AJMA Student and Resident Support Groups

The Jewish Community Mental Health (JCMH) Initiative at the American Psychological Foundation (APF), recognizes the challenges the Jewish community is facing and is now offering free support to our Jewish community in the form of virtual support groups. 

JCMH offers a number of inclusive Jewish Adult support groups, as well as a number of affinity groups that will continue to roll out in Oct-Nov 2024. These include groups for Undergraduate Students, Graduate Students, Parents of College Students and Teens, College Faculty and Staff, Employees at Jewish Organizations, LGBTQ+ community, medical students, medical residents and more. Each of these support groups serves to provide a safe space to connect the Jewish community and help members navigate the complex emotions and traumatic experiences of the current climate.

Each group has a maximum of 10 members and there are 2 facilitators per group. If the group is at capacity, please try to sign up for another group or for the following week. New group times for the following week are typically added on Monday mornings.

The groups are facilitated by licensed psychologists and mental health providers who are volunteering their time so those who need support can have access. All facilitators are trained in Psychological First Aid (PFA), which is an evidence-informed approach for providing support to individuals after traumatic events. While every group has at least one licensed clinician, please note that these group meetings are meant to serve as support groups and NOT intended to provide psychological or therapy services. However, if a participant would like a referral for individual therapy, that will be provided.

Other group details:

• Groups are 50 minutes.

• You are welcome to sign up for 1 or more sessions (no commitment necessary).

• You will sign up for 1 session at a time. Please sign up each week for the following week!

• You can switch the time/day of your group to join a new session(s).

• Group sign-ups close when the group reaches capacity of 10 people; if a group is still open with fewer than 10 participants, you will be register for it up to 24 hours before the group time.

Once you sign up via this form, you will receive an immediate confirmation email and then a separate email with the video link before your group begins. This second e-mail will include the link and group guidelines that you agree to abide by as a member of the group. Again, please be sure to sign up each week that you are wanting to attend.

Please note that all participants must be 18 years of age or older. 

Please reach out to us at JCMH.groups@gmail.com with any questions.  

Tara Liberman, Psy.D., Sasha Soykin, Ph.D., Becky Reed, Ph.D., Wendy Grolnick, Ph.D.

Note: We ask for your email twice in order to send you a confirmation of your group time.