Spring 2025
Mindfulness Skills Group
An 8-week Virtual Program
Starts on Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Meets Wednesday Evenings (on Google Meet)
6:30pm - 8:00pm Central Time
$40 per session or $250 for 8 weeks (no partial refunds)
In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in stress, overwhelm, and autopilot
living. The Mindfulness Skills Group is designed to help you pause, reset, and build greater
awareness of your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Through mindfulness-based
techniques, you’ll develop skills to increase self-awareness, regulate emotions, and respond
to life’s challenges with clarity and intention.
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What makes this group unique?
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This group is a structured blend of evidence-based skills drawn from:
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Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) – Practicing present-moment awareness to manage stress and improve well-being.
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Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) – Learning mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness strategies.
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – Recognizing and reframing unhelpful thought patterns.
Unlike a formal DBT skills group, which follows a highly structured curriculum over several
months, this group offers an overview of key DBT and CBT concepts with a focus on
mindfulness as a foundational skill. While not a replacement for a full DBT program, this
group provides valuable tools that can be applied to everyday life to enhance emotional
balance, reduce stress, and build healthier relationships.
Group Overview
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Duration: 8 weeks (Weekly 90-minute sessions)
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Meeting Time: Wednesdays, 6:30-8:00 PM CT
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Format: Virtual (via Google Meet)
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Group Size: 6-12 participants
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Facilitator: Sara Tracy, Student, Supervised by Callye Lawrence, LPC-S
What You Can Expect
Over the next eight weeks, we will explore practical mindfulness techniques and
structured skills-based exercises that help you:
✔ Recognize and regulate emotions without feeling overwhelmed
✔ Reduce stress and automatic reactivity using breathwork and grounding techniques
✔ Improve communication and interpersonal effectiveness
✔ Develop self-compassion and radical acceptance
✔ Break free from unhelpful thought patterns and increase cognitive flexibility
✔ Create a sustainable mindfulness routine for long-term emotional wellness​
FAQ'S About This Group
Is this a DBT skills group? (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
No. While this group incorporates DBT-informed concepts, it is not a full DBT skills group. A
structured DBT skills group typically lasts 6 to 12 months and includes all four DBT modules
(Mindfulness, Emotion Regulation, Distress Tolerance, and Interpersonal Effectiveness), often
combined with individual therapy and coaching. This group provides a brief introduction to
key DBT principles but is not a substitute for a full DBT program.
How is this group different from traditional therapy?
This is a skills-based group, meaning we focus on learning and practicing specific techniques
rather than processing deep personal issues. While personal experiences may be shared, the
emphasis is on practical skill development rather than traditional group therapy dynamics.
Do I need prior experience with mindfulness or meditation?
No experience is necessary! This group is designed for both beginners and those who
already practice mindfulness but want to deepen their understanding and apply it in daily
life.
Will I have to share personal experiences?
Sharing is always optional. You are welcome to engage at your own comfort level. Some
exercises involve discussion, but you can participate in a way that feels right for you.
What if I miss a session?
That’s okay! You’ll receive session handouts summarizing key concepts and exercises. While
attending each session is encouraged for continuity, you can still follow along with the
materials if you miss a week.
Will I need to practice mindfulness outside of group sessions?
Yes, but in a manageable way. Each session includes a weekly mindfulness challenge (e.g.,
practicing deep breathing for 5 minutes, applying a DBT skill in daily interactions). These
practices help reinforce what you learn in the group.
Is this group confidential?
Yes, confidentiality is essential to creating a safe space. Participants are expected to respect
each other’s privacy and not share anything discussed in the group outside of it.
Program Overview
1
March 26
Intro to Mindfulness
& Wise Mind
Mindfulness helps us slow down, observe our experiences, and make balanced decisions. This session introduces Wise Mind and how mindfulness helps us respond thoughtfully rather than react impulsively.
4
April 16
Stress Reduction & Mindfulness in Daily Life
Stress is inevitable, but our response to it can change. This session explores DBT’s “How” Skills and breathing techniques to help us navigate stress more effectively.
7
May 7
Managing Thoughts &
Cognitive Flexibility
Not every thought is true or helpful. This session helps us recognize cognitive distortions and introduces the Leaves on a Stream visualization to observe thoughts with more flexibility.
2
April 2
Body Awareness & Grounding Techniques
Our emotions often show up in the body before we realize it. This session focuses on body awareness and grounding techniques to help us feel more present and in control.
5
April 23
Mindful Communication & Interpersonal Effectiveness
Good communication starts with awareness. This session introduces DBT’s DEAR MAN, GIVE, and FAST skills to help us communicate clearly and confidently while maintaining respect for ourselves and others.
8
May 14
Sustaining a Mindful Life & Self-Care
Mindfulness is a lifelong practice. In this final session, we reflect on personal growth, DBT’s ABC PLEASE skills, and create a mindfulness plan for ongoing well-being.
3
April 9
Observing Emotions without Judgment
Emotions don’t have to control us. This session introduces DBT’s “What” Skills and the RAIN technique to help us recognize and ride the wave of emotions without judgment.
6
April 30
Radical Acceptance & Cultivating Self-Compassion
Emotions don’t have to control us. This session introduces DBT’s “What” Skills and the RAIN technique to help us recognize and ride the wave of emotions without judgment.
9
May 21
Optional Week or Retreat Based on Demand
This is an optional week that may or may not be scheduled based on the dynamics of the group and the availability of the instructor.
More Information
GROUP GUIDELINES
​To create a safe and supportive space, we ask all participants to follow these guidelines:
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Confidentiality: What is shared in the group stays in the group. Respect each other’s privacy.
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Respect & Non-Judgment: Everyone is on their own journey. We practice compassionate listening and non-judgmental sharing.
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Engagement Over Perfection: Mindfulness is a practice, not a performance. Come as you are, and do what you can.
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Participation is Encouraged, Not Required: Share as much or as little as you feel comfortable.
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Be Present: Minimize distractions and be fully present during group sessions.
SESSION STRUCTURE
Each group session follows a structured format to provide consistency and to support your
learning:
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Opening Meditation & Intention Setting (5 min)
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Check-In (10-15 min)​
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Brief introduction for new participants
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A quick mindful moment reflection from the past week
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Open space to share experiences (participation is encouraged but never required)
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Psycho-education & Discussion (15-20 min)
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Learn a new mindfulness concept
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Open discussion to explore thoughts, questions, and personal experiences
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Guided Mindfulness Practice (10-15 min)
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Experiential exercise related to the session’s theme
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Application & Integration (15-20 min)
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Exploring real-life applications of the skill/concept
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Closing Reflections & Gratitude (5-10 min)
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Participants share key takeaways from the session
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Closing gratitude round:
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One thing I’m grateful for today...
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A positive moment from today’s session was...
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COMMONLY REPORTED BENEFITS OF MINDFULNESS
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Physiological Benefits
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Increased ability to bounce back physically & emotionally from stress
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Lower blood pressure
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Increased brain activation in regions associated with positive thoughts and mood
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​Cognitive Benefits
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Increased ability to focus and concentrate
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Increased ability to be non-judgmental
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Increased self-awareness
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Increase in positive thoughts​
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Emotional Benefits
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Increased vocabulary and understanding of emotions
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Increased ability to regulate emotions +Increased capacity for empathy
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Increased capacity for compassion
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About the Instructor, Sara Tracy
Supervised by Callye Lawrence LPC-S
Sara is a current Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling student at Northwestern University, set to graduate in August 2025, and she received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016. Her philosophy is that counseling encourages mental health and overall wellness by using empathy, advocacy, and collaboration to empower client growth. Passionate about serving diverse populations in the Central Texas area, Sara is particularly interested in working with college students due to the unique challenges many experience despite their newfound sense of autonomy and freedom, which can be both exhilarating and overwhelming. With a focus on developmental, preventative, and wellness-oriented approaches, she strives to create a safe, inclusive space where clients can improve their mental health and well-being.
She has lived in the Central Texas area for 16 years now and considers Austin home. In her free time, Sara enjoys spending time with her family, friends, and furbabies and being in nature. Sara is dedicated to promoting mental health and wellness and reducing the stigma around seeking help.