Brief, focused group therapy (FBGT) is another strategy that increases access by allowing participants to practice their skills in a safe environment. The model, which involves 8 to 12 group therapy sessions, was developed by Whittingham while he was an associate professor of clinical psychology at Wright State University. Providers at the counseling center had long waiting lists and desperately needed an intervention that would fit into the school calendar system. “I knew students were concerned about their relationships and I wanted to use the power of the group to help people,” Whittingham said.
Participants take a pre-assessment called an interpersonal circumplex to understand their specific type of relationship distress. The tool assesses traits such as assertiveness, dominance, agreeableness and warmth, and members collaboratively set goals with the therapist to improve relationships. During the meetings, participants reformulate their objectives and practice new behaviors. If someone shares difficulties in a relationship, a group member who is working to be less confrontational could practice being supportive by asking follow-up questions and affirming the individual. “It’s not a role-playing game,” Whittingham said. “By interacting in real time, people experience deep physical and emotional reactions, as they often fear rejection. » When taking risks by trying new behaviors and experiencing acceptance, participants are more willing to try new behaviors in their lives, he said.
Although FBGT originated in academia, a growing number of healthcare organizations began contacting Whittingham about how to implement the model. Psychiatrist Meenakshi Denduluri, MD, was drawn to FBGT because the groups were here and now focused rather than focused on skills-based psychoeducation. Denduluri, who recently directed FBGT in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University in California, had also noticed that patients in individual therapy often struggled with interpersonal patterns that inhibited their ability to progress in the treatment. “The psychological safety in therapeutic groups allowed people to take interpersonal risks that they couldn’t take in their personal lives,” she said.
College campuses are also increasingly harnessing the healing power of social connections to strengthen support for students struggling with mental health issues. While peer support programs are not new, they are proliferating on campuses nationwide amid the current mental health crisis and a renewed understanding that supporting students is the responsibility of the entire campus community, including peers, said Zoe Ragouzeos, PhD, LCSW, executive director of Counseling and Wellness Services at New York University. These peer programs can reduce stigma, reach more people and increase the diversity of support options, she explained.
Mental health providers at New York University were eager to include their peers in the school’s student support offerings in 2023, prompting Ragouzeos to launch a peer listening program in which participants split into pairs and answered a question such as “What’s on your mind?” right away?” Participants took turns listening and sharing responses of “Is there more?” or “Thanks for sharing.” Partners ended the conversation by expressing positively what “They felt as they got to know the other person. Results of a survey of more than 500 students showed that most participants felt less stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed after peer listening interactions.” It’s remarkable how many students feel like they don’t have a forum in which they can talk about what’s going on without interruption,” Ragouzeos said.
Peer support programs range from psychoeducation, in which trained students provide information on topics related to mental health, to support groups, where students come together in a formal setting to share their experiences and feelings . Ragouzeos has seen strong interest among students in learning how to help struggling peers and have conversations that improve well-being. “Without them, we cannot meet the needs because too few people come through the formal channels of counseling services,” Ragouzeos said. “It is our responsibility to find ways to get students to help each other and ensure they have the appropriate resources to help each other safely.” »
