Looking for a supportive community on campus with other students who actually “get it”? Group counseling isn’t about sitting in a circle being put on the spot - it’s about finding a solid support network that helps you work on your personal goals . Along with 2 counselors and a small group of 4-8 peers, you will have a chance to talk openly and honestly about your concerns, gain new perspectives, learn more about yourself, build confidence, and practice tools for managing stress, balance, and relationships. Come as you are, share at your own pace, and leave feeling more connected and less alone.
What Charlotte students have to say about group counseling:
"The group leaders made such a difference in my week every week. Never would I have ever thought I would feel so happy to look forward to therapy”
“Group helped me come out of my shell”
“The group was extremely helpful in me coming to terms with myself and helped relieve a lot of stress associated with that.”
“I liked being in a space with people who were similar to me yet different enough that I could still get a different perspective about the same situation”
“I don’t want to burden my friends and family by telling them everything. In the group I felt like everyone was there for the same reason so I felt like it was okay to share my things with them”
“It was nice to share about similar experiences and felt like a powerful place where we could check in on each other and be real”
See our list of current groups below. If you don’t see a group that meets your needs, please don’t hesitate to reach out—new groups may be added throughout the year based on demand and student feedback.
CAPS groups services are provided at no additional cost to the student and are unlimited. All groups are open to all currently enrolled UNC Charlotte students who are eligible for services. Groups do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation or any other protected status listed in University Policy: 501.
The groups listed below will meet throughout the semester and typically consist of 5-10 students. To participate in the group, students must attend an initial consultation at CAPS to discuss their goals and needs. Please call CAPS at (704) 687-0311 or come to the CAPS building (Price Center) for this initial consultation.
Please check individual group descriptions for more information and email caps@charlotte.edu with any questions.
Thursdays | 3:00 - 4:30 PM
CAPS- Price Center
Harrison Flood, LCMHC & Miltonjha Grief, LCSW
Navigating new transitions can be exciting, overwhelming, and everything in between. Whether you are brand new to campus or still finding your place, you don’t have to figure it out alone! This group is a supportive space for students navigating the ups, downs, and unexpected aspects of college life, including adjusting to campus, building community, missing home, managing stress and academics, and working on finding balance. Together, we’ll build confidence and gain tools to navigate academic, social, and personal transitions.
Wednesdays | 4:00 - 5:00 PM
CAPS- Price Center
Shaakira James, PhD, & Nic Williams, PhD, LCMHCA
The Rest Stop is a restorative counseling group for students who have had to be “the strong one” for a long time. Together, we’ll explore mindfulness, nervous system regulation, holistic wellness, and practices that help move us from surviving to thriving. If you’ve been carrying the weight of expectations, responsibilities, or simply longing for permission to slow down, this group offers space to breathe, reconnect, and heal.
Do you ever wonder why you react the way you do in relationships, or why connecting with others sometimes feels harder than it should? Understanding Self and Others is a weekly group where you can explore who you are, how your experiences have shaped you, how you show up in relationships, and how other people experience you. We go beyond surface-level interactions to get to know each other on a deeper level, and explore trust, communication, boundaries, and what it means to really feel seen, heard, and understood. In these groups, you’ll have the opportunity to share openly, gain greater self-awareness, test out new ways of relating, and build deeper, more authentic connections—both in the room and in your daily life.
Mondays 3:30-5 PM
Nic Williams, PhD, LCMHCA & Kate Hoyle, MA
Tuesdays 3:30-5 PM
Emily Brown, PhD, & Sophie Pringle, MA
This is totally understandable! Many students are unsure about what to expect in group couseling or initially think they won’t feel comfortable opening up in a group setting. You control what, when, and how much you share with the group. Even when you do not share much in a group session, you can also benefit from learning from others’ experiences or providing support to others. Challenging yourself to open up in group can be part of the growth process too!
Research actually shows that group counseling is as (or more!) effective than individual counseling for a lot of concerns that bring students to CAPS! CAPS will only refer you to a therapy group if we believe your needs will be met by the group and if we believe you could benefit from sharing this space with both peers and mental health professionals. Also, whereas CAPS individual counseling uses a short-term model, group counseling is weekly and longer-term!
In your non-binding pre-group meeting, you’ll have a chance to talk with the group leaders about any concerns, including this.
Many people feel anxious about being vulnerable and have this fear about group - you are not alone! In reality, everyone is there for similar reasons- to experience, and create, a safe and supportive environment where they can share, connect, learn, and grow. Group leaders will help the group members develop norms that help everyone feel as safe and brave as possible.
Group counseling can help with many issues, including:
- Relationship problems with family, friends, and partners
- Feeling isolated or like you’re the “only one”
- Trust issues
- Managing other people’s expectations of you or your expectations of yourself
- Self-esteem or self-confidence
- Imposter syndrome
- Difficulty with communication, setting boundaries, or asserting your needs
- Social anxiety
- Depression
Some of the ways that students often grow from group counseling are:
- Learning to communicate more comfortably and freely
- Being honest with yourself and others
- Exploring inner feelings and thoughts
- Being able to be more vulnerable
- Developing greater self-compassion and self-trust
- Processing and healing from past relationship or family issues
- Learning to better communicate boundaries and needs
- Feeling less isolated or alone
- A sense of community and belonging
- Intentional self-care and wellness
- Getting honest feedback on how others’ perceive you
- Experimenting with new ways of relating or coping
In the beginning, group will focus on building trust and getting to know one another. Topics often depend on what brought each group member to group. Discussions are led by what members would like to talk about- you are welcome to bring any issues to the group that you feel are important.
Members are encouraged to give support, provide feedback, and talk about the thoughts and feelings that come up in response to what others share. We will often focus on the interactions between group members to help practice effective communication that deepens connections.
We encourage you to think out loud! Try to put words to the reactions you have to people or topics in the group and share them out loud, instead of censoring or silencing like we often do in our day-to-day lives. Unexpressed feelings often make us feel worse and more isolated.