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ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success

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ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success

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Category 1: Mindset Standards

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

Category 2: Behavior Standards- Self-Management Skills

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

ASCA. (n.d.). ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success. In ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/mindsets-behaviors.pdf

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Building your own mental wellness tool-kit  

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Building your own mental wellness tool-kit  

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Equipping high school students with proactive and reactive coping skills, and tools to identify and self-advocate for legitimate and safe resources and services rather than rely on social media and peer “self-help” trends and gimmicks.

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Meet with Counselors & Principal to propose - and present Action Plan

Upon Approval- Invite referrals for participation via email to Counselors and SpEd Case managers

1. Targeted Group Invites via Parent Square- Students and Parents are invited to join using a Google Form

2. Confirmed Participants will receive follow-up Informed Consent Forms

3. Upon completion of Consent/ received- Google Classroom Code AND workshop location information shared via Parent Square

*note all Parent Square communications are duplicated in an email; ex. Students and parents will each receive a ParentSquare "text" message and the post is also copied to email.

Weekly reminder invite Posts via Parent Square 1 day and 30 minutes prior to session & "open office hours" on PLC/Tutorial- early dismissal days.

Google Classroom Stream will house additional activities and resources introduced each week to allow for long-term access to participants and transparency with parents and administrators

CLOSED GROUP- will not be publicized on school website, morning announcements, will be listed on weekly campus newsletter/ events list- internal - for campus staff only

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Group Closed and by referral only, Max 15 per session- students identified via Special Education and/or 504 process as experiencing anxiety to the extent it negatively impacts social and/or academic success.

Using TAP- TellAskPick methodology- Create a Google Slide/Infographic to TELL potential Students & Parents about the group- including Goals, Topics, and Expectations;

include an embedded Google Form to ASK student

to explain his or her understanding of what you have said about the group

□ Ask student what questions he or she has about any part of the group process

□ Ask student if he or she is interested in the group, and why or why not

□ Ask if student is seeing another counselor, inside or outside school

PICK participants with most potential and send a consent form that also includes a secondary pre-assessment Google form that includes

□ Ask if student is willing to adhere to expectations/ground rules (e.g. attendance, confidentiality, cooperative participation, sharing information about thoughts and feelings related to topic).

□ Ask student what his or her goals for growth are (or might be).

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My Informed Consent Slide Presentation

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Stage 1- In the 1st session I first want to establish trust and authenticity of myself as the leader, and then create a safe space to start sharing their voices without being forced.

I will start with an introduction of myself and my experience with anxiety and therapy. Then I will remind them of group's purpose and expectations. The need for confidentiality will be addressed and reinforced with accountability mechanisms- a reporting QR code/form; and possible disciplinary referral. I will also ask students to share with the group why confidentiality is important to them; either confidentially on a digital discussion board or by sharing with group aloud.

Stage 2- The second-week session will be for establishing group cohesion and collaboration; Students will be asked to identify their “why” for joining the group, again either confidentially on a digital discussion board or by sharing with group aloud. My hope is that more students begin to share aloud as the make connections, universality and hope is established.

Each week will have a distinct topic, with the offering of a digital tool and a hands-on/ analog/ tactile tool- ex. Mindfulness & Meditation, we will practice calming breaths, and explore a variety of guided meditation styles available on YouTube; I will offer a tactile calming/ breath strip takeaway gift and introduce a few apps- Calm, Headspace, etc.;

Each session topic is stand-alone; If a student misses a session they can meet with me during open office hours to get the information, but they won't feel lost or left out at the next session.

Stage 3- The group will close with a reflection activity- which tools ended up being most useful for each? Students will present their toolkit- a proactive coping skill/ tool, a reactive tool. skill, and at least 1 resource on campus and off campus that they feel confident in accessing. Students will also be invited to continue using my ParentSqaure, email, and open office hours for noncrisis support and check-ins; reminders of Crisis hotlines will also be given.

Students will be reminded that confidentiality, reporting, and accountability methods remain in place.

A post-participation survey will also ask about their current level of confidence with coping skills and self-advocating for mental health needs; it will ask for any negative experiences related to the group in the sessions or on campus at large. It will also ask if students are interested in a new group, or joining a “coffee pod” informal group in the commons area, or if they feel they would like me to discuss outside referral options for ongoing therapy with their parent/guardian.

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My Leadership Style: Transformative Leader

My primary leadership style is transformational (Cherry, 2024), and I am steeped in the growth mindset and DBT therapeutic philosophies. My goal is to create a dynamic, open, and organic environment where everyone in the group is inspired to work toward a common goal while achieving personal growth. I would also be a participant, leading with my own experiences as needed until the group dynamic has the confidence to share without my modeling, "allowing group members to take a more active role in the decision-making process" (Cherry, 2023).

I will need to beware of burnout, this style functions as pouring into others, giving more than receiving. While in this group setting it would not be appropriate to expect participants to "give back" or validate me as the leader; it will be important to ensure that I do have someone, a mentor or colleague, that I can lean into and get feedback, support, and sometimes validation from.

Leadership doesn't come easy to everyone, and different situations and group dynamics may require adapting my leadership style. By maintaining open lines of communication, being open to resources, and adapting, I can always change and improve to lead a variety of groups and topics, impacting my own growth as well.

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The classic model of leadership focuses on three major styles used by leaders. Take this quiz to learn more about your leadership style.

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Of Yalom's Curative Factors of Group Treatment, (1995),

I would anticipate the use or impact of:

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Instillation of Hope - faith that the treatment mode can and will be effective; 

Participants will hear from the leader and each other how therapeutic coping skills and tools have been helpful, but not every tool works for everyone

Universality - a demonstration that we are not alone in our misery or our "problems"; 

Participants will hear from the leader and each other how anxiety has impacted their lives; and that fight, flight, and freeze modes can be productive and helpful, not just destructive.

Imparting of information - didactic instruction about mental health;

Initial sessions will address the appropriate use and accurate definitions of mental health vocabulary

Direct Advice - receiving and giving suggestions for strategies for handling problems;

Each session topic will include a direct presentation of a coping skill or tool, and an example of when and how to use

Development of socializing techniques - social learning or development of interpersonal skills;

students will be invited to demonstrate and/or discuss how they have benefitted from tools presented

Imitative behavior - taking on the manner of group members who function more adequately;

some students may "fake it until they make it" leaning into the leader of group members' "how" until they develop their own

Interpersonal learning - receiving feedback from others and experimenting with new ways of relating;

Through group shares and discussions, students can experiment with and develop individualized skills and confidence

Altruism - the opportunity to rise out of oneself and help somebody else; the feeling of usefulness

Many students will benefit as much if not more from helping others and advocating for others within the group setting than just self-advocacy and practice; some may even feel confident in sharing skills and support to peers outside the group; usefulness is a powerful counteragent to hopelessness and isolation

Some participants may organically begin to evolve and experience factors that would more appropriately be addressed in individual follow-up sessions, with appropriate consent:

Corrective recapitulation of primary family group - experiencing transference relationships growing out of primary family experiences providing the opportunity to relearn and clarify distortions.

Students coming from home and family environments that are chaotic, toxic, abusive, or repressive may struggle to function in the different sets of expectations and spaces- school/ community versus home. Coping strategies for community and campus success may be very different from the coping skills they need or use to function in their family unit. This is especially challenging to personal growth and may provide a significant barrier until the student can live independently or in a more stable environment.

Catharsis - an opportunity for expression of strong affect;

More likely to occur in sessions addressing grief, trauma, and deeper-rooted emotions than anxiety. However, students coming from an isolated experience may have a breakthrough - likely connected to universality and the instillation of hope functions.

Existential factors - recognition of the basic features of existence through sharing with others (e.g. ultimate aloneness, ultimate death, ultimate responsibility for our own actions). 

Developmentally, teens may begin to consider the fragility of life and, the inevitability of death, and begin to compile these thoughts with developmentally typical deficits in confidence, and self-worth- these students are also at higher risk for suicidal ideation, and the group must be monitored carefully to help uncover this potential.

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Texas Legislation - Schools and Student Mental Health: Texas Education Codes

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Texas Legislation - Schools and Student Mental Health: Texas Education Codes

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Texas Education Code (TEC) §33.005-6
Covers comprehensive school counseling programs, including the priority of including counseling services to students in need:

Responsive Services and Guidance programs required by the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs both have components allowing for direct counseling services to be available to students- individually or in small group settings

TEC 33.006 includes a provision adopted via Senate Bill 179
That requires school counselors to spend at least 80% of their time on counseling duties, ensuring that students do not miss out on direct support because counselors are spending time with administrative and systemic duties as a priority.

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Texas Legislation - Schools and Student Mental Health: Legislation and Funding

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Texas Legislation - Schools and Student Mental Health: Legislation and Funding

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These bills directly support the goals of my proposed group- as it is intended to promote the development of self-management, self-advocacy, self-awareness, social awareness, and interpersonal skills; and provisions for allocating resources and funding under at-risk criteria

House Bill 1525

HB 1525 (incorporated from HB 332 and SB 2004) allows school districts to use compensatory education allotment on programs for at-risk students that are intended to build student skills related to managing emotions, positive relationships, and decision-making.

Senate Bill 123

SB 123 integrates social-emotional learning skills into current law relating to instruction in positive character traits and personal skills in kindergarten through 12th grade. The competencies include self-management skills, interpersonal skills, social awareness, responsible decision-making skills, and self-awareness.

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ASCA. (n.d.). ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success. In ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/mindsets-behaviors.pdf

Atkins Counseling. (2017, April 12). ASCA National Model Action Plans [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur-LRFBhJ9M

Cherry, K., MS Ed. (2023, June 27). How to Lead: 6 Leadership Styles and Frameworks. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Cherry, K., MS Ed. (2024, February 6). What’s your leadership style? Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/whats-your-leadership-style-3866929

Data and statistics on children’s mental health. (2025, January 31). Children’s Mental Health. https://www.cdc.gov/children-mental-health/data-research/index.html

EDUCATION CODE CHAPTER 33. SERVICE PROGRAMS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. (n.d.). https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.33.htm

Mitchell, T., & Mitchell, T. (2024, April 14). Most U.S. teens see anxiety and depression as a major problem among their peers. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2019/02/20/most-u-s-teens-see-anxiety-and-depression-as-a-major-problem-among-their-peers/

Texas Education Agency. (n.d.). Mental health and behavioral health. https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/other-services/mental-health/mental-health-and-behavioral-health

Texas School Mental Health. (2024, July 24). School Mental health Legislation - Texas School Mental Health. https://schoolmentalhealthtx.org/school-mental-health-legislation/

Yalom’s Curative Factors of Group Treatment The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy (4th ed.). (1995). Basic Books.