Unique Support Groups for Men
- Process Group for Men (bi-weekly, ongoing)
- Mindfulness Process Group for Men (weekly, ongoing)
Other Offerings for all Genders
- Face Your Fears - Anxiety Group for Adults (weekly, 8 sessions)
Who are CME groups for?
CME support groups are for adults aged 18+ who are interested in working on some type of issue such as depression, anxiety, stress, relationship concerns, and social isolation and who want to improve skills for creating and deepening relationships with others. Many of our groups are for men, but others are open to all genders.
At CME, our groups generally consist of high functioning professionals who are experiencing concerns such as depression, anxiety, relationship stress, adjustment stress, and/or work life balance issues.
Requirements for Participation in CME Groups:
- Attend consistently.
- Put in the work. Members will regularly have between-session assignments to complete including readings, worksheets, or practicing techniques covered during sessions.
- Show respect for each other.
- Maintain other members' confidentiality.
Group Schedule
| Group Name | Process Groups for Men | Mindfulness Process Group for Men | “Face Your Fears” Anxiety Group for Adults (New!) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | These groups have ongoing, space-available enrollment. Members remain in the group as long as they find it helpful and can attend consistently. | 8 sessions | ||
| Facilitator | Dr. Jonathan Marquez | Dr. Dan Singley | Dr. John Rettger | Dr. Jonathan Marquez |
| Frequency | Every Other Week | Every Other Week | Weekly | Weekly |
| Day & Time | Alternating Thursdays 5:45 - 7:15 pm | Alternating Wednesdays 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Tuesdays 6:15 - 7:45 pm | Begins February 6th, 2023! Mondays 5:30 - 7:00 pm |
| Location | In Person Outdoor Courtyard | In Person Outdoor Courtyard | In Person Outdoor Courtyard | In Person Indoors at CME office |
| Group Size | 5-8 | 5-8 | 5-8 | 6-10 |
| Other Notes | Includes treatment manual | |||
| How can I join a group? | New members may join on a rolling basis until reaching the maximum number of participants, at which point, the facilitator begins a wait list for a separate group. Potential participants should contact us to get more specific information regarding the current availability of group seats. | Call for more information:(858) 609-1549 |
Group Descriptions:
Process Groups for Men
Process Group Therapy
Process groups (aka: Interpersonal Process Groups) are usually unstructured. Participants take turns sharing their issues, challenges, and concerns in a safe and supportive environment. Members benefit from the varied perspectives of their fellow group members.
What makes process groups different from more conventional support groups is a therapist-facilitated focus on the interpersonal dynamics that come up between the members of the group while they are having these discussions.
How Does it Work?
Whenever an individual interacts with another person, or with a group; they tend to follow certain patterns of habitual interpersonal thinking and behavior. Some of those thoughts and behaviors may be helpful (ex: expressing empathy) and others may be problematic (ex: interpreting constructive feedback from others as negative criticism).
As the group members establish trust and feel more comfortable, these interpersonal habits will inevitably come up. The facilitator will help the members recognize these patterns within themselves and with each other. With time, the members are also able to provide this feedback to each other.
A Kind of “Social Laboratory”
Members support each other in experimenting with new ways of interacting with each other – right there in the moment - and work collaboratively to keep each other accountable by providing a mix of support and appropriate challenge for each other as they work toward their treatment goals.
Outside of the Group
With time and effort, participants learn how to have more productive, positive interactions with the people in and outside of the group environment. The goal is to learn how to connect on a deeper level with others, and to manage interpersonal conflict more effectively as it arises.
Mindfulness Process Group for Men
Process Group with a Focus on Mindfulness and Meditation
This is a process group that also integrates meditation and stress reduction strategies. Each meeting will include a mindfulness meditation and related discussion lasting approximately 20-30 minutes.
What is Mindfulness Meditation?
One way of defining mindfulness is that it involves a state of awareness concentrated on paying attention, in an intentional way, in the present moment, without judgment, and with compassion. It is a burgeoning discipline with applications in business, government, health care, athletics and educational settings.
Discussion Topics
- Meditation-based practices.
- Philosophical concepts with roots in Buddhism, Yoga, Existentialism, and Phenomenology (the philosophy of experience).
- Psychotherapy traditions such as the Cognitive and Behavior therapies, and the Gottman Method.
Process Group Therapy
The remaining time will follow a process group format based on topics generated by the group members.
Face Your Fears: Anxiety Group Therapy for Adults
Welcome to the Face Your Fears group therapy for phobias, panic, and social anxiety. This group welcomes all genders. This group may have been recommended to you by a therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care physician. Group therapy is often the most effective method of treatment for anxiety disorders.
Research Supported Approach
This group is based on proven treatment methods called Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). The goal is to focus on changing your thoughts and behaviors related to anxiety.
Supportive Environment
Group members can share their particular struggles, encourage each other, and hold each other accountable. It is present-focused and action-oriented in order to help you learn new coping skills. Those with social anxiety will benefit by just showing up and exposing themselves to a group setting!
“Homework”
This group requires your active involvement including between-session “exposure” exercises to help you gradually build confidence and face situations you may fear. The group is great for support and learning; however, the real work happens when you apply what you have learned outside of the sessions. (We will never push you into exposures that you do not want to do. We do, however, encourage you to take risks to create the kind of life you want to live.