Student workshops
Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) offers free workshops on a range of personal development, mental health and wellbeing issues each semester. Mental Health First Aid and other training programs are also available for both students and staff.
On this page:
Resilience and wellbeing series
Enhance your learning series
Anxiety management programs
Mindfulness programs
International student programs
Special interest programs
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training
Resilience and wellbeing series
Learn a range of fundamental skills to better cope and adapt to life's challenges in this interactive webinar series facilitated by CAPS counsellors. You are welcome to attend all sessions in the series, or just attend one or two. Please register for each webinar individually using your unimelb email address.
| Date/Time | Webinar | Description | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuesday 9 Mar 1-2 PM | Adjusting to COVID-normal | As COVID-19 restrictions are cautiously eased, people can have different feelings about re-entering university, work, or society. This webinar will help you identify and understand common reactions to change, and adaptive strategies for transitioning to COVID-normal. | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Tuesday 23 Mar 1-2 PM | Boundaries and effective communication | Understand what healthy relationships look like, the importance of boundaries and how to set them, and helpful negotiation and effective communication skills to resolve conflicts. | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Thursday 25 Mar 1-2 PM | Dropping the struggle: managing difficult emotions | In this webinar, you'll learn about your emotions and why sometimes your attempts to control them can make you feel worse. Join in to learn practical skills to better respond to strong emotions while living the life you want. | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Tuesday 13 Apr 1-2 PM | Managing stress and how to relax | Understand how our bodies and minds respond to stress, and how knowing this information can help you build relaxation skills. You will be guided to learn a range of evidence-based relaxation strategies. | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Tuesday 20 Apr 1-2 PM | Changing negative thinking | Identify common unhelpful thinking patterns that can contribute to increased stress, anxiety, and other difficult feelings. Learn and practise how to reframe and balance your thoughts. | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Thursday 29 Apr 1-2 PM | On loneliness and connection | Feeling connected and having a sense of belonging is a natural desire to have as a human being. This webinar will explore the challenging feeling of loneliness we all experience sometimes, and ways to connect when we feel disconnected. | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Tuesday 4 May 1-2 PM | Let it go: unhooking from unhelpful thoughts and worry | In difficult times, we can easily get caught up in worries or persistent negative thoughts, but this is often not useful. Learn and practise ways to unhook from unhelpful thoughts so they have less power over your life. | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Thursday 6 May 1-2 PM | How to be kind to yourself | Understand what self-compassion is (and is not!), and how this approach can enhance motivation and resilience. Learn practical ways you can show yourself a little kindness when you need it most. | Register here |
| Tuesday 11 May 1-2PM | Better sleep | This webinar aims to help you understand the factors that impact on sleep and offer strategies to get a better night's sleep. | Register here |
| Tuesday 18 May 1-2PM | Being effective during a tough time | How do we motivate ourselves to get things done during a tough time? Learn how to identify your values and use them to plan and carry out effective actions, so that you can do what matters most even when difficult feelings arise. | Register here |
Enhance your learning series
Learn strategies to enhance your study and learning experience.
| Workshop | Description | Date/time | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimising focus and attention | This webinar aims to help you better understand what attention is and how it works. You'll be able to identify the factors that affect focus, and learn about a range of strategies to build your concentration. | Tuesday 16 Mar 1-2 PM | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Studying on the spectrum | People with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can perceive the world differently from others. This webinar can be useful for people who identify as being on the spectrum or live with neurodiversity, their family and friends, staff or other people with an interest in this area. It can help you identify common issues you may face as a student with ASD traits, better understand the neurodiverse brain, and learn practical strategies to thrive in your study and uni life. | Thursday 18 Mar 1-2 PM | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Overcoming procrastination: Managing your thinking | Do you put off doing your study until the last minute even though you know it’s going to cause you stress? This webinar will focus on helping you to identify the thoughts you have that lead to procrastination and teach you how to challenge these thoughts and study more efficiently. | Thursday 15 Apr 1-2 PM | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Overcoming procrastination: Practical tips and strategies | This webinar will teach you practical strategies to help you study more effectively, feel more competent and reduce the likelihood of leaving your study to the last minute. | Thursday 22 Apr 1-2 PM | Webinar recording (expires Fri 25 Jun) |
| Dealing with exam anxiety | It's normal to feel tense and worried in the face of exams. This webinar will help you understand what causes exam anxiety, and cover our top tips to manage it so you can be at your best for your exams. | Tuesday 25 May 1-2PM | Register here |
Anxiety management programs
We all feel anxious at times, but it's possible to learn ways to manage this so that it doesn't get in the way of life. Find out more about anxiety and how to cope effectively through these programs.
| Program | Date/time | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| Beyond study: Overcoming social anxiety This three-week online program will help you understand social anxiety and offer strategies to overcome it. | Fri 23 Apr, Fri 30 Apr, Fri 7 May 1 - 2 PM | Register here |
| Break free from anxiety for graduate students (March online group) Facilitated by CAPS counsellors, this program aims to provide a supportive group environment for graduate students to connect with each other, and learn a variety of strategies to manage anxiety more effectively through small group discussions and experiential exercises. This requires a commitment to attend both 2 x 2.5 hour sessions. | Wed 10 Mar and Wed 17 Mar 9.30 AM - 12 PM | Completed |
| Break free from anxiety (April online group) Facilitated by CAPS counsellors, this program aims to provide a supportive group environment for students to connect with each other, and learn a variety of strategies to manage anxiety more effectively through small group discussions and experiential exercises. This requires a commitment to attend both 2 x 2.5 hour sessions. All students welcome. | Wed 14 Apr and Wed 21 Apr 9.30 AM - 12 PM | Completed |
| Break free from anxiety (May) in-person workshop Facilitated by CAPS counsellors, this 1-day in-person workshop aims to provide a supportive group environment for students to connect with each other, and learn a variety of strategies to manage anxiety more effectively through small group discussions and experiential exercises. This requires a commitment to attend the full-day. All students welcome. | Mon 3 May 9.30 AM - 4.30 PM | Closed |
| Break free from anxiety for graduate students (June) in-person workshop Facilitated by CAPS counsellors, this 1-day in-person workshop aims to provide a supportive group environment for graduate students to connect with each other, and learn a variety of strategies to manage anxiety more effectively through small group discussions and experiential exercises. This requires a commitment to attend the full-day. | Mon 7 June 9.30 AM - 4.30 PM | Register here (log-in with unimelb email) |
Mindfulness programs
Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment with an attitude of openness, curiosity, and acceptance. Regular practice can help us better manage stress and anxiety, improve our focus, engage more fully in life, and take effective action.
| Workshop | Description | Date/time | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midday mindful moments | This webinar aims to introduce the experience of cultivating calm and wellbeing from within. Give your brain a break from study or work by joining a CAPS counsellor in a guided mindfulness meditation. Suitable for all students and staff. | Every Mon, Wed, Fri (Mon 8 Mar - Fri 25 Jun, except during non-teaching week) 12 - 12.30 PM | Register here |
| Mindfulness for stress management | This online group program aims to provide a supportive learning environment for participants to develop a regular mindfulness practice to better manage stress. This requires a commitment to attend 8 x 1.5-hour weekly sessions and 20 minutes of practice per day. All students welcome. | 8 consecutive weeks beginning Thu 29 April 1.30 - 3 PM | Registration closed |
International student programs
Reflect on your experience as an international student and extend your social network. Gain support from counsellors and other international students in learning ways to adjust to a new environment, build meaningful relationships, and maintain positive wellbeing.
| Webinar | Description | Date/time | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Making difficult decisions | We make decisions everyday; however, some choices are not easy to make. “Do I stay in Melbourne, or move back to my family?”, “Do I stay in this relationship, or leave?”, “Do I stay in this job - or quit?” Join this webinar to learn tips that could help you make sound decisions in difficult situations. | Wednesday 31 Mar 2.30 - 3.30 PM | Completed |
| Managing family and societal expectations | "My family spent a small fortune to support my studies, so I have to make them proud." Does this sound familiar? We carry expectations from society, people around us, and ourselves. Although expectations can motivate us, they can also sometimes overwhelm us. Join this webinar to share your experiences and explore ways to effectively manage expectations. | Wednesday 28 Apr 2.30 - 3.30 PM | Completed |
| Dealing with loneliness as an international student | Studying overseas is a great opportunity, and can also mean leaving behind your support network and comfort zone. This webinar will explore creative ways to build and maintain healthy relationships in a new culture and country, and how to gain a sense of belonging. | Wednesday 12 May 2.30 - 3.30 PM | Register here |
Special interest programs
| Program | Date/time | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| Questioning your sexuality or gender identity? Struggling with sexuality or questioning gender identity? Having difficulty connecting with others who are going through similar experiences? Join a safe space for discussion, ideas, and support. | Fri 16 Apr 2.30 PM - 3.30 PM | Completed |
| Assertive communication for graduate researchers Whatever career you aspire to, the ability to communicate effectively is essential. Assertive communication is a key social skill as well as a tool for making relationships more equal. In this workshop, we will define assertive communication, explore its benefits, and things that might get in the way of communicating assertively. You will also have an opportunity to construct and practise a core assertive communication strategy to build this skill and gain confidence. | Thu 13 May 3.00 PM - 4.30 PM | Register here |
Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training
Learn to recognise and assist someone developing a mental health problem or in crisis.