Group Therapy through Dean Mental Health

The Anger Management Group is an 8-session group therapy treatment program, meeting once per week. The group is based on cognitive-behavioral and interpersonal therapy principles with the goals of having members become more aware of personal anger triggers, learn skills to reduce autonomic arousal, reframe frustrating situations and develop appropriate interpersonal communication and problem-solving skills. The group facilitator will give information in the form of handouts to the group with the expectation that members will discuss and ask questions about the material.

Anger Management Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Paul Greblo, Ph.D.
• Contact Information: 608-824-4777
• Location: Dean Clinic - West, 752 N. High Point Road, Madison, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Mondays, 5:00 to 6:15 p.m.

The Child Anxiety Group is a weekly, 8-12-session group therapy treatment program. The group uses a cognitive-behavioral therapy model called the Coping Cat, an empirically validated treatment program and "Best Practice" for children with anxiety. All participants purchase their own workbook, complete homework assignments between sessions and discuss their progress with the group. The group facilitator leads the children through a psychoeducational component, followed by identification of various thoughts and feelings within anxiety-provoking situations and finally has the children engage in several practice sessions (i.e. role plays) of working through their anxious thoughts and feelings toward their own values/goals. Parents are asked to attend 1-2 meetings at some point during the group sequence and to support their children in completing their weekly homework in between sessions.

Child Anxiety Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Sarah Trane, Ph.D.
• Contact Information: 608-824-4777
• Location: Dean Clinic - West, 752 N. High Point Road, Madison, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Mondays, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The CBT for Anxiety Group is a weekly, 8-session group for individuals who have difficulty with excessive worry, panic symptoms and/or anxiety in social situations. The goal of the group is to empower individuals by teaching them new skills for coping with various physical, emotional and behavioral symptoms of anxiety. In addition to physical relaxation techniques, group members are introduced to strategies for identifying and challenging certain types of thoughts or perceptions that can contribute to anxiety.

CBT for Anxiety Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Emily Hauck, Ph.D.
• Contact Information: 608-252-8226
• Location: Dean Clinic - Fish Hatchery, 1313 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Wednesdays, 4:15 to 5:30 p.m.
• Special Considerations: Each prospective group member must schedule a 30-minute individual screening session with Dr. Hauck in order to determine eligibility for the group.

The CBT for Depression Group is a weekly, 8-session group for individuals who are currently depressed or who have had previous bouts of depression and would like to learn new strategies to avoid another depressive episode. This is a skill-building group with a primary focus on learning to identify and potentially change or challenge certain thoughts or perceptions that may be negatively impacting an individual's mood. Behavioral strategies for improving mood will also be discussed.

CBT for Depression Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Emily Hauck, Ph.D.
• Contact Information: 608-252-8226
• Location: Dean Clinic - Fish Hatchery, 1313 Fish Hatchery Road, Madison, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Mondays, 4:15 to 5:30 p.m.
• Special Considerations: Each prospective group member must schedule a 30-minute individual screening session with Dr. Hauck in order to determine eligibility for the group.

The Cultivating Happiness Group is a weekly, 8-session group focusing on mind-behavior skill-building to strengthen the inner perspective and outward actions that promote happiness. The desire to be happy is something that all people share. Experiencing happiness on a regular basis is more than just stress reduction or the absence of what bothers us. Cultivating happiness involves training our attention toward gratitude, optimism and making a commitment to pleasant events and practices that develop inner balance. This type of happiness is internally driven, and therefore less dependent upon other people or events. You can learn how to practice happiness now!

Mindfulness techniques can be beneficial for anyone suffering from the busy demands of everyday life by improving one's ability to stay in the present moment and release daily tensions that interfere with stress management, sleep or experiencing joy. The practice of mindfulness teaches a person to become intentionally aware of his or her thoughts, bodily sensations, feelings and actions in the present moment and to witness them non-judgmentally.

This group is open to anyone who has completed a mindfulness course or those who are recommended for the class after a general screening. New group attendees should begin the group on Week 1. Attendees who have already attended the seven-week group can join any ongoing session to reconnect to or refresh the practice. Make-up group sessions can be arranged with Dr. Rambaldo.

Cultivating Happiness Topics and Exercises

Cultivating Happiness Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Lisa Rambaldo, Psy.D.
• Contact Information: 608-260-6006
• Location: Dean Clinic - East, 1821 S. Stoughton Road, Madison, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Current information about class start dates can be found at the Mindfulness Group Interest Line: 608-260-MIND (6463).
• Special Considerations: Each prospective group member must schedule an individual screening session with Dr. Rambaldo in order to determine eligibility for the group.

The Life Traps Group is a weekly, on-going group therapy program for individuals who have been struggling with longstanding mood problems and dysfunctional patterns in their relationships. Patients learn to identify ingrained patterns of responding called dysfunctional schemas or life traps. Group members are taught a variety of cognitive behavioral strategies to reduce the negative impact of their schemas and to develop alternative schemas which are healthier and promote a greater capacity for happiness and loving relationships.

Life Traps Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Raymond Koziol, Ph.D.
• Contact Information: 608-825-3777
• Location: Dean Clinic - Sun Prairie, 10 Tower Drive, Sun Prairie, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Weekly group times on Wednesday mornings from 7:45 to 9:00 a.m., Wednesday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m., and Thursday afternoons from 4:00 to 5:30 p.m.
• Special Considerations: Potential group members with will meet with Dr. Koziol to discuss the group and to determine if the group is a good fit for the patient's needs.

The MBCT Group is a weekly, 8-session group specific treatment of recurrent major depression or chronic unhappiness. The group integrates cognitive behavioral therapy with the practice of mindfulness meditation and its internal approaches to help individuals:

• Learn about different thought patterns that characterize depression
• Be better able to identify them and develop ways of relating to them that can decrease recurrent depression
• Develop new ways of coping
• Cultivate less negative ways of relating to one's self to increase resiliency and coping

MBCT Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Lisa Rambaldo, Psy.D.
• Contact Information: 608-260-6006
• Location: Dean Clinic - East, 1821 S. Stoughton Road, Madison, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Current information about class start dates can be found at the Mindfulness Group Interest Line: 608-260-MIND (6463). The next group will be starting Wednesday, March 28, 2012 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Special Considerations: Each prospective group member must schedule an individual screening session with Dr. Rambaldo in order to determine eligibility for the group.

The Mindfulness Group is a weekly, 8-session group that discusses and learns about approaches to the present moment that promote balance and decrease stress. In addition to group attendance, group members are asked to commit to 30 minutes of practice five days a week outside of the group. CDs are provided as practice aides.

Mindfulness techniques can be beneficial for anyone suffering from the busy demands of everyday life by improving one's ability to stay in the present moment and release daily tensions that interfere with stress management, sleep or experiencing joy. The practice of mindfulness teaches a person to become intentionally aware of his or her thoughts, bodily sensations, feelings and actions in the present moment and to witness them non-judgmentally.

Dean's Mindfulness Group is a skill-based experiential group aimed to improve wellness. This is not a traditional psychotherapy group, but rather a group with class participation where members practice mindfulness together and help each other identify barriers to being fully present (both internal and external).

This group is open to anyone who has completed a mindfulness course or those who are recommended for the class after a general screening. New group attendees should begin the group on Week 1. Attendees who have already attended the seven-week group can join any ongoing session to reconnect to or refresh the practice. Make-up group sessions can be arranged with Dr. Rambaldo.

Mindfulness Discussion Topics and Exercises

Mindfulness Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Lisa Rambaldo, Psy.D.
• Contact Information: 608-260-6006
• Location: Dean Clinic - East, 1821 S. Stoughton Road, Madison, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Current information about class start dates can be found at the Mindfulness Group Interest Line: 608-260-MIND (6463). The next group will be starting Wednesday, March 28, 2012 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Special Considerations: Each prospective group member must schedule an individual screening session with Dr. Rambaldo in order to determine eligibility for the group.

Please see our mindfulness audio recordings on the bottom of this page. The article titled Meditation - It's Not What You Think is recommended by Dr. Rambaldo if you're beginning a meditation practice.

The Women’s Group is a weekly, 6-session group for women having difficulty functioning due to depression, anxiety or adjustment issues. A variety of topics are covered depending on the issues each member presents, with the general goals of improving self esteem, assertiveness, establishing healthy relationships and improving overall functioning by reducing psychiatric symptoms. Members are offered education, support and skill building opportunities.

Women's Group Meeting Details

• Group Coordinator: Deb Moen, LCSW
• Contact Information: 608-260-6006
• Location: Dean Clinic - East, 1821 S. Stoughton Rd, Madison, WI
• Typical Meeting Times: Groups are offered several times throughout the year.
• Special Considerations: Please contact Deb Moen for further information.