The Counseling and Mental Health Center offers a wide variety of services and programs to meet students’ mental health needs. The services listed below are free workshops and events intended to provide valuable life skills.
While these wellness workshops and events are often led by a licensed mental health professional, and students may certainly find them to be therapeutic, they are not considered formal therapy. Any student can attend the programs listed below regardless of whether they are receiving other services at CMHC. Some options are one-time events, some are drop-in based, and others are brief series requiring prior enrollment.
We hope to expand these offerings over time and are interested in student feedback about what kinds of topics or events would be of most interest. Please click here to submit your suggestions for wellness events or series you would like to see offered.
Please note: Workshops taking place in person at the Counseling and Mental Health Center will observe the center’s current COVID-19 protocols. CMHC groups and workshops are not eligible for currently enrolled UT Austin students to observe for class assignments.
Wednesdays, 5 to 6 p.m. CST
8/25 - 12/1 (not meeting during Fall Break)
Louis Haling
Virtual
In this one-session workshop, CMHC staff will guide you through the process of finding a counselor outside of UT. If you are considering therapy but are unsure whether it’s for you, don’t know how to pay for counseling or are wondering how to find the right counselor, this workshop can help. Participants will learn the basics of accessing mental health care in the community, including:
This is not a therapy group, and you do not have to be a CMHC client to enroll.
2 Sections:
Mondays, 11 a.m. to noon CST
10/3 - 11/28 (not meeting during Fall Break)
Cassy Moreno
Virtual
Tuesdays, 3 to 4 p.m. CST
9/6 - 11/29 (no meeting during Fall Break)
Abby Simpson
CMHC – SSB 5th floor
Skills for navigating stress and overwhelming emotions.
This four-session workshop allows participants to learn concepts and skills for:
The series is primarily informational with brief group discussions about the skills. Participants are asked to attend the workshop series for 4 weeks in a row. Since the modules can be completed in any order, students can start the workshop at any time of the semester.
This is not a traditional therapy group, and you do not have to be a CMHC client to enroll.
Mondays, 3 to 4 p.m. CST
8/29 - 11/28 (not meeting during Fall Break)
Jennifer Barnoud, Registered Dietitian & Hannah Garcia, MS, RD, LD
Virtual
This free, educational workshop series is facilitated by Jennifer Barnoud, Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist with University Health Services. Participants will learn evidence-based answers to nutrition-related questions and concerns commonly experienced by students. These workshops are open to all currently enrolled UT Austin students. Scroll down to view the dates for each topic.
All nutrition sessions are weight inclusive. An emphasis will not be put on any weight loss diets or strategies. These workshops are primarily informational with brief group discussions about the skills.
TO REGISTER:
Please sign up at least one day in advance. The workshop facilitator will email you instructions for accessing the Zoom before the workshop.
ROTATING SINGLE SESSION WORKSHOP TOPICS:
Meal Planning, Grocery Shopping and Cooking (8/29 and 10/17)
Learn the basics of meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking and how to manage these tasks with a busy schedule. These foundational nutrition related skills will help you to meet proper nutritional guidelines in a way that fits into your life as a Healthyhorn.
Nutrition for Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) (9/12 and 10/24)
Learn how PCOS affects the body, evidenced-based nutrition and lifestyle interventions to help manage insulin levels and improve metabolic health, and how to manage food cravings.
Nutrition for Heart Health and Diabetes (9/19 and 10/31)
Learn evidenced-based recommendations for treating and managing metabolic health concerns including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and diabetes. We will compare and contrast different eating styles and review the evidence that does or does not support them.
Intuitive and Mindful Eating: What You Missed in Your Nutrition Education (9/26 and 11/7)
Learn how to create a lifelong alliance with your body instead of constant disagreement over what, when, and how much to eat. We will discuss common counterproductive thought processes that interfere with healthy eating, how to utilize your body’s innate wisdom and cues to guide your eating so you can feel your best both physically and mentally.
Emotional and Stress Eating (10/3 and 11/14)
Learn common triggers for emotional eating, evidence-based strategies to reduce and prevent emotional eating and develop a personalized plan to address your specific eating concerns.
Sustainable Nutrition for a Healthy Planet (10/10 and 11/28)
Learn about the effects of the modern-day food system on planetary health and how you can support the health of both you and Mother Earth through your nutrition with a positive and healthy perspective. This workshop includes information on plant-based eating patterns.
Fridays, 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. CST
10/14 - 12/16 (not meeting during Fall Break)
Maria Timm, PhD, RYT-200
TNH 3.140 (Jeffers Courtroom)
Root to Rise is a drop-in style rotating yoga workshop for students in the School of Law. Attend one or all workshop sessions and repeat sessions if desired.
Participants should arrive wearing comfortable workout clothing. Yoga mats will be supplied, but students are welcome to bring their own. No prior yoga experience necessary. This workshop is open to all fitness and ability levels. Modifications will be offered for accessibility. Themes are noted below.
This is not a therapy group, and you do not have to be a CMHC client to enroll.
Fridays, 1 to 2:30 p.m. CST
9/16 - 12/2 (not meeting during Fall Break)
Joey Hannah
SSB 4.212
Skills for managing your emotional well-being during graduate school.
Please note this workshop section is only for graduate students.
In this free 4-session workshop series, participants learn concepts and skills for:
This workshop series is primarily informational with brief group discussions about the skills. Participants are asked to attend the workshop series for 4 weeks in a row. Since the modules can be completed in any order, students can start the workshop at any time of the semester.
Tuesdays, 3:30 to 5 p.m. CST
9/6 - 12/6 (not meeting during Fall Break)
Ayesha Akbar, RYT-200 and Kristen Pearson, RYT-200
CMHC – SSB 5th floor
This weekly yoga workshop is for students who have experienced trauma and are looking for support with their own healing experience.
Trauma-informed yoga focuses on themes of grounding, choice, connection with one's body, trauma/stress response and regulation. Through the practice, participants will also learn mindfulness skills to practice being in the present moment with intention.
No prior yoga experience is necessary. Open to all fitness and ability levels. This is not a traditional therapy group, and you do not need to be a CMHC client to enroll. Click below to receive more information about this workshop.
Thursdays, 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
9/15 - 10/20
Geeti Mahajan, LCSW, C-IAYT and Jennifer Barnoud, RD
SSB 3.406
This workshop is for students whose digestive issues make it difficult to focus, quiet the mind, enjoy eating or just generally live their best life. Constant stress to the body can make it hard to digest meals, sleep, wind down and relax. This can lead to a variety of attempts at finding relief, such as elimination diets and/or supplements. This workshop offers an evidenced-based and flexible approach to managing your symptoms.
Each session focuses on a physical yoga practice in which participants learn yoga techniques to manage anxiety. Participants will simultaneously learn about digestive health, nutrition and mindfulness skills to help with paying attention to the present moment on purpose, which is a key component to easing an anxious mind and stressed body.
Participants should arrive wearing comfortable work-out clothes. Yoga mats will be supplied but it is highly recommended you bring your own yoga mat for hygienic purposes. No prior yoga experience necessary. This class is open to all fitness and ability levels.
