Coping skills classes

Learn to cope with life's challenges with our new virtual group visits.

Kinwell clinicians are passionate about treating both mind and body. Our clinicians help patients improve their mental health, make lifestyle changes, and work towards their health goals. Established Kinwell patients can access our behavioral health and lifestyle medicine services, including classes will teach patients how to cope with challenging life events, mental health concerns, and relationship issues.

Better ways to manage emotions

Join a group of like-minded people who are eager to improve their coping skills and build emotional resilience. Patients will learn evidence-based skills to manage difficult emotions and stressful situations. Each class will cover a different topic and skill, and there will be opportunities for participants to discuss and practice the skills during the class. Choose the class or classes that interest you most.

All classes will be held on Mondays from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Each online class will last 30-50 minutes. Patients age 18 and older can attend from anywhere in Washington, but must be located within the state.

Who can attend?

These classes are group sessions, designed to share strength, inspiration, and support, and are available to any established Kinwell patient. Co-pays and fees for these medical appointments will apply based on your medical plan. To learn more about the costs involved, see the FAQ below. Premera Medicare Advantage patients will need a referral from their primary care clinician to attend these classes.

Call (206) 360-9298 to register for any class.  

Alix Jansma, LMHC

Alix is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who finds joy, fulfillment, and purpose helping people learn about and improve their mental health. She graduated from Boston University School of Medicine with her Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine. She is known for teaching her clients about the brain, providing education about mental health and various coping skills, and taking an actionable, solution-oriented approach to wellness. She joins Kinwell with excitement to work in an integrated care setting where she can help patients cope with both mental health and medical concerns.

Alix is based in Kinwell’s Mill Creek clinic and sees patients regionally through online appointments over your computer or smart device.

Coping Skills classes will resume in 2025:

Model of Emotions: Vulnerability Factors

In this class, patients will explore how emotions unfold and how to regulate them. The class will cover vulnerability factors—the events and conditions that make us more susceptible to emotional reactions—and how to manage emotions proactively.

Model of Emotions: Check the Facts

How we interpret a situation can have a big impact on how we respond to it. In this class, patients will learn how to evaluate their assumptions and redirect their judgments with a skill called “check the facts.”

Model of Emotions: Emotional Regulation

It’s important to recognize when we are in the throes of an emotion—sadness, anxiety, anger —and to cope effectively in the moment. This class will teach patients the STOP skill and the TIP skill to reduce rumination and the fight or flight response.

Model of Emotions: Problem Solving

Sometimes managing our emotions doesn’t depend on changing how we think, but on changing what we do with some good old-fashioned problem solving. This class will teach participants a system for identifying problems and putting solutions into action.

Feeling Your Feelings: Mindfulness

When a person avoids emotions, they may intensify in the background until they pop out unexpectedly. One key to strong mental health is the ability to feel our feelings. In this class, patients will learn to approach emotions with mindfulness.

Feeling Your Feelings: Healthy Distraction

Sometimes intense emotions stick around longer than they should. In this class, you will learn how to get unstuck from ruminating thoughts and long-lasting emotions with the use of healthy distraction.

If you prefer one-on-one behavioral health services call 833-411-5469.

Frequently asked questions

Each class will have up to 12 patients. Any Kinwell patient, 18 years of age or older, is welcome to attend. This means patients must have established their primary care with a Kinwell doctor, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. To become a Kinwell patient, visit Kinwellhealth.com. It is not necessary to have seen a behavioral health clinician at Kinwell to attend these classes.

Most patients do not need to be referred to this program by your Kinwell PCP. If you are insured by Premera Medicare Advantage and interested in attending BH skills classes, additional documentation may be needed for insurance purposes, please reach out to your care team for assistance. Participation in the program is limited to current Kinwell patients.

Our coping skills classes are held virtually via secure and HIPAA compliant software (Zoom). Participants can attend from any quiet, confidential space, that is located within Washington state.

Classes take place each week on Tuesdays between 12pm and 1pm. Depending on the material covered and the length of group discussion, classes will last 30-50 minutes.

6 classes will cover different coping skills. Patients do not have to attend every class but may register for just the classes relevant to their needs.

Kinwell’s coping skills classes are led by Alix Jansma, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) with a passion for teaching. She started her career as a group therapist, with experience teaching coping skills and encouraging lively, helpful, and safe discussions about behavioral health.

Call (206) 360-9298 to register for the class you would like to attend. You will be sent a Zoom link to join the class prior to its start date.

If you have registered for a class that you can’t attend, please just let us know by canceling your appointment or calling (206) 360-9298 for assistance.

When you register for a class, you will be sent a Participation Agreement that outlines our expectations. To ensure these classes are enjoyable for everyone, note the following ground rules:

  • Do not attend class if you are outside of Washington state.
  • Wear appropriate clothing.
  • Refrain from substance use and profane language.
  • Be respectful of other participants and an active listener.
  • Maintain the privacy and confidentiality of class participants.

Kinwell is dedicated to your privacy. Participants will be asked to attend class in a private space, not share information discussed in class, and keep the identity of other participants confidential. Basically, what happens in group stays in group.

Behavioral health classes are medical appointments and applicable fees apply. Patient responsibilities vary according to the benefits of a patient’s specific plan. The best way to learn what your out-of-pocket cost would be is to call the number on your insurance card.

Kinwell is in-network for Premera Blue Cross and LifeWise Health Plan of Washington members. We will bill these classes to your healthcare plan. Coverage depends on your specific plan and related co-pays and deductibles. The best way to determine your out-of-pocket cost is to ask your healthcare plan if they cover “outpatient group therapy sessions” (CPT code 90853). For information on what insurance Kinwell accepts, click here.

You will receive an e-statement in MyChart. You will also be emailed a notification that the statement is available.

Kinwell’s behavioral health clinicians help patients improve their mental health, work towards physical health goals, make lifestyle changes, and more!  Click here to learn more about our integrated approach to primary care.