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Going bananas because your parents split? Those who are experiencing anxiety due to their parents’ divorce are welcome to come and discuss.

Helping young adults with anxiety due to their parents getting a divorce when they were adolescents.  This group is closed and is for young adults ages 18-30.  The total number of participants will be from 5-7 people.

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The Mindset standards for young adults who participate in this group will learn:

M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being

M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes

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A variety of methods will be used to advertise and invite perspective participants to this group. The methods used will be signs/posters around campus, flyer distributed to each student's mailbox, writeup in school newspaper, campus social media accounts, and email to all students on campus.  Displayed on promotional material will be the necessary information of who to contact for questions, the purpose of the group, and why people should participate!

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Possible participants that have showed voluntarily interest in joining the group will be contacted and will be asked to fill out a survey to see if they would be a good fit, and to measure their readiness. By the results of the survey, counselor will interview individually those participants who seem the best bit. At this interview, there will be a discussion about the purpose of the group, items to be discussed, and to gage again whether participant is a good match/also is genuinely interested. Participant will be given an opportunity to ask questions. Each person will be notified individually if they have or have not been selected to attend the group.  If selected, each participant will be given the day, time, and location of the group sessions and they must confirm and sign an agreement saying they will attend the sessions to the best of their ability and contact facilitator if they can’t make it to a given session.  Also, in the agreement is a place to sign, stating to keep all info discussed in the group confidential.  The facilitator will send a reminder communication the day before to each participant.

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Upon being selected to the group, the 5-7 chosen participants will be clearly informed of all the components of informed consent and that the counseling services provided are completely voluntary. Each participant will be provided the knowledge of the positive or negative implications from receiving counseling, goals for the sessions, their rights to participate, or end services. They will also be informed of the expectations in regard to confidentiality, but also its limits and risks when individuals don't adhere to the expectations of confidentiality. Each participant will be given an informed consent form upon being invited to the group. Each participant is expected to bring the form to the first meeting. A follow up reminder from the counselor to the individuals about bringing the consent form will take place the days leading up to the first meeting.

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These rules will be used to guide group counseling sessions to be effective, safe, and built on trust.

1.) Respect will be given to counselor, and each member of the group. Respect in speech, actions, and attendance. This includes showing up on time, and notifying as soon as possible, if not being able to make it.

2.) Confidentiality is key. This group must be built on trust. Nobody is required to share, but everyone is required to keep what is said in group, stay in group.

3.) Everyone is invited and encouraged to participate in group. Each person should have ample opportunity to share, and everyone should be accepting of each member.

-Additional rules can be added by group members at the beginning of the first session. Once above rules and additional rules are added, each member will sign consent form.

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The leadership style I would use is a democratic style. Each person in the group is a valued member and each person would be encouraged to participate. In dealing with anxiety, one helpful ingredient is to know you are not alone, and others have the same struggles you do. Young adults have a wealth of experience and knowledge that they can offer one another in helping cope with and overcome anxiety. Activities, discussion, role playing, etc. will help encourage each person to feel they are vital in their participating in the group.

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At the first session a short discussion about The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. A book by Patrick Lencioni.

Stage 1: From the beginning the importance of confidentiality will be reminded along with the rules as guidance. The first session we will do a getting to know you activity/ice breaker. Encouragement given to those who participate. We will end the first session with a group activity working together toward a common goal to bring about unity and cohesiveness. The second session will begin with the telling of a story of a famous person they can relate to who struggles with anxiety and end with encouraging each participant to share what causes them anxiety with not a lot of details to encourage the beginning states of opening up. At the beginning/end of each session giving thanks to everyone for keeping everything confidential.

Stage 2: This middle stage will encourage individuals to slowly share more as they become more comfortable. Begin middle stage with facilitator sharing their struggle with anxiety in the past. Activity to build trust and then encourage individuals to be more vulnerable and share more in-depth their struggle with anxiety. End with eating banana splits to celebrate participants opening up. Next lessons will focus on coping mechanisms that can be used and practicing several of them together as a group. Reminder of how many lessons left before group will end. At the end of each session asking participants if they are learning from group and if they have any concerns. Modeling the importance of communicating any concerns is key.

Stage 3: Reminder how many lessons left before end, and asking how people feel about things coming to an end. Emphasis at this stage on where we started, what was accomplished, and where we go from here as individuals. Each member will give positive reinforcement to the others and encourage them in their strengths. Activities will focus more on individual's anxiety and not reliance on group for answers. Reminder that each person is not alone, and with the new tools and several places to turn, they will be successful and flourish. Encouragement to keep all things revealed in group confidential even after the group ends.

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Two of Yalom’s Therapeutic Factors that would help participants to benefit from the group counseling sessions would be Instillation of Hope and Universality. When people believe in a cause, they are more likely to succeed and make progress. Hope is an effective mechanism to help create positive change. Universality is a healing remedy in dealing with anxiety or many other problems because we know we are not alone in this battle/problem. To hear from others with similar struggles is freeing, and makes the anxiety the group members have, not seem as serious or worrisome.

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Legal and Ethical Requirements 1: Diversity 

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Legal and Ethical Requirements 1: Diversity 

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The ASGW Best Practice Guidelines B.8. on diversity speaks to group counselors being aware the differences of each individual participant. Some of these may be cultural, religious, gender, etc. Being compassionate and understanding to each individual is necessary as a group counselor. Being aware, educated, and sensitive to the variety of differences helps the counselor have a positive impact in the mental health of every individual. Not being aware of a particular culture for example can cause harm to the individual, alienate them, or cause them further anxiety which is the opposite of the intent of this group.

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American School Counselor Association (2021). ASCA Student Standards; Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success. Alexandria, VA: Author.

Lencioni, P. M. (2002). The Five Dysfunctions of a Team: A Leadership Fable. Jossey-Bass.

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling Guide: A Professional School Counselor’s Guide to Planning, Implementing & Evaluating School-Based Counseling Groups. https.//missouricareereducation.org/doc/smallgroup/SmallGroupCounseling.pdf

Thomas, R. V. (2006). Association for Specialists in Group Work: Best Practice Guidelines 2007 Revisions. The Journal For Specialists in Group Work, Vol. 33 No.2 (June 2008), 111–117. usgw297284 111..117 (asgw.org)

Yalom, I.D. (1995). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy, (4th ed.) Basic Books.

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Legal and Ethical Requirements 2: Screening 

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Legal and Ethical Requirements 2: Screening 

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A.7. It is important for the group counselor to screen the people who potentially may be part of the group and select participants who are the best fit for the group. This is to ensure the effectiveness of the group and to avoid any conflict. If screening doesn't take place, this opens up a whole array of potential problems that the group and the group counselor would have to deal with. Screening, helps to truly find out if the person is dealing with anxiety, the level of anxiety they may be dealing with, and if they will work well with others in coping and overcoming anxiety.