Classes Offered

Classes listed below may not be available every semester, please refer to current class schedule.

Individuals are enrolled in classes according to the individuals recovery plan. 

Each class is limited to 8 - 12 participants. 


EAT SMART

What we put into our bodies affects not only out physical health butt our mental well being. Making healthy food choices can greatly impact a person’s overall health. Participants will learn the basics of nutrition and develop ways to incorporated nutritious whole foods into their diet. Gain insight into the emotional relationship we have with food and how to have a healthy one. Become confident in shopping for and preparing food that will support health and wellness.


FUNCTION FIRST

Regular exercise can improve your mood, help to manage symptoms of depression and anxiety, and alleviate stress. Participants will enjoy light functional fitness workouts and movements to get their bodies moving. Learn proper form that can be used not only for exercise but for everyday physical activity. Increase strength, mobility and gain more cardiovascular endurance. Most importantly, learn to have fun and enjoy the benefits of exercise in a supportive environment.


SELF LOVE

Self love is having a deep sense of acceptance and appreciation for yourself. Often we neglect our own needs and engage in negative daily actions that impact our well being and happiness. Through group and individual activities and supportive discussions develop the skills you need to nurture yourself. Through self care, self acceptance, a positive inner voice, setting boundaries and self discovery, improve your unconditional self love.


CHAIR YOGA

A gentle form of yoga that is done while seated or using a chair for balance. This develops strengthening for balance and stress relief. 


CULTURAL HUMILITY

This group will foster a culture of humility, respect, and openness to cultural diversity. The group aims to promote self-awareness, reflection, and continuous learning about one's own cultural identity and biases, as well as the cultural backgrounds and experiences of others. 


ART THERAPY  

This is designed to help individuals manage their emotions better. Anger, forgiveness, safety, avoidance, grief and loss, among others will be explored. The participants will use the tools of arts and crafts to evoke specific coping skills, so they can learn how to care for themselves in non-destructive and healthy ways. Participants will learn 1: how to identify and communicate non-verbally about symptoms of their illness 2: the effects of not dealing with their emotions appropriately 3: how to express their feelings with confidence 4: explore various art forms for self-soothing care.


CLEAN AND SOBER 

People who are experiencing mental health difficulties sometimes self-medicate with drugs or alcohol. That is, they turn to substances to help them deal with their mental health difficulties. For example, people who experience anxiety may seek refuge in alcohol. People may also use drugs to elevate their mood or use drugs or alcohol to make them feel mellow and relaxed. However, self-medication is often ineffective and can lead to other life and mental health issues such as getting into trouble with the law or becoming depressed after repeated use of alcohol to calm one’s nerves. This class will help participants overcome this barrier in this life.


CREATIVE WRITING 

Participants will perform a set of activities and exercises designed to process their emotions and memories. Participants will also present their work and then process the information from their creative process. Participants will work with each other and give each other positive feedback which will increase their communication skills and their self-esteem.


DOUBLE TROUBLE 

This group is designed for people with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health issues. Studies have demonstrated over and over that the best course of treatment is to work on these issues simultaneously, not one than the other. This group focuses on the junction between mental illness and drug use. The Key to effective treatment is the seamless integration of psychiatric and substance abuse interventions in order to form a cohesive, unitary system of care.


EXPRESSIVE THERAPY 

Expressive Arts Therapy has emerged in the past several decades as an innovative approach toward health in our contemporary society. Combined with traditional talk therapy, the arts can be incorporated into sessions to explore issues and themes and help create new healthy patterns in your life. Previous arts experience is not required, and the emphasis is on the creative process rather than the product. Through inter modal artistic expression, inner resources are identified and strengthened to overcome obstacles and reach toward one's greatest potential.


GRIEF AND LOSS 

In this class will participants will develop the skills around loss. Participants will develop a sense of how avoidance of coping with loss affects their lives to this day. This class may address barriers that individuals may have with anxiety, depression, and how they relate to others because of this serious unaddressed issue in their lives.


HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS 

Learn what constitutes a healthy relationship, learn healthy boundaries with others, and how to avoid the pitfalls of dysfunctional and chaotic relationships. How to recognize, understand, and deal with people who try to control and manipulate. Learn how to communicate assertively even when others are not assertive.


INNER PEACE 

In this class participants will learn about the deeper meaning of the world around them. Participants will find out why certain things make them feel better or worse from colors to religious symbols. Participants may develop a better spiritual understanding of the world around them, and learn how to express themselves in a more appropriate manner in a variety of social situations. Participants may reduce anxiety and create calmness.


MANAGING ANGER WITHOUT DRUGS 

This class is designed to be used by participants in an anger management group treatment curriculum for substance abuse and mental health clients. It provides individuals participating in the 12-week anger management group treatment with a summary of core concepts, worksheets to complete homework assignments, and space to take notes for each of the sessions. The concepts and skills presented in the anger management treatment are best learned by practice and review and by completing the homework assignments given in this class.


MUSICAL MOODS 

Address physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual, and social needs through the use of music. Participants can learn how to manage pain, ward off depression, promote movement, ease muscle tension, as well as other benefits that music can bring. Through musical involvement in the classroom setting, participants will strengthen their abilities to cope better and learn how to transfer these new skills to other areas of their lives. 


ONE DAY AT A TIME 

Participants will learn techniques and prevention methods for their drug and alcohol alcohol issues. Participants will be given exercises and readings to help them discuss and process their triggers for potential relapse. They will share their history of successes and failures with their problems with drugs and alcohol.


REEL EMOTIONS 

Participants will watch a series of scenes from movies dealing primarily with different psychological disorders. Clients will then process their own mental health history along with the observations they have from the movie clips. Clients will develop a better understanding of their own symptoms along with learning about stigmas and perceptions attached to mental health disorders.


RELAPSE PREVENTION 

Participants will learn techniques and prevention methods for their drug and alcohol alcohol issues. Participants will be given exercises and readings to help them discuss and process their triggers for potential relapse. They will share their history of successes and failures with their problems with drugs and alcohol.


SMILE PLEASE 

Happiness is an important part of life-no less than anger, sadness, and fear. Happiness isn't an accident, it's a gift you give yourself. People are living longer these days, Why? Because we're learning that we can improve quality of life through everyday choices we make. This class will tell you how to fight for, create, and live a long and happy life. It makes you master of your own destiny. The course will address: How do you know when you’re happy? Are you as happy as most people? If you have lots of money or a fancy title at work, shouldn’t that be enough to make you happy? What does happiness have to do with health? Is there such a thing as eternal happiness? Can you really make yourself happy by putting a smile on your face? Type B personalities tend to enjoy less material success than Type A’s, so why are Type B’s so much happier?


STEPS TO EMPLOYMENT 

Participants will learn the 'soft' skills needed to obtain/ maintain employment. Topics such as appropriate personal boundaries, reacting to criticism, social skills, first impressions, and personal grooming/ hygiene will be examined. - Boundaries - Social skills - Emotions - First impressions - Personal hygiene/ grooming".


SURVIVING TRAUMA 

An educational and process oriented group focusing on the difficult emotions and traumatic memories associated with abuse from the past. Developing an awareness of how these past events continue to affect us and our relationships even to this day. Confront feelings of guilt, shame, anger, and regret so that we can live fulfilling and peaceful lives.


UNDERSTANDING MENTAL ILLNESS 

This is a symptom monitoring course designed to help participants understand their mental illness, diagnosis, behaviors associated with the illness. Discuss each diagnosis in the DSM, reviewing symptoms and durations. Differentiating each disorder from other similar disorders and recognize how various symptoms can be associated with many different diagnosis. Be able to differentiate between disorders as well as develop appropriate skills to maintain their functioning.


UNDERSTANDING OCD 

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) was once thought to be very rare. Now, more than 3 million people in the United States have OCD. This course will help you understand OCD as well as give you strategies for getting help and getting better. We also tell you what you can do to help a child or someone you care about who has OCD. We discuss the symptoms of other conditions, such as anxiety or depression, that can occur at the same time as OCD. In addition, we explain the differences and similarities of disorders that can be considered cousins of OCD. This course also covers the primary strategies used to treat OCD, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness, exposure and response prevention (ERP), and medication.


UP IN SMOKE 

Tobacco use is a major risk factor for many diseases. Quitting smoking can have a major impact on a person's health and quality of life. This class will help provide care to participants in their attempts to quit smoking.


WELLNESS/ SELF-MANAGEMENT 

Assist people in effectively managing serious mental health problems with topics such as relapse prevention, recovery, and developing a greater understanding of our own strengths and resources. Developing a healthy lifestyle and making informed choices and decisions by emphasizing personal strengths.


EMBRACING IMPERFECTIONS 

This is an education and discussion-based group focusing on clients’ barriers to self-acceptance.  Three sub-themes will be woven throughout the group, all cornerstones of a sense of worthiness, the feeling that “I am enough.” Those sub-themes include Courage (to be imperfect), Compassion (kindness to self and others) and Connection.  The purpose of the group is to enhance the participants self-worth by addressing authenticity, self-compassion, resiliency, gratitude, intuition, creativity, play and rest, calm and stillness, meaningful work, laughter, forgiveness.  Participants will read and discuss excerpts from the books The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown PhD, Self-Compassion by Kristen Neff PhD, and The Forgiveness Workbook by Eileen Baker.  Participants will let go of who they think they should be and embrace more fully who they are, in order to move forward in recovery and realization of life goals.  


MEDICATION MANAGEMENT GROUP

Fill weekly med. bars as well as educate participants about their respective medications. Instruction will include discussions on the side-effects of medications, how to recognize symptoms, actions that can be taken and other relapse prevention skills to a healthier state of being. Participants will be able to identify their medications, what they are for, and side effects.


TINY BUDDHAS

Class participants will follow true life stories written by people who have coped with difficulties in recovery, managing hardships, changes and have struggled with loving themselves for all they are. Discussion or written exercises will aid in processing group topics such as shame, acceptance,  letting go and validation.


MY JOURNAL 

My Journal gives participants an opportunity to simply write down your thoughts and feelings to understand them clearly. If you struggle with stress, depression, or anxiety keeping a journal can help you gain control of your emotions and improve your mental health.


EAT SMART/ SNAP-ED

Eat Smart New York (ESNY) Nutrition Education is FREE to all individuals who qualify for and/or receive benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). ESNY provides nutrition education materials and sponsors education events and classes in local communities on a variety of nutrition topics like: healthy eating on a budget, smart shopping for vegetables and fruit, healthy meal planning, basic cooking and food safety skills, weight control and physical activity. The goals of the Eat Smart New York program are to: Eat more fruits and vegetables Drink less sugar-sweetened beverages Exercise more and balance calories eaten as part of a healthy lifestyle


SOCIAL ANXIETY SELF HELP 

Perhaps the most common situation that causes problems for many is meeting new people and socializing at parties and social events. Surveys show that many people feel uncomfortable in a room full of strangers and are anxious about approaching others. This class presents practical skills for new people, making new friends, and developing lasting and meaningful relationships. Clients will improve their quality of life and can address the following barriers while doing structured activities: Relieve stress, relaxing, depression, anger issues, anxiety, social anxiety and help delayed thinking.


POWER OF NOW 

Being is the eternal, ever-present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death. However, Being is not only beyond but also deep within every form as its innermost invisible and indestructible essence. This means that it is accessible to you now as your own deepest self, your true nature. But don't seek to grasp it with your mind. Don't try to understand it. You can know it only when the mind is still. Clients will improve their quality of life and can address the following barriers while doing structured activities: Relieve stress, relaxing, depression, anger issues, anxiety, social anxiety and help delayed thinking.


ACTIONS, ATTITUDES, & BEHAVIORS 

Participants will understand how having a positive attitude can help them achieve their goals.  This course will also explore how actions, attitudes, and behaviors can influence the outcome of events in participants’ lives. Facilitator and participants will work from the book, 52 Ways to Live a Kick-Ass Life by Andrea Owen, CPCC,  and view videos related to the topic.  The following barriers will be addressed in this class: anger management issues, poor effective listening skills, legal issues and patterns of illegal behavior, low self-esteem, negative self-image, negative thinking or self-talk, lack of motivation, depression and anxiety.


ANGER MANAGEMENT

For those who struggle with recognizing, controlling, and appropriately expressing their feelings of anger and frustration. Anger is a natural, normal emotion, it is how we express our anger which gets us into trouble. This course will teach you how to learn to manage anger and develop self-control. 


TAKE THE POWER BACK

A quick look at our surroundings shows us that life is changing faster than ever. Jobs disappear, smartphones turn you into a zombie, education costs you thousands, the cost of living increases rapidly, salaries don’t, you have less time for yourself, and so on. Life changes so fast that it seems like you wake up in a new world every day! What do your thoughts make of that? If you’re anything like me, these developments cause a lot of thinking, aka worrying and uncertainty. How do I survive? How do I adapt my business to changing markets? How do I advance my career? How do I not lose my mind? Mastering your thoughts is challenging.


DE-CLUTTER YOUR MIND 

Ever feel overwhelmed by your thoughts? Do you struggle with stress or anxiety about the tasks you need to complete on a weekly basis? Do you want to simply stop worrying about life in general? We all experience negative thinking from time to time. But if you often feel overwhelmed by these thoughts, then you should closely examine what you’re thinking and how your thoughts impact your mental well-being.


PHILOSOPHY OF HAPPINESS  

From considering ethical questions about our individual lives, it is a natural step to start thinking about the sort of society we would like to live in—how it should be governed, the rights and responsibilities of its citizens, and so on. Political philosophy, the last of the major branches of philosophy, deals with these ideas, and philosophers have come up with models of how they believe society should be organized, ranging from Plato’s Republic to Karl Marx’s Communist Manifesto.


EXPLORING EMOTIONS

Engaging in art therapy allows the client the opportunity to communicate thoughts, feelings, concerns, problems, wishes, hopes, dreams, and desires in a relatively non-threatening manner. The artwork serves as a safe vehicle to express unconscious as well as conscious issues and beliefs. Creative expression through art provides the individual with the freedom to represent his inner and outer world in any way he chooses. There are no judgments and the client is told that however he chooses to draw is perfectly acceptable. The individual is informed that he may use stick figures, lines, colors, shapes, abstractions, or realism to portray his thoughts. A variety of materials such as markers, oil pastels, crayons, and various sizes of drawing paper are presented. In this way clients can decide which materials to use. Decision making is very important; it helps enhance problem-solving skills, and increases independence and self-esteem.


IMPROV GROUP

Participants will be given and opportunity to exercise communication skills with others and create an opportunity to practice daily living skills through acting out given scenarios and themes. Participants will feel more confident and lessen anxiety to better tackle situations that may cause them stress.


DISORDERED EATING 

A disordered eating group typically refers to a support or therapy group composed of individuals who struggle with various forms of disordered eating behaviors, such as anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, orthorexia, or other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED). This group provides a safe and supportive environment for individuals to share their experiences, struggles, and successes related to disordered eating. It aims to foster understanding, empathy, and camaraderie among members who often feel isolated in their struggles. Overall, a disordered eating group serves as a vital lifeline for individuals grappling with eating disorders, offering them a sense of belonging, understanding, and hope on their journey toward recovery. 


LGBTQIA+ 

The primary purpose of the LGBTQIA+ group is to provide a safe and supportive space for individuals to express themselves authentically, share experiences, and connect with others who understand their unique challenges and triumphs. This group will aim to combat social isolation, discrimination, and stigma by creating a sense of community and belonging. 


GUIDED MEDITATION 

The purpose of this group is to provide a supportive environment for individuals to practice meditation together and experience its benefits, such as relaxation, stress reduction, mindfulness, and emotional well-being. Group meditation can also foster a sense of community, connection, and shared intention among participants. 


THE POWER OF SLEEP

The purpose of this group is to raise awareness about the critical role that sleep plays in physical, mental, and emotional health. The group aims to educate participants about the benefits of good sleep hygiene and provide support and resources to help individuals improve their sleep quality and quantity. 


INDEPENDENT LIVING +

The purpose of this group is to promote independence, self-determination, and community integration for individuals. The group aims to provide support and resources that empower members to live independently, make their own choices, and participate fully in society. 




Check availability - Classes change every semester