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The Regulators are a small group of students who have been identified and referred to the group either by an administrator, a counselor, or a teacher. These students lack the social and emotional skills/tools necessary to manage their emotions and self-regulate appropriately. Even though, the counselor conducts lessons on behavior, as well as social and emotional skills as a whole group in the classroom, these students, can benefit from a small group setting to allow them to receive the extra social-emotional support and skill development in the areas identified.

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The purpose of The Regulators is to work through strategies and coping skills that will give these students the set of skills/tools needed to navigate through everyday challenges that they may be facing. This small group of students will be working on becoming self-aware of their emotions, identifying their behavior reminders, managing their reactions, and communicating appropriately. Through the participation of the small group, the students will master several skills. The students will master M5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes. The students will master B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self  and actions, B-SMS 2. Self discipline and B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills American School Counselor Association (2021). ASCA

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Information for The Regulators will be distributed to all stakeholders in a timely and appropriate manner. Teachers will be given a flyer in different methods to ensure the delivery of information. A flyer will be distributed during a staff meeting and a flyer will be placed in their mailbox. The counselor will also have flyers outside her office and relate this information to teachers and staff so that it can be easily accessible to them. To distribute information to the students the counselor will pull the small group of students selected to discuss the group and its purpose. Information to the parents will be sent in our weekly newsletter to inform them about the group. However, an email and/or letter will be sent out to the parents whose children were selected to participate in the group. The information for these parents will be more detailed so that parents are aware of the purpose of the group and why their child was selected along with the counselor's information to address any questions and or concerns.

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The purpose of screening is to ensure that the student is a good candidate for the group. It is important to select students that will benefit from the group as well as students who will contribute and participate in the group. Students can be referred to the group by administrators, teachers, and the counselor however, the counselor will still conduct screenings on an individual basis. The counselor will talk to the teacher(s) of the student being referred and collect data as well as look at the student's file to see the history of office referrals, suspensions, and counselor visits. The counselor will analyze all the data that was gathered to identify the need of the student. The counselor will then meet with the individual student and discuss the group in addition to giving him/her the reason(s) why they were selected. The counselor will go through this process in order to form a small group that will be successful. It should be noted that not every student selected will be a good candidate nor will they want to participate. It is the counselor's responsibility to tell the student why or why not they were selected. The counselor should then offer different options on how to help meet the needs of that student. If the district does not have a plan set in place for screening or if the counselor doesn't have a plan set in place for screening he/she can use the "TAP-in" method. The "TAP-in" method is a great way to screen students, T-tell students about the group, A- ask students if they are interested, P- pick the students to participate in the group.

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Informed consent is important to ensure protection for the student's well-being as well as legal protection for the counselor. Therefore, informed consent must be given to the counselor prior to any counseling service including small group counseling. In order to get consent from parents for their child to participate in The Regulators, an informed consent form must be signed by the parent(s)/guardian(s) and returned to the counselor. The counselor will make contact with the parent through a phone call to inform them about the group and its purpose. The counselor will also let parents know that an informed consent form will be sent out with their child that must be signed and returned so that their child can participate in the small group sessions. The counselor will explain to parents that informed consent means giving their child permission to participate.

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Establishing group norms and rules is important to set the expectations for the group participants. The group norms/rules will be read prior to the beginning of each session. This procedure will help remind students of what is expected of them and help them understand the importance of why we have set group norms/rules. Some rules will be predetermined by the counselor such as:
1. Be present
2. Be respectful to self and others
3.Be mindful
yet, other rules will be created as a group. Once all the norms/rules have been established, they will be written on an anchor chart where each group member will sign and then displayed. Having it displayed will allow the counselor to reference it during the session when needed it will stress the importance of the norms/rules, as well as hold students accountable. The counselor will utilize Document 8: Participant Guidelines/Ground Rules for Our Group from Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program-Responsive Services Small Group Counseling Model. This document will be used in the first session when setting the norms and rules. The counselor will hand out the document, as we discuss the rules, there will be a pause after each rule to allow students time to fill out "Looks like" "Sounds Like". Having students use their own words on what each rules means allows students to understand what is expected and take ownership. If the students are having a difficult time in coming up with their own words, the counselor will model for them and or the students can do it with a partner in order to share and bounce ideas.

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Group dynamics are relevant and important in the effectiveness and productivity as well as the success of the group. The Regulators are a homogenous group in that they share similar issues that they will work through together.

Stage 1- The counselor must build a rapport with the students so that the students feel they can trust her/him and be able to share, work, and participate in a small group. The students must also establish a rapport with the other participants in the group. This allows everyone to work together. The counselor can set up trust-building activities such as icebreakers and games. For example, students will be asked to make a team based on different things, "make a team with everyone who has a pet", "make a team with everyone that has your shoe size" etc. Another way to establish group dynamics is to discuss group norms/rules at the beginning of each session. This will remind students of expectations and set a routine for them. Students will also be reminded about confidentiality and its limits, this will allow students to feel comfortable in opening up. Although students are encouraged to share and practice strategies and coping skills they have learned, it is important to remind them they are not to share what other members are discussing in our group.

Stage 2- In order to keep students working cohesively and productively the counselor will continue to give opportunities for team building within the session. The counselor will model and encourage communication within the group. At the end of each session, we will share out celebrations as a team to help students stay motivated. The counselor will check to see how the group is progressing through observations and feedback. The counselor will have a quick check-in such as thumbs-up and thumbs down after different statements.

Stage 3- The counselor will discuss the time frame of the group during the first session and remind them each session. This will allow students to be prepared and help them process the closing of the group. For closing the group, the counselor will do a closing activity. The counselor will ask students to role-play/dramatize a real-life situation where they will apply a skill(s) learned. Students will then reflect, summarize and share their takeaway from the group. As the group closes the counselor will remind students that although the sessions are over they will still be upheld to keep the confidentiality of the group. After the closure and end of the sessions, the students are expected to apply what they have learned. The counselor will schedule a time to see the students individually to monitor their progress in their newfound skills and allow them to share their challenges and successes.

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According to the Association for Specialists in Group Work Section B: Best Practice in Performing  B.4. Therapeutic Conditions and Dynamics Group Workers understand and are able to implement appropriate models of group development, process observation and therapeutic conditions. Group Workers manage the flow of communication, addressing safety and pacing of disclosures to protect group members from physical, emotional, or psychological trauma (Association for specialists in Group Work Best Practice Guidelines 1998). This supports The Regulators in that the counselor is providing therapeutic conditions in which the students have a safe and nurturing environment to learn and grow throughout the sessions. The counselor is also addressing safety through the group norms and rules. Furthermore, the counselor is providing protection to the group members when discussing consent, confidentiality and disclosure.

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Being a good leader is an important key element for the success of the group. A leader holds a lot of responsibility because he/she is guiding, influencing, and motivating the group members. There can be different styles of leadership for this reason it is crucial for the leader to adopt the best leadership style for their group to ensure its success.

The Regulators are a group of students struggling with behavior. Consequently, they need a leader who will guide and support them. They need a leader who will listen to them and validate them.  Therefore, the leadership style that would work best for The Regulators is participative. This type of leadership would be best practice with these students because they will respond better and be more open to the topics being discussed as well as the need for change. Participative leadership makes the counselor more approachable and will nurture the relationship(s) amongst the group. This type of leadership will help students be engaged, collaborate, and have a sense of belonging. Students will also feel that their input, ideas, and contributions to the group are being valued which in turn will improve morale. Choosing a participative leadership style can bring a myriad of benefits to The Regulators.

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Yalom's Therapeutic Factors can potentially be seen in The Regulators and can help explain why the group works for that particular student and or group.
Some students may demonstrate Instillation of Hope in that they will be able to learn strategies and coping skills to help them navigate through their emotions, obstacles, and challenges they may face.
Some students may demonstrate Universality because they will become aware that they are not the only ones experiencing and struggling with the same issues. These students make connections with others and allow for growth and change. Other students may demonstrate Imparting Information in that students will be able to use the group session as an opportunity to listen, reflect, and learn from the success of their peers and apply it. In The Regulators, some students may demonstrate Socialising Techniques in that they can learn new skills that will lead to appropriate and positive ways to socialize.  Lastly, some students may demonstrate Catharsis in which students gain insight and become self-aware of their actions and emotions causing them to change how they react and respond to life's challenges. Students can navigate through different therapeutic factors throughout the group sessions depending on where they are in their growth.

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As stated in the ASCA Ethical Standards Section  A.4. Academic, Career and Social/Emotional Plans School Counselors will d. Provide opportunities for all students to develop the mindsets and behaviors necessary to learn work-related skills, resilience, perseverance, an understanding of lifelong learning as a part of long-term career success, a positive attitude toward learning, and a strong work ethic (American School Counselor Association, Ethical Standards for School Counselors  2016).
This supports the small group counseling of The Regulators. Through our sessions, they will be mastering the necessary coping skills/tools they need to face day-to-day challenges. They are learning lifelong lessons that can be applied for years to come.

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

American School Counselor Association (2016). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors

Association for Specialists in Group Work (ASGW). (1998). ASGW best practice guidelines. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 23, 237–244.

Ch, K. (2021, August 11). Leadership Styles and Frameworks You Should Know. Verywellmind. Retrieved April 18, 2022, from https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators. (2015). Professional school counselor small group counseling guide: A professional school counselor’s guide to planning, implementing, and evaluating school-based counseling groups.

North East Independent School District . (2021-2022). Regency Place Elementary. Regency Place Elementary School.

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). Basic Books.