and topics are dictated by the group members. Come share your own experiences and challenges, and get feedback and support from a caring group of students who share similar experiences. Once you've completed one BSC or TA group, you may join the Advanced group at any time while you are here at UCSD! WINTER QUARTER 2025:
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Body Image Group
This group is for students who are already in the SHW ED Treatment Program. For more information contact your CAPS Therapist. This group is not offered in the Winter 2025 quarter, but if you are interested in joining in a future quarter, please send an email to Allie Wagner, Ph.D. at afwagner@health.ucsd.edu. |
| Building Social Skills Group
WINTER QUARTER 2025:
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DBT Skills Group
This group is not offered in the Winter 2025 quarter, but if you are interested in joining in a future quarter, please send an email to Allie Wagner, Ph.D. at afwagner@health.ucsd.edu. |
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Meal Support Hour
This group is for students who are already in the SHW Eating Disorders Program. For more information, contact your CAPS therapist.
WINTER QUARTER 2025:
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ACT for Chronic Pain Group
WINTER QUARTER 2025:
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Join CAPS and our partners with our RISE Performance Workshops. Based on principles from peak performance and the field of positive psychology, our RISE Workshops are here to promote you reaching your peak in all areas of your life: emotional, physical, and social. 
This is a group to create space for understanding the many factors that influence our relationship with our bodies and to find different strategies for moving toward healing with your body. It uses evidence-based techniques to change the way you think about, feel about, and interact with your body.
Do you have long-standing chronic pain that is getting in the way of you participating in life? People who have chronic pain often try all sorts of methods to make their pain go away, only to feel stuck in a discouraging and futile struggle that causes their life and what’s important to them to take a back seat to the pain of the day. In this 8-week therapy group, participants will learn evidence-based skills to develop a healthier relationship with their pain, so that they can live a fuller and more meaningful life.