Support Groups

In addition to one-on-one support services, the SASC runs several support groups throughout the year. If you have any questions about the groups, would like more information, or are interested in participating, please give us a call at (604) 827-5180 or send us an email at sasc@ams.ubc.ca to complete the intake process.

Spring 2023 (Winter Term 2), we will be offering the following Support Groups:

Roots & Resilience:

Roots & Resilience is a six-week long art-based, peer support group for UBC students and community members of all genders who have experienced sexualized violence. This group is facilitated by SASC Support & Advocacy staff. It will be in-person at the AMS Nest and will run for 6 weeks.

Session 1: Tuesday, February 28- 4:30PM to 6:30PM (Establishing Safety)
Session 2: Tuesday, March 7 – 4:30PM to 6:30PM (Connecting With Inner Strengths & Resources)
Session 3: Tuesday, March 14- 4:30PM to 6:30PM (Self-Compassion)
Session 4: Tuesday, March 21 – 4:30PM to 6:30PM (Feelings & Emotions)
Session 5: Tuesday, March 28- 4:30PM to 6:30PM (Boundaries)
Session 6: Tuesday, April 4- 4:30PM to 6:30PM (Connection & Community)

Folks of diverse genders may participate. The group requires registration and there is no expectation or requirement to attend every session. The purpose of the group is to build community and to connect with others to foster healing and empowerment. Compared to other groups, there is an emphasis on education around trauma and healing.

Being an arts-based group, you can expect to explore healing and processing through art, writing, and understanding our bodies and our parasympathetic nervous system, with an emphasis on nature and the land we live on.

While we aim to shape the group to the specific folks participating, you can expect to explore some of the following concepts: establishing safety both physically and mentally; connecting with our inner-strengths; and self-esteem/self-worth. We will discuss boundaries, including how we can understand them and the roles boundaries serve for our instincts, as well as comfortable ways we can assert boundaries. If you complete all the sessions, you will leave with a deeper understanding of how the brain understands trauma and new ways to understand and respond to triggers.

BIPOC Community Care Circle:

The BIPOC community care group is a bi-weekly peer support group that aims to create community, solidarity and connection between folks who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color*. This group is open to UBC students, faculty and the larger community.

The group will be held every two weeks in person and will be facilitated by SASC staff.

Session 1: Thursday January 26 – 5:00PM-7:00PM (Community Care #1)
Session 2: Thursday, February 9 – 5:00PM-7:00PM (Mental Health)
Session 3: Thursday February 23 – 5:00PM-7:00PM (Radical Love & Pleasure Activism)
Session 4: Thursday, March 9th – 5:00PM-7:00PM (Institutional Harm & Community Justice)
Session 5: Thursday, March 23 – 5:00PM-7:00PM (Allyship)
Session 6: Thursday, April 6 – 5:00PM-7:00PM (Community Care #2)

The sessions will be more flexible and will be shaped by the group. Experience in another support group is recommended but not required. You can expect to explore topics such as establishing safety and community, practicing and integrating radical self-love and pleasure into your life and activism, embracing community justice as a means of confronting institutional harm, identity and intersectionality.

*We acknowledge that identity is complicated, if you believe you belong in this group, we welcome you. By joining this group, you recognize the intention of this group is to center and uplift voices of Black, indigenous, and people of color and create a collective of care.

To register for either group please contact SASC Support & Advocacy Staff at 604-827-5180 or sasc@ams.ubc.ca.