Welcome aboard, HOME Group!

We have a new group counseling program coming to JMU this spring 2019 semester!

HOME Group is a safe space for students that are far away from the familiarity of their home countries. The group welcomes international students, students who have spent much of their lives outside of the U.S., and/or students whose immediate family are currently residing in another country.

The group will provide an open environment for these students to explore and understand what “home” means to them in the past, present, and future. This group is an ideal space for students to share their unique experiences, insight, and provide support to others.

Discussions will focus on exploring the unique meaning of home for each individual, how that has been shaped by their experiences, and how that is shaping their identities and current experiences. Group discussions will also explore how individuals’ perceptions and experience of home might change over time with new experiences and the ways in which individuals might create new homes away from home.

The group is intended to be a supportive, safe environment for students to explore these themes related to their cultural background, identities, and finding a place for themselves in the world. The group will integrate writing, expressive arts, and verbal discussions as ways to explore these themes.

Group counseling is known to have just as many benefits as individual appointments, plus more! During exercises, you are able to learn how you are perceived by others. Many students experience a sense of acceptance and belonging because they discover they aren’t alone in the difficulties they’re experiencing. Hearing ideas from others can enhance their own ability to make decisions and solve problems because they benefit from the experience of being helpful to others. By talking in a group, individuals learn to constructively express feelings and ideas to others, which is made possible by gaining encouragement through observing the successes of others.

Group time: Every Wednesday, 3-4pm

Start date: TBD

How to join: Come to the Counseling Center any time during walk-in hours (Monday-Friday, 10 AM – 3 AM) for a confidential, free assessment and mention you’re interested in the HOME group. Alternatively, you may email the group co-facilitator (Karl Fua, fuakx@jmu.edu) to schedule an initial meeting at the CC.

The group will run weekly until the end of the semester. You may join the group even after the start date, so feel free to contact the Counseling Center or the group co-facilitator for more information.

For other group counseling options, check out our website.