Therapy Groups

The CMHRT Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) group for adults with eating disorders is 12 weeks long, with weekly 2-hour group sessions. Fees for compassion-focused therapy group are on a sliding fee scale. All sessions are offered VIRTUALLY ONLY.

This group is currently CLOSED for registration.

For more information, please see the CFT Group Information Letter.

For teens, ages 13 to 17, experiencing anxiety. This Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) group, called Facing Fears Together (FFT), is a 6-week long program, with a follow-up booster session. This group is designed to help adolescents to understand and reduce their anxiety with the support of their peers facing similar challenges.This group is typically offered every year in the spring. Fees are charged on a sliding scale with additional accommodation for financial need available. 

The group will be led by senior doctoral students in clinical psychology at the University of Waterloo and be supervised by Dr. Elizabeth Stevens.

For more information, please see a previous FFT Information Letter for this group.

Parents of potential clients should complete the FFT Intake Form. We hope to run this group in the future.

Parents/Teens who express interest in the groups will be contacted by CMHRT staff to arrange a more detailed assessment at the CMHRT to determine their eligibility for the group. Non-eligible clients can be referred to the individual waitlist for therapy services at the CMHRT. 

Now recruiting for Fall 2026 CBT Group for Adults with Social Anxiety (SAD)

GROUP FOCUS: Imagery-Based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for Social Anxiety

TIME and DATES: 12 two-hour sessions on Tuesday evenings at 5-7pm, beginning on Sept 15, 2026 and ending on Dec 8, 2026. All sessions are offered in person only.

PLACE: University of Waterloo Centre for Mental Health Research and Treatment (CMHRT), PAS 1401

GROUP LEADERS: Senior Doctoral Students in Clinical Psychology

SUPERVISOR: David A. Moscovitch, Ph.D., C. Psych.

MAXIMUM NUMBER OF CLIENTS: 8

DESCRIPTION: CBT is a time-limited, empirically-supported treatment that educates and empowers clients to identify and change maladaptive interactions between emotions, thoughts, and behaviours that sustain and perpetuate problematic symptoms. Therapy will consist of weekly group sessions and homework assignments. Clients will share common challenges and assist one another in the acquisition of new skills. Group members will learn to confront and cope effectively with anxiety-provoking situations within a safe and supportive environment. Clients most likely to benefit from this therapy group are those who are motivated to learn helpful coping strategies and willing to prioritize their treatment by working on assigned homework tasks between sessions.

TREATMENT COST: Fees for group treatment are based on a sliding scale ranging from $30 to $60 for each 2-hr session. Weekly payment is due at time of services for all clients, including UW students. Clients may be able to access insurance benefits for reimbursement.

ELIGIBLE CLIENTS: Individuals aged 18+ who struggle with social anxiety and can commit to attending group therapy sessions at the stated times and dates. Spaces fill up quickly, so please refer potential clients ASAP. Pre-group screening begins in May 2026 and continues until the group is filled.

HOW TO REFER: Interested clients should complete the simple intake form on the CMHRT website at https://uwaterloo.ca/mental-health-research-treatment/. They may also contact the CMHRT by phone at 519-888-4567 x33842 or by email at cmhrintake@uwaterloo.ca. If you are interested in starting the process to be screened for our Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) Group, please complete our SAD Client Intake Form. 

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION: People who contact us to express interest in participating will be contacted by CMHRT staff to determine their eligibility for the group. This is a popular service that is only offered once a year, so interested clients should contact us ASAP. Non-eligible clients will be referred to the individual waitlist at the CMHRT. CMHRT is dedicated to client safety and confidentiality. Please see our website for more information.

The CMHRT Triple P Teen Positive Parenting Program (PPP) group for parents of teenagers ages 11 to 16, seeking strategies to manage challenging tween and teen behaviours, wanting to learn new ideas, to reduce parenting stress, or to feel more confident in their parenting. The Teen Triple P Positive Parenting program is 8 weeks long, with 2 individual virtual sessions. Fees for this group can be accessed through the information letter link below. All sessions are offered in-person only.

This group is currently CLOSED for registration - please check back later for posted dates. We hope to run the group again Sept 2026.

For more information and details, please see our PPP Information Letter for this group.

The CMHRT Triple P Child Positive Parenting Program (PPP) group for parents of children ages 3 to 11, seeking strategies to manage challenging child behaviours, wanting to learn new ideas, to reduce parenting stress, or to feel more confident in their parenting. The Teen Triple P Positive Parenting program is 8 weeks long, with 2 individual virtual sessions. Fees for this group can be accessed through the information letter link below. All sessions are offered in-person only.

The Triple P Positive Parenting Program group for parents of children ages 3 to 11 years is currently at capacity, and thus CLOSED.  We hope to offer our next PPP group in either spring 2026 or fall 2026.  

For more information and details, please see our PPP Information Letter for this group.