1. What inspired you to start the Group Program at Webb 10 years ago?
I appreciate the opportunity to speak about the Group Program which was developed specifically for Webb students. I hope this interview will allow for a greater understanding of how this program evolved and how it has been utilized by the Webb community. Eleven years ago, a group of concerned Webb students created a lengthy mental health survey and presented the results to the administration. At that time there were no mental health providers at Webb Institute, and students needed to use an impersonal crisis hotline for help. The students hoped the survey would be the catalyst for improving the mental health resources available at Webb. The survey revealed significant amounts of anxiety, depression and substance use, which then prompted the administration to search for a part-time psychologist to provide in-person counseling services. When I was interviewed for this position by the students, they emphasized that many of their peers were unhappy, socially disconnected and stressed. My initial instinct was that group therapy, the treatment of choice when faced with interpersonal struggles, would benefit this community. Moreover, the literature in my field has steadfastly stated that the single best predictor of happiness, when analyzing a myriad of financial, medical and other emotional factors, is having strong connections with others. I fervently believed that if I could get Webb students to join a group, that I would be able to help them develop the skills necessary to both improve their interpersonal relationships and their mental health. Initially I faced a serious roadblock; the stigma surrounding getting mental health services made it difficult to recruit students to the Group Program. After a little brainstorming, I developed a plan targeted to both reduce the stigma as well as expose the students to the group process. I credit a large part of the program’s success to Webb’s former President Keith Michel, for he enthusiastically gave me the green light to implement my vision for the Group Program.
2. What essentially is Webb’s Group Program?
The Group Program consists of two parts; The Freshmen Group Program and the Voluntary Group Program. Freshmen Group is a mandatory four week program that begins at the start of the Fall semester. The freshmen are divided into three groups and meet weekly. The Freshmen Group is NOT a therapeutic group. The purpose of the Freshmen Group is twofold. Firstly, and most importantly, it is a chance for all incoming students to get to know me, which hopefully will make it less intimidating to contact me for an individual session if the need arises. The second purpose of the Freshmen Group program is for me to get to know the freshmen, so that if they choose to continue with a voluntary group after the Freshmen Group ends, I can place them in an appropriate group. The Voluntary Group Program is a weekly group therapy program that runs the entire academic year. My first year at Webb, there was only one voluntary group at Webb consisting mostly of the students who advocated for my appointment. Currently, I run eight voluntary groups each week. The majority of the groups have 10 or 11 members. Typically group members remain in the same group until graduation. For the past three years, over 80% of the Webb community has participated in the Voluntary Group Program. Attendance overall is excellent, which is remarkable considering how busy Webb students are. I believe that the stigma surrounding mental health at Webb has been greatly reduced, which has helped this program grow. Of note, it should not be overlooked that this program is provided to the students at no additional cost to them. Furthermore, Webb is most likely the only higher educational facility that has the overwhelming majority of its students participating in a voluntary group therapy program.
3. Webbies are known for their intellect, but many are also introverted and private. How did you build trust and create space for openness in group sessions?
This is an excellent question. In order to have an environment whereby students feel comfortable sharing their concerns, there has to be an understanding that the information that is disclosed in the group room stays within the walls of the group room. Confidentiality is the crux of the Group Program. During Freshmen Group, the rules of confidentiality and their limits are explained in great detail, and each freshman signs a confidentiality agreement. Moreover, after sensitive information is shared in the group room, I will remind students about confidentiality.
4. Can you describe what a typical group is like?
There is no set agenda for each group. I begin each meeting with a general prompt like “Does anyone have anything they want to share this week?” Most times, groups take off from there without any intervention on my part. Just to clarify, the vast majority of the students who are in the Group Program are well-adjusted college students. Topics brought up in groups are typical for this age cohort, including feelings of loneliness, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, family problems, substance use concerns and time management difficulties. For freshmen, the all too common fear of not being able to succeed at Webb is met with a giant “we know exactly how you feel and this is how we got through it.” For the student who is struggling academically as well as personally, having a group of people who can understand how the academic demands of Webb can exacerbate other non-academic issues is comforting. Group provides a wide safety net for its members; it’s a judgment- free zone where students can voice anything that is on their minds. The group members form a mini community and often develop strong bonds. I recall one group when an underclassman was expressing discomfort due to frequent panic attacks and loneliness, an upperclassman asked this student for their phone, plugged in their number and said you now have someone to call 24/7. Group also offers its members the benefit of having 10 additional perspectives to a problem. I often anoint a group member assistant leader status after they provide spot-on advice to their peers. Groups can allow for experiential experiences that you can not get in individual therapy. For example, a group member who is unaware of how their behavior is negatively affecting their classmates, can get real-time supportive feedback about these behaviors as they occur in the group setting. Finally, group is not always intense, we laugh a lot and look forward to having a stress-free hour to unwind each week.
5. How have you seen students grow emotionally and socially through the Group program?
Group offers me the privilege of having quality time with many students over the course of four years; of giving me a front-row seat to witness the trajectory of their emotional maturation. Typically, most freshmen start off kind of quiet; they sit back and are observers rather than conversation starters. There is a direct correlation between the students’ class year and the number of contributions they make. By the time most students are seniors and have been in a group for four years, they are more comfortable sharing, and they have also honed the skills to facilitate conversations with others. At times, group members in the same group have had disputes. Carefully dismantling those conflicts allows all of the group members not only to offer advice but also to draw parallels between the issue at hand and their own conflicts. One of the most rewarding parts of leading groups is to help diffuse conflicts between roommates, romantic partners and peers by helping each party to gain an understanding of their adversary and thereby have a better perspective of the situation. It is my great hope that the tools that group members learn in group will parlay into their post-graduation lives.
6. What personal values of yours have you added to the Group Program?
I think that my strong belief in expressing gratitude to others and providing positive feedback has seeped its way into the Group Program. We are often so hard on ourselves and quick to listen to negative self-talk. I strive to remind these students every week that they are valued and important. Any opportunity I have to give someone a compliment or cheer for their accomplishments, big or small, I take. Probably the best example of this is Senior Week. Senior Week is held during one of the last weeks of the spring semester and it is basically my gift to the seniors for their dedication to group. During Senior Week, the seniors receive feedback from each group member and myself about the positive impact they have made on their other group members. The seniors also go around the room and reciprocate positive feedback to each group member as well. Without fail, there are feelings of disbelief listening to how one’s actions positively impacted their peers, feelings of love and respect are acknowledged, friendships are appreciated and happy tears are shed. Senior Week also provides the seniors a place to reflect on their college experience and recognize their own personal growth. If we circle back to why I started The Group Program in the first place – to help form connections that can aid with increasing one’s level of happiness – it is during Senior Week that I clearly see the success of this program. One of the most common sentiments expressed is that close friendships were made between people who wouldn’t have chosen each other to be friends outside of group, be that because they were in different classes or more typically because of different personality styles. Webb Institute is a prestigious college, with top-notch faculty, a caring administration and,most importantly, incredible, inquisitive, and talented students. It is my sincere hope that the Group Program has made Webb students a little happier and that the skills and friendships made in group will last a lifetime.