Group Wellness Coaching
Columbia Health offers group wellness coaching. If you’re interested in receiving group wellness coaching through Columbia Health, begin by completing the Group Wellness Coaching Intake Form or scheduling a Health Promotion Appointment.
Group Wellness Coaching at Columbia Health
Group Wellness Coaching is an evidence-based practice that takes a positive approach to personal and group development. Group Wellness Coaching spaces are topic-specific to fit the diverse needs of Columbia University students.
In each space, we bring together small groups of students with similar experiences and goals to create peer support and social connectedness. Together, the Coach and participants work together to build a non-judgmental space that supports each student’s vision of what living well means to them and helps them create a plan to help make that vision a sustainable reality.
Due to the nature of virtual groups, we can’t guarantee group member privacy and confidentiality. However, we strongly encourage everyone to be respectful and practice discretion while in and out of the group space.
You can expect a few things of all groups:
- Each group has a unique topic, eligibility criteria, and format.
- All groups have an enrollment period and are closed after all spots have been filled. Drop-ins are not permitted.
- Groups may vary in size but will have no more than 12 participants.
- All groups consist of 6 to 8 sessions with varying session lengths.
- Most groups will be held virtually, but some may be in person.
Current Group Offerings
Eligibility: Open to graduate students in the Morningside and Manhattanville, Teachers College, Jewish Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary campuses.
Coach: Laura Cuevas Meléndez (she/her), NBC-HWC
Dates & Times: Mondays from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. ET, virtual. *First session on Monday, October 26 will be from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. ET.
- October 26*
- November 2
- November 9
- November 16
November 30
December 14
Description: Cultivating Your College Well-being is a space where first-year graduate students can navigate the challenges of graduate school together while working towards their personal health and wellness goals. In this group, we’ll discuss topics including (but not limited to) habits, goal setting, stress management, time management, and sleep.
Whether you’re trying to manage stress, be more active, explore new friendships, or just trying to navigate school-life balance, this group offers you the space to experiment with new ideas, talk through challenges, and engage in supportive discussion with your peers and a Coach. Students will walk away with a better understanding of what living well means to them and a skill set they can use to continue reaching their goals throughout their time at Columbia and beyond.
Please note: A 30-minute Discovery session is required prior to joining the group. Discovery sessions start on 09/21/26 and end on 10/23/26.
Eligibility: Open to any Morningside/Manhattanville student, including Teachers College, Jewish Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary. You are not required to have paid the full-time health and related services fee to participate in this group.
Coach: Isis Encinas (she/her), CWHC, CTTS
Dates & Times: every other Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 p.m. ET, virtual
- October 7
- October 21
- November 4
- November 18
- December 2
- December 16
Description: Substance Use Prevention, Education, and Recovery (SUPER) - Nicotine Cessation is a space where students can navigate their quit journey with their peers. In this group, we’ll discuss nicotine education, quit-smoking medications, strategies for quitting, and navigating nicotine withdrawal symptoms. This group will offer opportunities to meet other Columbia students who also want to start their quit journey and find creative ways to quit nicotine. By the end of this group, students will have a better understanding of their relationship with nicotine, access to quit-smoking medication and continued coaching, and strategies and resources to help stay quit.
During the screening appointment, we will discuss quit strategies such as quit-smoking medication and behavioral strategies. Those interested in quit-smoking medication can be connected to a medical provider* to establish care.
*Fees and insurance coverage may apply
Who is eligible?
Services are available to all students on the Morningside and Manhattanville campuses. This includes those at Teachers College, Union Theological Seminary, and Jewish Theological Seminary. Additionally, each group has its own eligibility criteria based on the topic.
How do I attend Group Wellness Coaching?
To get started with Group Wellness Coaching:
- Complete the Group Wellness Coaching Intake Form. On the form, you’ll be asked to select the group you want to participate in.
- When you start the intake form, you'll be prompted to log-in with your UNI and password. This is to ensure confidentiality and that you're a student enrolled at the University.
- After submitting the intake form, you will be prompted to schedule a 30-minute discovery session with the Certified Group Wellness Coach on Zoom. This discovery session confirms your eligibility, provides additional details about the Group, answers questions, and connects you to additional resources, if needed. You will not be officially enrolled in the Group until you complete the screening session.
If you have concerns about sharing your UNI or additional questions, schedule a Health Promotion Appointment or call our office at 212-854-5453 during business hours.
How much will it cost?
Group Wellness Coaching is free of charge and is available to any Morningside/Manhattanville student with a valid UNI. There is no payment, health fee, or insurance needed.
What else do I need to know?
Group offerings vary each semester. If you’re not interested in the offerings this semester, please check back at the start of next semester to see current group offerings.
If you’re unsure if group wellness coaching is right for you, please email [email protected] to get connected with a specialist who can assist you in identifying which service is the best fit for your specific needs.
Where can I learn more about these topics?
If you want to learn more about well-being at Columbia, please check out the Columbia Health topic page for Well-being and the different Well-being Workshops and Events that we host each semester:
Frequently Asked Questions
Due to the limited space of individual groups, we kindly ask that students participate in only one group.
If you participate in group wellness coaching, you would not receive 1:1 coaching until after the completion of the group. If you are unsure about participating in a group, you may fill out the Group Wellness Coaching intake form and explore your options with a coach during the initial screening.
Wellness Coaching is a person-centered approach that encourages students to take charge of their health and well-being. Together with your coach, you will lay out a vision of what living well means to you and co-create a plan to help make that vision a sustainable reality. Although it’s important to acknowledge one’s lived experiences in Wellness Coaching, it’s not a space to process deep emotions, trauma, or receive a mental health diagnosis.
If you are a staff member interested in collaborating with Alice! Health Promotion to offer a closed group to students at your school or program, please email your request to [email protected]. In your email, please include the group topic*, preferred start date, and any additional information that will be helpful for planning. Please note that sending the request email is not a guarantee or confirmation of your collaboration request. A member of our staff will follow up to confirm the details.
*This can be a current or previous group offering or a brand-new topic you would like to propose. Please note that we cannot guarantee a new topic will be approved; however, we will work with you to identify what will be most helpful for your students.