Current Group Counseling Offerings

The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program is pleased to offer two new counseling groups by Zoom video session. Groups provide a powerful venue for change and growth that is different from that found in individual counseling and can be one of the most effective means of addressing many common concerns and issues. Groups offer a safe environment to discuss problems with others who are dealing with similar concerns and can help members through discussing and expressing feelings; helping to change unhelpful attitudes, behavior and habits; and promoting more constructive and adaptive ways of coping. Some groups may focus on providing members with information about specific issues or teaching them coping skills. 

Parenting with Purpose: An ACT-Based Approach to More Intentional, Flexible Parenting

Wednesdays, April 8th - May 27th, 2026, 1:00-2:00pm. Virtual.

Are you looking to strengthen your parenting toolkit? FSAP invites you to join a supportive, psychoeducational, and experiential parenting group beginning Wednesday, April 8.

Led by FSAP’s Casey Benson, LCSW, PMH‑C, this 8‑week virtual group will meet every Wednesday at 1 PM. It is open to all Cornell faculty and staff who are interested in discovering effective strategies to support their parenting journey.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps parents build psychological flexibility—staying present and values‑driven even during stressful moments. By strengthening skills like mindful awareness, self‑compassion, and acceptance, parents learn to pause, reduce knee‑jerk reactions, and respond with greater intention.

If you would like to participate in this 8‑week group, please email Casey at ceb369@cornell.edu. We look forward to seeing you!

Postdoctoral Support Group

Mondays, February 2nd- May 11th, 2026, 3-4:30pm. Virtual.

Being a postdoc isn’t easy. After years of training and hard work, postdocs often find themselves moving to a new place, working with a new supervisor, leaving behind familiar and established support networks for positions which are transient, all while putting in long hours and facing uncertain futures. The FSAP will be offering a time-limited group designed to foster a sense of belonging and support for postdocs at Cornell. Together, we'll navigate ups and downs, share valuable insights, provide multiple perspectives, encouragement, give and receive feedback and support in a non-judgmental environment.

This weekly group is offered by The Faculty and Staff Assistance Program in collaboration with the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (formerly known as the Office of Postdoctoral Studies). It will meet virtually by Zoom. Express interest in this confidential group by contacting Eve Abrams, LCSW, at ea374@ cornell.edu to arrange a 15-minute phone or zoom group orientation.

Virtual Grief Group

Wednesdays, March 4th - May 6th, 2026, 11:30am - 12:50pm. 8-12 Participants. Virtual. 

FSAP invites any benefits eligible Faculty and Staff at Cornell to join us in this Virtual Grief Group: 

The pain of losing a spouse, a parent, a child or other family member or friend is profound and more complicated than we can anticipate. Talking with others about our grief process can help us to feel normal.  Hearing the words of others can help us make sense of our experience.  Naming our emotions can help reduce their intensity.  

The aim of this group is to provide a space for you to further grieve and actualize your loss, as well as connect with others in a similar situation.  Each participant will have the chance to process through discussion, poetry, writing, and sharing of memories and photos.  

This group will run from March 4th - May 6th and meet Wednesdays 11:30-12:50 for 80 minutes on Zoom and is open for 8-12 participants. If you’re interested, email Jennelle Liljestrand: jl4775@cornell.edu for a brief phone screening.