Fall 2022
A Fresh Look at Aging (50+)
Getting older is inevitable (and certainly better than the alternative). While you can’t control your age, you can slow the decline of aging with smart choices along the way. In this group you will learn about small changes you can make, from the foods you eat, to how you exercise, to your friendships – they all influence how fast or slow your body ages. We will also take time to process what it feels like to age in a culture that seems to value youth over aging.
Art Therapy
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
Want to find another way to express your emotions besides talking about them? Maybe art would be a way that appeals to you. Art can be a great coping skill as well as a way to connect with others! No experience needed. Projects will vary and allow for people with different levels of experience to find something that works for them.
Body Keeps the Score (closed) (Intensive Rehabilitation-Relapse Prevention)
This class is based on the book by Bessel Van der Kolk, MD The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind & Body in the Healing of Trauma. We will follow a workbook that provides a summary of each chapter & questions for thought & discussion. This class is specifically for people who have experienced trauma in their lives & want to better understand the mind-body connection & work towards healing. Participation in BKTS 2 requires previous participation in BKTS 1. This class is not a drop-in. Please talk to your primary to ensure this class meets your needs. You can borrow a copy of the book & read the whole chapter in between sessions, or just read the summary & answer the questions in the packet provided. Regular attendance & completion of homework is expected & necessary to get the most of this group.
Book Club : How to Be Anti Racist by Ibram X. Kendi (closed)
(CRS-WSM Problem Solving Skills Training)
Book Summary: In How to Be an Antiracist, Kendi uses his life story to chart his own path and the reader’s putative path from racism to antiracism, arguing that antiracism is the only way to combat racism—one cannot simply be neutral, “colorblind,” or not racist. Each chapter focuses on a different element of racism and weaves in stories, chronologically, from Kendi’s childhood to the present.
Description of the class: Do you love to read? Then this class is for you! We will read several chapters in a selected book each week during our own time then discuss important topics in class. Some examples of topics for class discussion include: family relationships; social stigma; racism; prejudice; healthy relationships; social inequality; trauma; communication; etc. We will relate our life experiences to these topics and support each other through discussion of healthy coping skills when stressful life situations arise. Books will be provided for participants to borrow. If you prefer an audio book, it will be your responsibility to borrow one from the library.
Breakfast Club
(CRS WSM Basic Living Skills)
Many people struggle with building connections with others, basic social skills and overcoming anxiety in order to have comfortable social interactions. Join a group of peers and staff in playing games and engaging with one another – having a fun while building skills!
CBT for Depression and Anxiety
(Clinical)
In this class we will focus on identifying upsetting situations and events in our lives, then gain awareness of our thoughts, feelings, and beliefs and how they affect depression and anxiety. We will focus on recognizing our thought patterns and behaviors specific to these situations and events, and challenge our cognitive distortions. Our goal is to work towards changing our behaviors and thoughts utilizing the coping skills we are learning!
Change Triangle
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
Have you heard your peers talking about this Change Triangle and learning to heal from difficult life experiences instead of just learning coping skills? Do you ever wonder if there is another way to support your recovery when you feel stalled in your progress and bogged down by anxiety and depression that just won’t move? Come check out this class! If you have already taken Advanced Practice, this class would be reinforcing, but not new information!
Coping with Chronic Pain
(CT)
This class will provide a space for processing the difficulties of living with chronic physical pain while trying to work towards overall wellness and reach your goals.
Coffee & TED Talks
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
There are so many inspiring and empowering stories out there. Come join us (virtually) for coffee and Ted Talks as we listen closely to other people’s experiences. How do their stories connect with your recovery? How can the ideas we take away be utilized in our own lives? Every group will include a discussion and chance to share your own ideas and experiences.
Community Activity Learning about Community Resources
(CRS Community Living Exploration)
When you are living with mental health or substance use barriers, you may have a hard time accessing community resources or even knowing what’s available. This class will explore the various resources available in our community and may include guest speakers and weekly field trips! Activities for each week will be announced in the weekly email updates on Mondays.
Considering Employment II
(CRS Problem Solving Skills Training)
Participants will build on the knowledge and skills they have gained in Considering Employment I or Barriers To Employment. Participants will learn more about the finer points of job acquisition and retention, especially in terms of the attitudes and behaviors that will help them succeed and excel inn employment. Hiring authorities, human resources professionals and work group supervisors from the community will visit as guest speakers on selected topics to share their insights on the attitudes, behaviors and presentation of successful job seekers and employees.
Creativity Club
Enjoy various ways to express yourself while interacting with others and talking about your emotions! This class will include a little bit of everything – as long as it is creative! Circus Arts will be part of this course!
DBT Process Skills
(CRS-WSM Problem Solving Skills Training)
This class will focus on teaching and reviewing DBT skills while using them with examples provided by class participants. DBT Skills Practice can be taken alone or with other DBT classes to improve participants’ ability to apply the DBT skills that they have learned to situations currently happening in their lives.
DBT – Interpersonal Effectiveness
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
Learning to get along with others while also asserting your own needs is essential to healthy relationships. It can be difficult to balance your own needs and the needs of others. How can you get what you need without being aggressive or neglecting of the needs of others? In this group you will learn skills needed for healthier relationships.
DBT Mindfulness Skills
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
This class will focus on further learning of DBT skills such as mindfulness, meditation, art therapy, and task-focusing. Participants will engage in mindfulness activities each class and will be asked to practice these skills on their own which they will document in daily journal entries. Participants will engage in short meditation activities each class that range from 3-10 minutes.
DBT Distress Tolerance
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
This class will focus on the section of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Distress Tolerance Skills. This training helps individuals manage their emotions during times of overwhelm.
DBT for Substance Use
(IR-IDDT)
This class will focus specifically on using various DBT skills for people who are living with barriers of mental health and substance use (current or a history of substance use).
DBT Emotional Regulation
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
This class will focus on the section of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Emotional Regulation Skills. This training helps individuals manage their emotions during times of overwhelm using the skills from the DBT Emotional Regulation portion of the training manual created by Marsha Linehan.
Employment DBT Processing
(CRS Coping Skills)
This class will help participants learn and apply DBT skills in a work environment. Employment can present unique challenges and this class will help participants use DBT skills to build and maintain positive relationships at work.
Early Recovery (Substance Use)
(IR-Dual Disorder Education)
This class is for participants in the early stages of change (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation). Participants will gain a better understanding of the stages of change and what stage they are in. Participants will learn strategies for cutting down or stopping substance use and for dealing with high-risk situations. Participants will clarify their values and decide which areas they would like to improve. This class includes an educational component focusing on the interactions between alcohol, drugs, and mental illness. A commitment to stop using substances is not required.
Empowering Your Authentic Self
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
This class was designed to support you with exploring and empowering your authentic self. We will use the arts to better connect with our inner selves and others. We will discuss the connection between authenticity and recovery. Participants will learn and utilize a variety of creative coping skills, including art and creative writing projects. This class will incorporate vision boards, group discussions, and journaling – just to name a few. Creativity is very welcome!
Financial Wellness
(CRS Benefits & Financial Management)
Financial stress can be a significant challenge in one’s life which can lead to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. In this group we will discuss budgeting, benefits, ways to save, and other ways which we can support ourselves in financial health.
Games
(CRS – Basic Living Skills)
Many people struggle with building connections with others, basic social skills and overcoming anxiety in order to have comfortable social interactions. Join a group of peers and staff in playing games and engaging with one another – having a fun while building skills!
Gardening for Health
(CRS Coping Skills Training)
In this 12 week group, we will lay the groundwork (pun intended) for our PROS garden. We will work to plan our space, plan our crops and their rotations, engage and bring community partners on board, start plants from seedlings, prepare our garden space, and plant into the ground. Gardening can support our health in so many different ways. Please join us!
Groovy Movies
(CRS Problem Solving Skills Training)
Who doesn’t love a good movie? We will watch about 3 movies each semester. Half of class time will be dedicated to the movie, with the remainder of class time dedicated to a discussion of important topics that occur during the movie. Some examples of topics for class discussion include: interpersonal relationships, family, coping skills, mental health, communication, & stigma. We will review the relevancy of these topics to our lives & support each other through conversation of how to use healthy coping skills when stressful life situations arise.
Just Do You!
(CRS Self Help)
This class was designed for people their peers to create an environment to talk about what recovery from mental health and substance use really means for them. Participant volunteers will co-facilitate this class with staff. There will be an emphasis on overcoming mental health and substance use barriers with the support of community resources and each other.
Morning Meditation
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
There is so much research out there describing the benefits of meditation. Come join us for a weekly group to help start or enhance your meditation practice. We will learn some basic meditation skills and incorporate a block of time for mediation each week. We will try different types of meditation, and participants will direct the focus of the group depending on what feels best. This is a peaceful way to start your morning and help bring clarity and calm to your day.
Musical Mindfulness
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
Do you love music? Come explore how music can affect our physical, emotional, cognitive, and social wellbeing. Each session we will listen to a new song (including some of YOUR favorites) and explore the meaning of the lyrics, how the music makes us feel, and how we can utilize the power of listening to/making music to help us cope with our mental health symptoms. Although the class format will vary slightly from week to week, all sessions will include listening to different musical selections and then discussing them in depth. Please come prepared to share your thoughts and feelings about music and how listening to your favorite songs affects you.
Neurodiversity
The goal of this group service is to learn about differing abilities, how it effects those with neurodivergence, and how neurodivergent minds can use strategies to understand social situations from a “typical” minded lens while still maintaining pride for their individuality
For Folk who do not Identify as Neurodivergent:
- Understanding where neurodivergent folks may respond differently than would seem appropriate for those who experience the world with “typical” eyes
- Learning how to be an ally or respond to conflict or situations that seem confusing when neurodivergent minds meet with individuals who do not identify as neurodivergent.
Overcoming Anger
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
Participants will learn about anger triggers and healthy coping skills through the development of an individualized plan for controlling anger. Participants will learn the difference between feelings/emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. Participants will discuss how one’s upbringing within a family unit can influence one’s values and anger patterns.
Peer Support and Advocacy
(CRS Self-Help)
Living with mental health and/or substance abuse issues is difficult. Talking with peers who are working through similar barriers is helpful, but it is hard to know what to say to be supportive. This class focuses on developing skills to be supportive to others, as well as how to set boundaries to keep yourself healthy in the process. This class will go one step further to offer a place for individuals to work together in advocacy and share community resources.
Positive Psychology
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
How would you like to focus on your positive strengths instead of your limitations? Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that shifts the focus from what is wrong, to the promotion of wellbeing and the creation of a life filled with meaning, pleasure, engagement, positive relationships, and accomplishment. Positive Psychology focuses specifically on the positive aspects of life, like character strengths, gratitude, and resilience. Participants will learn what their character strengths are and develop ways use them more in your everyday life.
Rethinking Trauma
(IR-Relapse Prevention)
The purpose of this class is to provide education on PTSD and the many manifestations of its symptoms. We will also learn to recognize how our brain has help worked to keep us safe AND how it keeps us stuck in unhelpful patterns of thinking. Participants are encouraged to meet regularly with their Primary for support related to processing trauma and managing PTSD symptoms.
Self-Esteem
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
This class will help participants understand the origins of self-esteem and the interactions of self-esteem and mental health. Participants will discuss and practice ways to increase self-esteem. This class is cofacilitated by a peer.
Skills in Practice
(CRS Basic Living Skills)
Have you attended other social skills classes but are still struggling with social interactions? Do you have additional barriers to interpersonal effectiveness that make it challenging to feel comfortable with others and accepted for who you are? Come join us as we examine these barriers and how to increase comfort in social situations. In this class, we will learn and practice social skills, engage in group discussions, and dedicate time to playing games related to social skills. We will work together to help everyone feel comfortable at their own pace. Feedback from participants is highly valued and will help shape the focus of the group. All are welcome.
Walk it Off!
(CRS- WSM Coping Skills Training)
Physical exercise is well known to be an important way to increase health, decrease stress, anxiety, and depression. Maybe people are interested in being more active, losing weight, and decreasing mental health symptoms. Often these same goals are barriers! So let’s get together and walk it off! Walk off stress, anxiety, depression, and unwanted pounds! Participants and staff will walk together, exploring the beauty of the area while talking about stressors of daily life that get in the way!
Weekend Planning
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
Interested in adding more structure to your weekends? We will support each other in creating daily goals & schedules for the weekend, as well as review effective coping skills that we have learned. We will use the Computer Room & complimentary newspapers such as the Ithaca Times to explore local events & activities in the community. This class emphasizes owning our recovery & wellness by strengthening our skills through the use of our supports & resources.
Writing Through Trauma
(CRS-WSM Coping Skills Training)
In this course we will explore various types of writing to help develop and practice coping skills as we travel through life writing. Participants will receive writing prompts which will guide them through the process of reflecting on and exploring their traumas. Participants will be using coping skills, such as emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and mindfulness from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Reviewing writing with PROS Primary is strongly recommended.
Zoom Gametime
Connect with other PROS participants and play games over zoom! Practice the skills you have been learning in classes while having fun!
SUCCESS BEGINS HERE!