Navigating college can be a stressful and confusing, yet exciting process—and mental health issues among college students are far more common than one might think. A 2023 report by the National Education Association (NEA) shows that mental health disorders are at an all time high among college students. As part of this report, over 90,000 students across 133 U.S. campuses participated in a mental health survey.
The NEA survey results show:
- 44% of students reported depression symptoms
- 37% students reported experiencing anxiety
- 15% of students surveyed reported considering suicide (the highest rate in the survey’s 15-year history)
The college mental health crisis affects students of all backgrounds, all income levels, all genders and gender identities, all sexual orientations and all races. Which is why Valera Health offers a flexible and robust virtual group therapy program perfect for any college student. Part therapist-led, part peer-led, group members will find support among their peers—no matter what they are struggling with.
What therapy groups are available for college students?
- ADHD Support: ADHD can play a huge impact on our ability to navigate school, work and interpersonal relationships. In this supportive skills-based group, participants will learn practical skills for managing ADHD symptoms, maximizing motivation, building confidence, reducing stress, increasing energy and mood, improving relationships and optimizing daily functioning.
- Anxiety/Depression: School, work, life stressors, worries and additional troubles can cause impairments in our lives that are challenging to navigate, manage and cope with. In this adult therapy group, participants will learn skills to help them alleviate anxiety and depression through thought processing, mindfulness, social engagement, exposure, and CBT while using a strengths based and person centered approach. Participants will gain social skills, problem solving abilities, decision making efforts, and emotion regulation skills to help increase awareness, mood, energy, and positivity so that they can build self-esteem and confidence to live a more fulfilling and purposeful life.
- Intersectionality: This group provides a safe space for those who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) to freely express themselves amongst a group of their peers. Topics of discussion include trauma, microaggressions, workplace stress, relationships/partnerships and breaking the cycles of unhealthy parental relationships and more.
- LGBTQIA+ Support: Open for LGBTQIA+ identifying individuals, this collaborative, community-building and identity affirming group is peer and therapist-led. Together, we will focus on topics including coming out, late bloomers, navigating healthy relationships, communicating with family, building community, queer parenting, accessing gender-affirming care, kink, and non-monogamy. Nothing is off limits!
- Anxiety/Trauma: Presented through a trauma-informed lens, this group provides participants with a safe space to improve decision-making skills as well as discuss life transitions, work and/or school-related stress, relationship stress and more. Participants will work with both a therapist and their peers to develop coping strategies that will help them better navigate how to handle daily stressors and other triggers/symptoms of anxiety. Participants will also learn how trauma can impact our daily functioning, life goals and wellbeing and will learn strategies to help overcome these obstacles.
- Trauma Survivor Support: Created for young adults (ages 18-25) who have experienced relational and/or sexual trauma, this group teaches participants a variety of coping skills for responding to and processing trauma. Among the many things participants will learn are self-validation techniques, how to address triggers and grounding techniques for dissociation/fight-or-flight trauma responses. Group participants will also learn how to reframe cognitive distortions and negative thoughts, basic self-care techniques, mindfulness, journaling techniques, how to discuss trauma with family and partners, and how to communicate relationship needs and difficulties around sex.
How do I sign up?
At this time, the virtual groups listed above are only available in the state of New York. For our group therapy programs, we accept most major insurances as well as offer affordable self-pay rates ($42.50/session). Members must be 18+ to join.
Valera Health also offers virtual individual therapy and psychiatry in 10 states and 20 languages.
In addition, patients receive complimentary access to the Valera Health app, which is full of mental health resources and exercises, and access to live chats with your Care Team so that you can continue to make progress inside and outside of sessions.
We accept most major insurances, Medicaid/Medicare and self-pay in order to make mental healthcare accessible and affordable for anyone in need.
If you’d like to join one of our therapy or support groups, or are interested in receiving individualized care, visit www.valerahealth.com/consult-today/ to schedule a free consultation with a Health Connector today!