THE DRAKE COUNSELING CENTER now offers a sexual orientation support group for students. Photo: Tyler O'Neil

Drake students seeking a forum to discuss their concerns or questions about their sexual orientation should look no further than the Drake Uni­versity Counseling Center.

A support group at the center is returning from a yearlong hiatus. It will give students an opportunity to share their daily struggles and experi­ences and listen to one another.

“I am looking forward to it,” said Kirk Bragg, the group’s facilitator. “I enjoyed the group in the past and was sorry that it kind of waned last year.”

Bragg has been a therapist at the university’s Counseling Center for 10 years and is a licensed independent social worker.

“The way we had phrased it be­fore, it was a coming-out group, and when people were done coming out, they didn’t feel they had much of a reason to come,” Bragg said.

Bragg said he wants the new group to be open to all issues, not just those associated with coming out.

“We are open to talking about per­sonal issues, talking about the political issues of the day and could be discuss­ing a particular reading for the day,” Bragg said. “I’m open to anything.”

Bragg emphasized that the group is not a therapy group.

“It is more of a discussion/sup­port group,” Bragg said. “It is quite different than a therapy group.”

Bragg said he realizes that this is a complex issue.

He also said the target audience is students questioning their sexuality, not “well-meaning straight people.” He said there were other groups to fulfill that need.

“What’s the difference between gay and straight and lesbian and gay and bisexual?” Bragg said. “They’re just labels and not always very de­scriptive. I’m happy to work with people with any label.”

The goal of the discussion is to guide students in introspective reflec­tion. “I hope to achieve a high degree of in­sight and comfort,” Bragg said. “Whatever students need to be, they should be that. It is a safe environment to discuss and better understand themselves.”

Bragg also said that this group is not intended to take the place of Rainbow Union.

Rainbow Union Vice President and Di­versity Interest Senator La’Cee Groetken called the group a great idea.

“It is a bridge to Rainbow Union, not a supplement,” Groetken said.

The two groups have made plans to col­laborate on events and discussions. How­ever, Groetken said the groups are very dif­ferent, mainly in confidentiality.

“Rainbow Union is an open forum, not a discussion group, “ Groetken said.

Bragg said the discussions in the group will be kept private.

“Confidentiality will be a big issue to the people that attend this,” Bragg said. “Whatever is said in the group stays in the group. Students need to be respectful of who else is attending because there may be some people who aren’t even out yet.”

Rainbow Union is more focused on hosting events for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer students on campus, and focuses on broader topics than the dis­cussion group, Groetken said.

Bragg said that the counseling center typically focuses on one-on-one sessions with students, but that he is excited to work with a group.

“Groups are an efficient way of helping a lot of people,” Bragg said. “Groups give people a chance to learn from each other.”

Groetken agreed that communication was helpful for individuals.

“Just talking it out and talking with other people who are similar to you can be very helpful,” Groetken said.

Bragg said there is already interest in the discussion group from students who partici­pated in the past and new students. He said he is hoping for a group of four to 10 stu­dents to have productive conversations.

Groetken and other members of the Rainbow Union executive board are al­ready encouraging all students to partici­pate in the discussion group, including their own members.

“I thoroughly encourage our members to go to this group,” Groetken said. “Stu­dents with any issues with sexuality should really engage in discussion. It is a wonderful idea.”

The group will meet weekly on either Monday or Wednesday nights. Bragg said he is hoping to get a base of students that are interested in attending sessions every week.

“There is plenty to be talked about, that’s for sure,” Bragg said.