Center for Counseling & Mental HealthGroups and Workshops

Queer Talk

Please join us for safe, candid conversations about sexual orientation, sexual identity, and your experiences at Amherst College. All are welcome. Facilitated by Britt Billmeyer-Finn LICSW and Caitlin Carmody LICSW.

Time: Fridays, 4-5pm starting February 17

Location: Queer Resource Center

Please contact Britt Billmeyer-Finn (bbillmeyerfinn@amherst.edu) or Caitlin Carmody (ccarmody@amherst.edu) for more information.

RELEASE

A gathering for students to connect with each other and discuss our experiences around racial identity development, racism, resilience, and ways to thrive at Amherst College. Facilitated by Darien McFadden, Ph.D and Crystal Richey, LMHC.

Time/Location: TBD

For more information please contact Darien McFadden (dmcfadden@amherst.edu).

La Plática

A weekly drop-in discussion centering the voices and experiences of Latinx students at Amherst. Facilitated by Lola Brown, MSW, LICSW and Nicole Torres Collado LCSW.

Time: Every other Friday 4-5pm, starting February 10

Location: José Martí Room

Senior Mammoths Drop-In

A weekly drop in group for Senior students to discuss their feelings and experiences as they complete their degree and prepare to transition out of college into the next chapter of life. Facilitated by Britt Billmeyer-Finn LICSW and Tanner Glen LCSW

Time: Thursdays (2/16 - 5/11) from 4-5pm

Location: Science Center E108

Men's Group

A weekly drop in group for space for students who identify as men and/or experience masculinity and would like to discuss their experiences. Topics will range from relationships to navigating emotion.Senior students to discuss their feelings and experiences as they complete their degree and prepare to transition out of college into the next chapter of life. Facilitated by Jordan Barnard Psy.D and Tanner Glen LCSW

Time: every other Friday from 3-4pm, Meet & Greet in the center to discuss the group on 2/24, first meeting before spring break on 3/3, and then bi-weekly meetings every Friday after spring break starting 3/24

Location: Women's and Gender Center

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Understanding Self and Others

This group meets weekly and provides a supportive environment for students to discuss the meaningful and challenging aspects of their lives. Students get to explore and be curious about how they build relationships, and learn to observe and identify what relational patterns work and do not work for them. Students often gain insight into their identity and self-concept, improve their self-esteem, approach relationship and/or communication patterns in new ways, and explore difficult feelings and how to resolve them. Everyone works together toward their goals by providing encouragement to one another, giving and receiving feedback, experimenting with new ideas and behaviors, and connecting in deep ways. Facilitated by staff counselor Allyson Black-Foley LICSW and Post-graduate fellow Emma Galvin LCSW

Time: TBD - Will not start until at least the end of April

Location: TBD

This group requires a 30 min pre-group meeting to join. Please contact CCMH at (413) 542-2354 or ccmh@amherst.edu to schedule this meeting.

Beyond Words: Healing Sexual and Relational Trauma 

This group is open to all genders seeking support and healing around unwanted sexual contact, or abusive sexual experiences at any age that might include sexual assault, intimate partner or dating violence, harassment or any relational abuse. This group will meet weekly. In group, participants will learn about how these difficult experiences show up in the mind, body and heart through engagement with positive coping strategies, discussion about how trauma and negative experiences impact sense of self and relationships of all kinds. Facilitated by staff counselor Crystal Richey, LMHC and Post-graduate fellow Nicole Torres Collado

Time: Fridays 3-4pm, starting March 3

Location: Cadigan Center

This group requires a 30 min pre-group meeting to join. Please contact CCMH at (413) 542-2354 or ccmh@amherst.edu to schedule this meeting.

Grief Group

If you are experiencing grief due to the loss of a loved one, we invite you to join this facilitated weekly group, in which we will create a warm, supportive space for dealing with the emotional impact of your loss. Facilitated by Cailin Qualliotine PsyD, staff counselor and Britt Billmeyer-Finn LICSW, staff counselor

Time: TBD

Location: Hitchcock House

This group requires a 30 min pre-group meeting to join. Please contact CCMH at (413) 542-2354 or ccmh@amherst.edu to schedule this meeting.

Managing Anxiety through Art

This group will draw upon art-making practices such as painting, drawing, collage-making, and crafts to support students as they manage anxiety. Each week, students will engage in creative approaches designed to help them to feel calmer and more connected to themselves and others. No artistic ability or experience is required to join and participate in this group. Facilitated by Cailin Qualliotine PsyD, staff counselor and Post-graduate fellow Emma Galvin LCSW. 

Time: TBD

Location: Hitchcock House

This group requires a 30 min pre-group meeting to join. Please contact CCMH at (413) 542-2354 or ccmh@amherst.edu to schedule this meeting.

Finding Balance: An Athletic Therapy Group

This is a weekly therapy and support group for athletes of all genders to explore athletic experiences at Amherst and beyond. In this group, we will explore the impact and experience of athletics personally and interpersonally. Together we will explore our identities, losses, gains, hopes and fears in regards to our athletic journeys including coping with setbacks, injury, individual/team experiences and more. As long as you consider yourself an athlete you are invited into this space. You are not required to be on an athletic team. Members of athletic teams are also welcome. This is a group meant to deepen our understanding of how athletics in its various contexts and experiences impacts our sense of self. Facilitated by Britt Billmeyer-Finn LICSW, Staff Counselor and Garrett Fitzgerald Program Director for Mental Health Promotion

Time: Mondays from 10-11am

Location: Hitchcock House

This group requires a 30 min pre-group meeting to join. Please contact CCMH at (413) 542-2354 or ccmh@amherst.edu to schedule this meeting.

ADHD Support Group

This group meets weekly on zoom. This group offers space for students with ADHD to share their experiences with one another, learn from and connect to each other, notice their strengths and how ADHD impacts their life, sense of self and relationships. Facilitated by staff counselor Britt Billmeyer-Finn LICSW and senior clinical case manager Meg Kroeplin LICSW

Time: Tuesdays from 4-5pm

Location: via zoom (link to be provided)

This group requires a 30 min pre-group meeting to join. Please contact CCMH at (413) 542-2354 or ccmh@amherst.edu to schedule this meeting.

Wise Mind DBT Group

This group meets weekly and offers a space to students who might be experiencing traumatic stress, anxiety/panic, intrusive or difficult thoughts as well as emotions or physical experiences that are dysregulating. This group uses mindfulness techniques and distress tolerance skills to support students in deeping their understanding of what is happening, how to slow down the process and be able to make choices about how to care for oneself. Facilitated by staff counselors Cassiel Owens LICSW and Britt Billmeyer-Finn LICSW

Time: Mondays from 3-4pm

Location: Hitchcock House

This group requires a 30 min pre-group meeting to join. Please contact CCMH at (413) 542-2354 or ccmh@amherst.edu to schedule this meeting.

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The Amherst College Center for Counseling and Mental Health (CCMH) is proud to announce a new offering of virtual groups run by professionals at McLean Hospital. These groups are free and available to all students. See the information on the different offerings below.

Bridge to Campus: Amherst Psychoeducational Group

McLean Hospital's College Mental Health Program (CMHP) is offering a weekly psychoeducational group specifically for Amherst students. This group uses a strengths-based and identity informed model to support students in bridging the connection between their mental health and wellbeing, and their personal and academic goals. The group structure allows for both development of concrete coping skills informed by DBT, CBT, and ACT, as well as an opportunity to process and reflect with peers on the multifaceted experience of being a college student. Facilitated by CMHP staff members, Malia Chan, LMHC, and Alison Matthews, LMHC.

Time/Location: Virtual Meeting Wednesday 11-–1:50am

For interested students, please contact cnevins@mclean.harvard.edu to schedule a 30-minute intake/group introduction.

Bridge to Campus Outpatient Groups: McLean Hospital College Mental Health Program

For Amherst students who wish to participate in psychoeducational groups with students from colleges and universities across the country, McLean Hospital's College Mental Health Program welcomes them to join one of their three existing outpatient groups. These groups are open to students currently enrolled in college or on a leave of absence, allowing for a range of perspectives, experiences, and insight around college student mental health. Group agendas are informed by the needs of the students in the group. The Wednesday and Friday groups are considered general psychoeducational groups for college students and the Thursday: Self-Care and Wellness group offers a specific focus on eating behaviors, interpersonal relationships, and substance use. Facilitated by CMHP staff members, Malia Chan, LMHC, and Alison Matthews, LMHC.

Time/Location

• Wednesdays: 2:00-2:50pm - General, zoom
• Thursdays: 2:00-2:50pm - Self-Care and Wellness, zoom
• Fridays: 11:10am-12:00pm General, zoom

For interested students, please contact cnevins@mclean.harvard.edu to schedule a 30-minute intake/group introduction.

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How to Deal: Drop-in Workshop Series at CCMH

This is a series of 5 workshops that offers education and strategies for executive functioning, anxiety and depression, intrusive thoughts, survival brain and cognitive distortions. Please join me for any or all of these workshops. These are virtual meetings. Please see dates and zoom links below. If you have questions, please contact the Center for Counseling and Mental Health or contact me directly at bbillmeyerfinn@amherst.edu

Virtual Meeting Times 

• Stay tuned for more information about Spring 2023 meetings!

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Project Connect is a peer led discussion group held over multiple weeks. Designed to foster community and develop conversation skills by asking fun and thought-provoking questions in a small, supportive space, with the goal of building resources to create new and deeper connections with each other inside the group and beyond.

 As part of the series your cohort will meet for 3 weeks of conversation groups followed by an outreach activity designed by the group and a final opportunity to share a meal with each other sponsored by the Center for Counseling and Mental Health. 

To find currently offered Project Connect groups follow the link below to our Picktime scheduling portal:

Step 1: Select an open class time.

Step 2: Register for the class

• Please provide First Name, Last Name, and Email for contact
• No other fields are required

Step 3: Your Project Connect Facilitator will be in contact with you and your cohort to finalize time and location for your first meeting.

Please register for no more than one class at a time.

https://www.picktime.com/ACWellProjectConnect

For more info or questions, please email Garrett Fitzgerald at gfitzgerald@amherst.edu

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We often provide training, workshops, and educational sessions for members of the Amherst community, including faculty, staff, and departments/centers on campus. Topics include tips on accessing and connecting with services, responding to students in distress. The Wellness Team and Mental Health Promotion also provide education on a wide range of topics including self-care, listening/support skills, conflict resolution, resiliency, and goal setting.

Visit the Wellness Team site to learn more about their training.

Contact Garrett Fitzgerald at gfitzgerald@amherst.edu. You can also contact Mr. Fitzgerald to inquire about training from the Center for Counseling and Mental Health.

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