Group Counseling & Support Spaces

Led by our licensed clinicians, our groups and support spaces help you improve your relationships, learn about yourself and others, enhance your communication skills, and reduce isolation within a supportive, normalizing environment of peers.

Group Counseling

At CAPS, we offer group therapy as a valuable opportunity for self-discovery and addressing concerns in a supportive and collaborative environment. Our group sessions typically consist of 4-10 students who meet weekly throughout the semester, all under the expert guidance of our CAPS clinicians. Joining a group allows you to gain valuable insights into yourself and others, fostering personal growth and understanding in a nurturing setting. You can sign up to participate in a mental health group within your Student Health Portal. Please email our Group Coordinator Kortnie Parks, LPC at kortniepgwu [dot] edu for additional information.

Nature Nourishes

This group is for students who need a break from the grind, love being outside (or are at least willing to bundle up), and want to reconnect with themselves and others—because we aren’t made of sugar and won’t melt in a little rain or snow!

Meeting Times: TBD
Location: TBD
Facilitated by:  Sandi Wagner, LICSW (She, Her)

Progress not Perfection: Coping with Others’ Drug and Alcohol Abuse

If someone else’s substance use has impacted your life, you’re not alone — Jay helps facilitate and connect students together to gain insight into addiction, and find space to focus on your own healing and well-being.

Meeting Times: TBD
Location: TBD
Facilitated by:  Jay Dismukes, LICSW, (He, him)

EMDR for Emotional Regulation

This group is for students who feel overwhelmed by anxiety, stress, or past experiences or trauma and want support, connection, and tools to feel more in control.

Meeting Schedule: TBD
Location: TBD
Facilitated by: Sandi Wagner, LICSW (She/Her)

UniQueVoices: All Too Well(ness)

Calling all Swifties! If you’ve ever felt like Taylor’s lyrics put your feelings into words, this group is your chance to connect, reflect, and grow with others who get it—all through the power of her music.

Meeting Schedule: TBD
Location: TBD
Facilitated by: Rachel Enloe, LPC (She, they) & Jessica Biniszkiewicz, LPC (she/her)

Healthy Relationships Group

This group is for students who want to better understand their relationship patterns—whether with partners, friends, family, or roommates—and learn practical tools to build healthier, more fulfilling connections.

Meeting Schedule: TBD
Location: TBD
Facilitated by: Laura Finkelstein, Ph.D (She/Her)

Support Spaces

Support Spaces are no-commitment spaces where students can receive assistance, encouragement, and guidance from from peers with the support of mental health professionals. These spaces are designed to be non-judgmental and empathetic, fostering a sense of trust and community

Affinity Support Space

What is an Affinity Support Space?

Affinity Support Spaces are an informal way for students to connect, share, and process their experiences in a safe and understanding environment of others with common interests and/or experiences. Affinity Support Spaces are offered across campus by GW CAPS clinicians in collaboration with campus partners. Previous spaces include: “First In The Family” (First Gen Students), “Kaleidoscope” students identifying as Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC), and “The In, Out and In Between” ( LGBTQIA+ students)

How are Affinity Support Spaces formed?

Affinity Support Spaces are formed based on shared characteristics, experiences, or identities. For example, there could be spaces for racial/ethnic minorities, LGBTQIA+ individuals, survivors of trauma, individuals dealing with chronic illness, First Gen, or Veterans. Each space defines how they want to be in a community with one another and reflect on the experiences students’ intersectional identities.

How can I set-up an Affinity Support Space?

Students can request Affinity Spaces through various channels:

1. Requesting them through the CAPS Outreach Request Form.
2. Emailing capsoutreachgwu [dot] edu for additional information.

We ask students to request this space at least three weeks in advance with time and date flexibility to help ensure the success of the space. We will do our best to accommodate student preferences of clinician identities in the space as well.

Community Comfort Zone: Post-Crisis Support Space

CAPS Clinicians are available to provide support to GW students following  impactful, traumatic, or tragic events that occur on campus or community events that have greatly impacted our students' well-being. This support can include talking with groups on campus (e.g., student organizations, departments, classes) about coping with unjust, violent, or traumatic situations, grief/loss, and/or facilitating conversations about current emotions. Please call us directly at (202) 994-5300 for more immediate assistance if your request is related to a crisis or urgent situation.

Examples of Critical/Urgent Situations

• Death of a student, faculty, or staff member
• Aftermath of natural disasters or terrorism events
• Impactful world events (ie: Social Injustice and Racial Tensions, Political Unrest)

CAPS Support for Departmental Activities 

Additionally, if you or your department/organization are planning an activity or other response to recent tragedies or events, CAPS can provide collaboration, presence, and/or resources to support your activity. 

THIS IS NOT MEANT TO BE A REPLACEMENT FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES.  If you are or someone else is in crisis or experiencing a life-threatening emergency please call GWPD at 202-994-6111, call 911, or go to the nearest emergency room.

Support Spaces are offered by GW CAPS clinicians, in collaboration with campus partners. Support Spaces are not group therapy, but a space to be utilized for support, resources, and community building with the support of a licensed clinician.