The new Wellness Skills Program offers a series of workshops and brief structured groups designed to help students enhance wellness and develop personal, academic and social skills.  To sign up for a group, or for more information, call CAPS at (310) 825-0768 or visit us at John Wooden Center West. 

Biofeedback Training I & II

Achieve a state of inner calm and experience life more clearly. Biofeedback combines modern technology and ancient wisdom to increase awareness of subtle physiological indicators of stress. Learn how to recognize early signs of distress and utilize feedback from electronic devices to restore inner calm. The latest innovation in biofeedback, heart-rate variability feedback, is effective in reducing stress and improving intellectual, emotional and physical functioning. Access to our biofeedback laboratory and portable equipment check-out are available upon completion of this training.

Tuesdays, 2:00-3:00pm, Three Sessions
Section One: October 13 - October 27
Section Two: November 3 - November 17

Thursdays, 4:00-5:00pm, Three Sessions
Section One: October 15 - October 29
Section Two: November 5 - November 1

Learning Objectives

• Define biofeedback and its many applications
• Describe heart rate variability feedback and its benefits
• Gain awareness of physiological processes and the effects of coherence

This group is for students who would like to learn practical ways to meet more people and feel more confident in social situations. Participants will be encouraged to identify social fears and related self-defeating patterns and practice effective social skills in a supportive group setting.

Wednesdays, 4:00-5:00pm, Four Sessions
Section One: October 7 - October 28
Section Two: November 4 - December 2

Learning Objectives

• Define social anxiety and describe the costs and benefits of anxiety
• Explain the theories of why we become anxious in social situations
• Identify social fears and related self-defeating patterns
• Acquire and practice effective social skills

Coping withr Insomnia

Sleep – it’s essential to your health! This group will help teach you strategies to improve the quality and efficiency of your sleep. Learn new habits and ways of thinking that not only improve sleep but reduce stress.

Thursdays, 1:00-2:00pm, Three Sessions
Section One: October 22 - November 5

Learning Objectives

• Improve quality and efficiency of sleep through sleep hygiene, cognitive and behavioral strategies.
• Learn cognitive and behavioral strategies (including relaxation/mindfulness) for stress reduction, to be applied to sleep as well as emotional distress.
• Identify and refer students whose insomnia may be related to issues such as depression requiring additional treatment.
  

Panic attacks can be scary and unsettling, leading us to worry about the next attack and avoid situations where an attack might be triggered. Learn proven psychological techniques that can reduce and even prevent panic attacks. Join this group if you are concerned about panic attacks and want to learn effective ways to manage them.

Mondays, 1:00-2:00pm, Two Sessions
Section One: October 19 - November 2

Learning Objectives

• Understand the reasons why people experience panic attacks
• Decode the misinterpretations about the causes and consequence of the attacks
• Realize your panic attack triggers and behaviors that might maintain the attacks
• Manage attacks and ultimately reduce/prevent their recurrence

Mindful Pathways to Wellness

Ancient spiritual traditions have recognized mindfulness as a powerful pathway towards enhanced well-being. Mindfulness-based psychological techniques are effective for coping with difficulties in life and in improving the overall quality of life. Learn basic principles of mindfulness and practice a variety of ways of being in the present moment.

Tuesdays, 3:00 – 4:00, Three Sessions
Section One: October 6 – October 20
Section Two: October 27 – November 10
Section Three: November 17 – December 1

Learning Objectives

• Understand the basic principles of mindfulness
• Increase your well-being through increased self-awareness
• Practice a variety of ways to experience daily events in the present moment

If your procrastination has become problematic or embarrassing, this group can offer some help. Explore reasons behind excessive procrastination and discuss the costs involved through this hands-on, structured and supportive group. Learn and practice specific tools to create realistic goals, manage time better and increase productivity.

Tuesdays, 3:00 – 4:00, Three Sessions
Section One: October 20 – November 3
Section Two: November 10 – November 24

Learning Objectives

• Articulate 3 patterns that increase procrastination and productivity.
• Practice and discuss 3 or more skills to facilitate “start now” behavior, including goal setting, reinforcement scheduling, and removing blocks to action.
• Discuss skills implemented and work through trouble shooting.
• Identify 3 or more personalized ways to maintain pattern of productivity.
• Acquire and practice specific strategies for managing stress
  

If you dread speaking in public, you are not alone. Many Americans rate speaking in public as one of their top fears. Yet, being a successful student requires speaking in public, whether it is in social situations or in academic settings, such as seminars. Join this supportive group if you would like to learn effective tools for managing public speaking anxiety and speaking publicly with greater comfort.

Mondays, 3:00 – 4:00, Three Sessions
Section One: October 19 – November 2

Thursdays, 5:00 – 6:30, Four Sessions
Section Two: October 29 – November 19
(Section Two is for graduate students only)

Learning Objectives

• Define public speaking anxiety and its main signs
• Identify fears underlying public speaking anxiety
• Acquire and practice specific strategies for increasing public speaking confidence