By Lan Nguyen
There are always trials through life that people must face, but sometimes a little extra help is needed, and there are certainly a variety of groups at the University of Louisville that can provide that extra assistance.
At U of L, there are not only support groups, but therapy, self-help, and psycho education groups as well. Each type of group is very distinctive in how they are operated. According to Laura Byrd, a licensed clinical social worker, counselor, and Outreach Coordinator at U of L’s counseling center said, “Support groups are informal, where the main goals are to listen, offer suggestions and simply talk and be heard by persons who are also struggling with similar issues.”
Self-help groups are led entirely by the group members, who have come together with a common problem, relying on no professional facilitators. Therapy groups are always facilitated by skilled therapists and involve a deeper process of exploring feelings about past and current problems.
Byrd adds that therapists may screen people before assigning them to a therapy group because there is a chance a person is not “psychologically ready” to participate in the group. Additionally, in any of the groups, no one is required to share anything they feel uneasy about discussing. Confidentiality is stressed at the meetings and all group members must agree to keep what they learn to themselves.
At U of L this year, four groups are being offered, focusing on childhood sexual abuse, becoming at ease around people, individuals affected by alcoholism, and those individuals who are struggling with an addiction to alcohol. The group for victims of childhood sexual abuse and the “becoming at ease around people” group are exclusively for students. However, the two alcohol-related groups are open to both faculty and students.
The childhood sexual abuse group is a fairly new therapy group. The group started holding sessions last spring after childhood sexual abuse was identified as a major issue for many students by a therapist at the counseling center. Byrd was the one who offered the group then and since it was successful, she is offering the group this fall as well. Members do not talk about specific abuse. Instead, they discuss their feelings about the abuse and how it has affected their lives. This group will begin meeting in mid-September on Thursdays from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Again, Laura Byrd is the person to contact for this group; call the counseling center at 852-6585 and ask to speak with her.
The “becoming at ease around people” group is a psycho education group, focusing on education and building social skills. The main goal is to teach members new skills that enable them to be more comfortable in social situations such as class presentations, job or school settings, and any other various social situations. The group starts meeting in mid-September, Monday evenings from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Terri White, a psychologist, and Melanie Hiler, a licensed professional clinical counselor, are the contacts for this group, and both are reachable at the counseling center.
The two alcohol-related groups are both self-help and independent from the counseling center. Alcoholics Anonymous, for people who have problems with alcohol, meets at the Interfaith Center (IFC), on Tuesdays at noon. Al-Anon is a group that helps people affected by someone else’s drinking, and meets at the IFC on Mondays, from noon to 1 p.m.
“Both programs are fellowships that share their experience, strength and hope in order to solve common problems,” said Byrd. Furthermore, the two groups include twelve-step programs and have very structured meetings, though each is a little different. Some meetings are for discussion, others include speakers, and as always no one is required or forced to share.
The U of L counseling center not only provides group help, but one-on-one assistance to students as well. As long as there is need among students, these groups will continue to provide comfort, help, and guidance.
