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The attached Group Proposal includes information from peer-reviewed resources supporting the need to establish the Grounded Gals Group.

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Grounded Gals is a small, closed therapy group for girls in high school aged 14-18 who struggle with anxiety and want to learn coping strategies to reduce its impact on their academics and daily lives. The attached resource provides a detailed description of the group plan.

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Grounded Gals Group Action Plan - Stacey Fade

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American School Counselor Association Mindsets & Behaviors

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American School Counselor Association Mindsets & Behaviors

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This group will focus on improving the following mindsets and behaviors identified by the ASCA:

Mindset:

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

Behaviors:

B-SMS 2. Self-discipline and self-control

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SS 8. Advocacy skills for self and others and ability to assert self, when necessary

B-SS 9. Social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment

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Information regarding this group will be shared with school leaders and staff members during weekly staff meetings. A link to a Google Form will be shared for completing a referral for any student who meets the group's criteria. Additionally, an email will be sent to parents informing them of the group's purpose, with an opportunity to respond if they are interested in referring their child for participation. Phone calls will be made to parents of students referred by administrators and staff members for a more personal conversation.

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Students who are referred by administrators, staff, and parents for participation in the group will be screened individually in a pull-out meeting with the Counselor utilizing the TAP Method:

Tell student about the group

Explain the purpose of the Grounded Gals group

Share the Group Action Plan

Outline group member responsibilities

Ask student about her level of interest/commitment to expectations of group

Pick participants

(Missouri Professional School Counselors and School Counselor Educators, 2015).

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Once the group of 5-6 members has been selected, a meeting will be held after school on Friday, September 26, 2025, to provide information about the Grounded Gals Group to members and their parents/ guardians. The Group Action Plan will be shared at this time to give an opportunity to review all program components. Parents may attend in person or virtually. Informed consent will be obtained at the conclusion of the meeting.

(Missouri School Counselor and Counselor Educators, 2015)

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Ground Rules will be determined in a small group discussion, allowing members to collaborate and make suggestions to ensure everyone's input is taken into consideration. Non-negotiable ground rules will include: confidentiality, respectful discourse, and the opportunity for all members to contribute to the group without interruption. Additional ground rules will be determined by the group.

(Missouri School Counselor and Counselor Educators, 2015)

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The Grounded Gals group will evolve through several stages, which are experienced by all groups. The attached document provides insight into the various techniques and approaches that will be utilized by the group leader to ensure continued growth and productivity throughout each stage.

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The Leadership style that I will utilize is the Transformational Leadership style, which focuses on motivating and inspiring group members to reach shared goals and achieve individual objectives. This leadership style is rooted in the empowerment of members to grow and evolve. It has been linked to improved outcomes and group satisfaction among group members (Cherry, 2023).

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Therapeutic factors of this group will include the following:

Instillation of Hope - faith that the tools obtained throughout the group will be effective in managing anxiety.

Universality- members will develop a sense of being understood as they participate in a group of others who share their feelings of anxiety.

Imparting of Information- members will learn about the physiological characteristics of anxiety and evidence-based strategies for reducing the impact of anxiety in their lives.

Development of socializing techniques- members will improve their ability to communicate with others about their experiences with anxiety.

Interpersonal learning - members will learn from each other's experiences and gain insight into alternative viewpoints.

(Yalom, 1995).

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This group will be implemented according to the Best Practice Guidelines from the Association for Specialists in Group Work (Thomas & Pender, 2008). The guidelines of confidentiality will be emphasized during the screening process and the introduction meeting. Members will be reminded of the importance of maintaining confidentiality throughout the course of group meetings.

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The group will be screened, selected, and provided with informed consent in alignment with the Best Practice Guidelines for Specialists in Group Work (Thomas & Pender, 2008). Members will be carefully screened and selected to create a supportive and productive process. Additionally, informed consent will be obtained from participants and parents to ensure that members and their parents are fully aware of the group's goals and objectives.

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The attached references were utilized in creating this informational site.

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We will be incorporating "The Teen Girl's Anxiety Survival Guide" by Lucie Hemmen into our sessions.

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“A thoroughly researched and comprehensive guide for teenagers to manage their anxiety and learn to love themselves.”—Kirkus Reviews10 powerful skills…