Support Groups and Group Counseling
Let's Co-Create a Culture of Care at UH Hilo
On this page:
Mindfulness Group
Take a pause in your day and join our Mindfulness Meditation Drop-In Group at UH Hilo Counseling Services. The group will be offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 11:30am–12:15pm for the Spring 2026 semester. This group offers students and staff a welcoming space to pause, reset, and build greater awareness in the midst of a busy day. Each session includes 15–20 minutes of guided meditation, followed by a brief, optional discussion to reflect on the experience and explore how mindfulness can be used in daily life. No prior meditation experience is needed—just a willingness to try.
Meditation styles may include mindfulness of breathing, body scans, guided imagery, walking meditation, and eating meditation, allowing participants to explore a variety of practices and find what feels most supportive for them. Counseling Services is located on the second floor of the Student Services Building, on the end nearest the performing arts center.
Expressive Arts
Come join an Expressive Arts Drop-In Group at Counseling Services on the UH Hilo campus! Groups will be on Tuesdays from 2pm-3:30pm starting February 3rd in Room SSB-E214. Drop in for any group, no prior attendance needed. Participants will be able to explore/express aspects of their identities and experiences from multiple perspectives through the use of different modalities. The activities involve creating a character, designing their journey of transformation, use of specific descriptor feeling words and colors/drawings representing different emotional experiences. Using multiple modalities for this purpose challenges individuals to reflect on and express in greater detail their personal experiences.
The narrative of the Hero’s Journey reflects one of positive growth and change. The process of defining what positive change means for an individual, symbolically or expressly descriptive, may lend direction and affirmation to the artist. The goal of this group is to facilitate a space where participants feel free and open to focus on the process of art creation without judgment on the final product resulting from their expression. Counseling Services is located on the 2nd floor of the Student Services Building, on the end closest to the performing arts center.
Groups
Students may sign up for groups the first few weeks of the semester in person, by email, or by calling (808) 932-7465. After the sign up period, students will be contacted by Counseling Services to schedule an initial meeting with a counselor to learn more about the group(s) they signed up for and to discuss scheduling. Groups usually start by the 4th week of school, and final group availability is dependent on group size.
If you are interested in joining other groups or classes, sign up using the other groups or classes form.
Contact
Potential Groups
- LGBTQ+ Support Group
- ASD Support Group
- Nontraditional Student Support Group
- Support for Students with Disabilities
- New to UH Hilo
- Depression Support Group
- Anxiety Support Group
- ADHD Support Group/ Productivity Circle
- Grief Support Group
- Support for Former Foster Children
- International Student Support Group
- Survivor Support
- Healthy Masculinity
- Graduate Student Support
- Kīlauea Eruption Support Group
Classes
- Stress Management Mindfulness
- QPR Gatekeeper Training
Scheduled Classes
Potential Classes
- Sleep 101
- Assertiveness Training
- Anger Management
- Managing Emotions & Relationships Workshop
If you are interested in signing up for any of these groups, please email Counseling Services at uhhcouns@hawaii.edu.
Group Counseling
Group counseling usually consists of one or two counselors and four to eight participants who are committed to weekly group sessions that are one to one and a half hours long. Participants can speak or share as much or as little as they like.
Students may join a group because they are experiencing a personal difficulty or because they seek personal growth and development. Participation in group counseling can be very beneficial for many common student concerns, and there are specific benefits of group counseling that individual counseling cannot offer.
Benefits of Group Counseling
- Increased support network
- Decreased feelings of being alone with one's problems
- Learning from others perspectives
- Feedback from others
- Increased confidence from supporting and encouraging others
Confidentiality
All group participants agree to group norms to create a safe, comfortable environment for everyone. One of the most important agreements is that all participants maintain confidentiality and do not share to anyone outside the group about who is in the group, or about what happens in the group.
Understanding Group Therapy from the American Psychological Association
LGBTQ+ Support Group
Be part of a support group where LGBTQ+ students can express themselves, make friends, and have discussion. This is a group for students who identify as LGBTQ+ to receive and give support, learn about one another’s experiences, and be in a safe space for exploration.
If the Women’s or LGBTQ+ groups sound like something you would like to participate in, please contact Samantha Bailo at sbailo@hawaii.edu to express your interest in joining one or more of the groups!
International Student Support Group
The idea of a new format of the support group combines the psycho-educational, process and certification concept to attract the international students to utilize Counseling Services. Based on the facts that they desire to pursue education in the U.S., the hesitation to seek mental health counseling, and the confirmation of a certificate of their accomplishment, the new format of the group idea was created at UH Hilo Counseling Services.
Graduate Student Support Group
A support group for graduate students provides care and support for graduate students. This support group helps students immediately get support from their peers. Using the support group helps graduate students meet the academic demands and complete their degrees on time. This group addresses the adjustment and mental health concerns of graduate students, and what impedes their completion. Needs of graduate students are different than those of undergraduates. Group members help one another to succeed at UH Hilo.
Anxiety Support Group
This group helps with managing and overcoming anxiety. The members learn about anxiety and how it can portray itself. Members learn to identify triggers that can worsen their anxiety. This group helps members discover and develop effective coping strategies. Members also gain support in a safe environment. This group runs every semester throughout the year.
If any of the above groups sound like something you would like to participate in, please contact Dr. Frank Kuo at kuocf@hawaii.edu to express your interest in joining one or more of these groups!