Registration has closed. If your campus is interested in collaborating with us in the future Wellness Support Groups, please contact Naja at [email protected].

Dates: Six consecutive Thursdays from November 6 to December 18, 2025
Time: 6 p.m. PT

About the Group: This group is open to students connected to AGAVE at the University of Arizona (UoA) who want a supportive space to strengthen their self-advocacy skills while navigating higher education. Rooted in AGAVE’s values of Advocacy, Growth, Access, Voice, and Empowerment, this group extends the community and resources you already have through AGAVE. Together, we will explore how our unique strengths and lived experiences can guide the ways we show up for ourselves and each other.

In this space, we will share strategies, uplift one another’s voices, and build collective resilience. The group offers a brave and caring environment where students can reflect, connect, and reimagine what’s possible—together.

Participants will help shape the themes we explore by the first session, because you know your needs best. We’ll come as we are, share what we know, and celebrate one another’s successes.

About the Facilitator: Jose Perez, LMFT (he/him/el), is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has the privilege of leading the mental health department at Samaritan House in San Mateo, where he works to expand access to mental health services for uninsured immigrants. In addition, Jose maintains a private practice specializing in immigrant mental health, with a focus on trauma, depression, anxiety, and acculturation challenges. As a proud gay man, Jose is deeply committed to creating inclusive, affirming spaces for individuals from all backgrounds. Jose takes a collaborative, strength-based approach to care, helping clients cultivate resilience, self-actualization, and healing. In his spare time, Jose is completing his Psy.D. in clinical psychology and enjoys hiking and exploring new foods and eateries.

Registration has closed. If your campus is interested in collaborating with us in the future Wellness Support Groups, please contact Naja at [email protected].

Dates: Six consecutive Wednesdays from November 5 to December 17, 2025
Time: 3 p.m. PT

About the Group: In times of uncertainty and daily challenges, fear can show up in many ways, such as self-doubt and anxiety when navigating complex systems. This group provides a supportive space for students connected with programs in Norco Community College, Riverside Community College, and San Bernardino Valley College Dream Resource Centers to explore these feelings and transform them into sources of strength and empowerment.

Participants are invited to share challenges, reflect on experiences, and learn strategies to navigate obstacles with confidence and clarity. We will focus on building self-advocacy, fostering resilience, and creating connections with peers who understand the pressures and expectations students face. This group also offers an opportunity to connect with a supportive community and feel empowered to lead in personal, academic, or other areas of life, if and when participants choose.

Students will have the opportunity to shape the themes and activities of the group, ensuring the space reflects their needs, goals, and aspirations. This is a brave and caring environment where participants can connect, reflect, and celebrate their strengths together.

About the Facilitator: Mayra Almanza, LMFT (she/her), is a formerly undocumented Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist living in Southern California. She has worked in the non-profit mental health sector for over 10 years in various roles, ranging from administrative coordination to clinical work and supervision. Her lived experiences guide the way she engages clients in therapy. Mayra’s commitment to providing mental health services that are equitable, accessible, and affordable led to the creation of her business, Contigo Counseling Inc., which is focused on serving the undocumented community.

Registration has closed. If your campus is interested in collaborating with us in the future Wellness Support Groups, please contact Naja at [email protected].

Dates: Six consecutive Wednesdays from November 5 to December 17, 2025
Time: 5 p.m. PT

About the Group: This group is a supportive space for students connected with Scholarship A-Z who are navigating the uncertainties of higher education. Participants are invited to share their challenges, triumphs, and the sometimes chaotic, messy moments of their educational journey. From navigating financial aid hurdles and limited scholarship opportunities to managing the pressures of balancing multiple responsibilities, this group offers understanding, solidarity, and a bit of humor.

Inspired by the playful reminder of being “in goblin mode,” this is a space to step back from perfectionism and show up as your authentic self. We’ll explore how uncertainty impacts our choices, relationships, and sense of self. Together, we confront the pressures often placed on students in challenging circumstances, while fostering a supportive environment where participants can find solace, share resources, and celebrate resilience. This will also be a space to embrace strength, creativity, humor, and community support.

About the Facilitator: Kissu Taffere, LCSW (she/her), is a licensed clinical social worker in Texas and California with experience spanning international organizations and community-based settings across multiple continents. Born in Ethiopia to Eritrean parents and raised in the U.S., her lived experience informs a clinical approach rooted in cultural identity, intergenerational dynamics, and family attachment. In addition to her clinical practice, Taffere facilitates support groups with immigrant rights organizations, consults with refugee resettlement agencies, and contributes to academic programming focused on refugee and immigrant mental health.

Registration has closed. If your campus is interested in collaborating with us in the future Wellness Support Groups, please contact Naja at [email protected].

Dates: Six consecutive Wednesdays from November 5 to December 17, 2025
Time: 6 p.m. PT

About the Group: In times of uncertainty and daily challenges, fear can show up in many ways, such as self-doubt and anxiety when navigating complex systems. This group provides a supportive space for students connected with programs in San Francisco State University’s (SFSU) Dream Resource Center (DRC) to explore these feelings and transform them into sources of strength and empowerment.

Participants are invited to share challenges, reflect on experiences, and learn strategies to navigate obstacles with confidence and clarity. We will focus on building self-advocacy, fostering resilience, and creating connections with peers who understand the pressures and expectations students face. This group also offers an opportunity to connect with a supportive community and feel empowered to lead in personal, academic, or other areas of life, if and when participants choose.

Students will have the opportunity to shape the themes and activities of the group, ensuring the space reflects their needs, goals, and aspirations. This is a brave and caring environment where participants can connect, reflect, and celebrate their strengths together.

About the Facilitator: Dra. Nancy Rodriguez (she/her/ella) is a licensed bilingual, DACAmented psychologist and the founder of Healing Corazones Psychotherapy. She is dedicated to supporting Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) professionals navigating bicultural identities, striving to uplift their communities while breaking generational patterns that no longer serve them.

She founded her practice as a sanctuary for immigrants, people of the global majority, and first-generation professionals to unpack and heal from systemic oppression, intergenerational trauma, and racial trauma. Her approach is rooted in healing justice, centering decolonized psychotherapy to help clients reclaim their narratives and thrive on their own terms.

Beyond her clinical work, Dra. Rodriguez is passionate about fostering community. She hosts networking events for Latinx students pursuing higher education and early career Latinx professionals, creating spaces for connection, visibility, and support. Through these gatherings, she strives to cultivate a safe and empowering environment where womxn and femmes can share their experiences as Black, Indigenous, and women of color (BIWOC) navigating institutions and spaces not built for them.

Dra. Rodriguez is committed to fostering healing, resilience, and liberation—both in the therapy room and the broader community.