Small group discussions

An opportunity to explore relevant topics with other trainees and fellows in a supportive environment.

Find a small group that fits your needs

OITE sponsors small groups to support you as you navigate challenging situations using new skills and approaches. It can be helpful to talk with others in a supportive environment to share experiences and coping strategies. There are drop-in, on-going, skill-based, and short-term established groups with rotating topics. Groups are facilitated by experts in mental health and well-being and are offered online to allow trainees and fellows on all campuses to participate.

Monthly drop-in groups

These groups are intended for NIH Intramural trainees and are advertised weekly in OITE emails and listed in Upcoming Events.

Topic	When it happens	How to join/register
Difficult Conversations and Feedback	First Wednesday of the month, 4-5 pm ET.	Register on OITE Upcoming Events.
New to NIH	First and third Thursday of the month, 11-12 noon ET.	Register on OITE Upcoming Events.
Anxiety, Depression, and other Challenges	Second Tuesday of the month, 3-4 pm ET.	Register on OITE Upcoming Events.
Visiting Fellows	Fourth Monday of the month, 1-2 pm ET.	Register on OITE Upcoming Events.
Thrive in Transition - Job Search Q&A	Third or fourth Wednesday of the month, 2-3pm ET.	Register on OITE Upcoming Events.

Ongoing support groups

Registration is not required for these groups - come as often as you like. See the full list of skills group descriptions here.

Topic	When it happens	How to join/register
Research group transitions	Every Wednesday from 10-11 am.	Reach out to us at [email protected] for more information.

Resilience skills groups

These groups are held once a week for an hour, for four consecutive weeks.

The password for all registrations will be emailed to all NIH Intramural fellows every month in an email announcing the next skills groups.

Didn't receive the email with the registration password? Reach out to us at [email protected].

Topic	When it happens	How to join/register
Building the Self-Care Toolkit for Your Well-being Skills Group	Mondays at 12pm ET March 9, 16, & 23	Registration is now closed.
Conflict Management Skills Group	Tuesdays at 11am ET March 10, 17, & 24	Registration is now closed.
Emotion Regulation Skills Group	Wednesdays at 12pm ET March 11, 18, & 25	Registration is now closed.
Strategies to Overcoming the Pitfalls of Perfectionism Skills Group	Thursdays at 2pm ET April 9, 23, & 30	Register here. Registration instructions with the password will be emailed to all NIH fellows on March 24.
Building Our Stress Resilience Skills Group	Wednesdays at 1pm ET April 8, 15, & 22	Register here. Registration instructions with the password will be emailed to all NIH fellows on March 24.
Dealing with Disappointment Skills Group	Mondays at 12pm ET April 13, 20, & 27	Register here. Registration instructions with the password will be emailed to all NIH fellows on March 24.
21-day Mindfulness Challenge	May 2026	Registration will open in late April. Registration instructions will be emailed to all NIH fellows at that time.
Fueling our Potential to Flourish in the Biomedical Research Environment	May 2026	Registration will open in late April. Registration instructions will be emailed to all NIH fellows at that time.
Reapplication Stress	May 2026	Registration will open in late April. Registration instructions will be emailed to all NIH fellows at that time.
Focusing the Mind: Managing Worry and Overthinking	June 2026	Registration will open in late May. Registration instructions will be emailed to all NIH fellows at that time.
Calming the nervous system: Simple techniques to activate rest and relax response	June 2026	Registration will open in late May. Registration instructions will be emailed to all NIH fellows at that time.
Discovering happiness for growth and resilience during difficult times	June 2026	Registration will open in late May. Registration instructions will be emailed to all NIH fellows at that time.

Short-term cohort support groups

These groups are held once a week for an hour, for six consecutive weeks.

The password for all registrations will be emailed to all NIH Intramural fellows in an email announcing the next month's support groups.

Didn't receive the email with the registration password? Reach out to us at [email protected].

Topic	When it happens	How to join/register
Graduate Students	September	Registration will open mid-August.

Contact us

Reach out to us at [email protected] with questions.