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Purpose for the Group: The group's goal is to assist students in elementary schools who struggle with social issues, anxiety, and low self-esteem.

Group Goal: The group's objectives are to enhance interaction with others, improve student's self-esteem, and demonstrate and guide students through appropriate management of emotions.

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Through group participation, students will acquire these mindsets and behaviors.
·         Confidence in one's capacity for success.

·         Belief in the growth of the full self.

·         Effective coping mechanisms in difficult situations.

·         Strong and positive interpersonal abilities.

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I'll spread the word about the group to a variety of audiences via:

• Flyers, newsletters, email invitations, and school announcements

• Teachers, parents, and students are personally invited.

• Publishing on the district's or school's website.

• Distributing information in staff workrooms or at faculty meetings.

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Screening Process for Group Participants

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Screening Process for Group Participants

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Plans to inform the participants of the group:

We will distribute flyers and bulletins to students and send them home to parents. Teachers and counselors will personally invite students, and announcements will be made during school assemblies.

Plan to assess participant readiness to participate, willingness, and interest?

Students will be interviewed one-on-one to evaluate their readiness and student and parent consent forms will be used to verify willingness. A quick survey that asks students about their comfort level in the group and their goals will be used to measure interest.

Participant screening:

Individual screening will take the form of one-on-one interviews with students.

Pre-group screening:

Selection criteria will include student and parental consent, reported need, group dynamics compatibility, and readiness to participate.

Students who are not selected:

Other services will be offered to those students who are not selected.

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Campus Policy on Informed Consent:

Group counseling is only available to minors with parental permission. Information regarding the group's goals, timetable, and confidentiality policies will be shared with parents.
For students seven years of age and up, consent is necessary to make sure they comprehend the group and agree to join willingly.

Process:

Students will get student consent forms that provide a basic explanation of the organization, while parental consent forms will be sent home.

Campus policy:

In order to guarantee both ethical and legal compliance with regard to adolescents receiving counseling services, these actions are in line with our school's policy (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

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participant guidelines and ground rules (ASCA, 2021).

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Utilizing the Participant Guidelines and Ground Rules:

At the first session, the ground rules and participant guidelines will be presented. To ensure relevance and inclusivity, participants will evaluate and discuss them, making any adjustments based on feedback. Ownership of the group's norms is fostered by this cooperative approach (Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015).

Predetermined Rules:

·         All members of the group must comprehend and adhere to confidentiality.

·         Respect: Speak politely and show kindness to one another.

·         Active Engagement: Everyone is urged to engage fully and be punctual.

Rules Determined by the Group:

·         Individual Comfort: Participants are free to choose whether or not to "pass" on sharing.

·         Additional Guidelines: In order to accommodate their particular needs, the group will be encouraged to add more guidelines as needed .

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Group Dynamics in the Three Stages of Group Development

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Group Dynamics in the Three Stages of Group Development

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Stage 1: Forming - Building Relationships and Trust

Developing Trust and Relationships:
Open communication and icebreakers will make everyone feel at ease and promote interaction. I'll provide an example of trust by paying attention and acknowledging emotions (ASCA, 2021).

Creating Group Standards:
Group input will be used to introduce and modify ground rules. To make sure these standards are still applicable, they will be examined on a regular basis.

Handling Confidentiality:
I will clarify that although confidentiality is what is expected, there are legal restrictions that prevent it from being guaranteed (e.g., danger to self or others). Participants will be reminded that confidentiality outside of the group is their responsibility.

Stage 2: Storming - Maintaining Cohesion and Productivity

Maintaining Cohesion and Productivity among Members:
Clear Structure: To maintain group focus, set up a session with clear objectives and activities.
Encouragement: To promote involvement, thank each person for their contributions.
Resolution of Conflicts: To preserve a constructive environment, resolve disputes quickly and effectively.

Monitoring Group Members:
Frequent Check-ins: Assess members' emotions and address any issues at the start of each session.
Opportunities for Feedback: Promote continuous feedback to evaluate advancement toward individual and collective goals.

Stage 3: Closing – Facilitating Group Termination

Organize the group closure:
Summarize the main points learned: Evaluate the group's development and emphasize both individual and group accomplishments. Involve participants in exercises where they individually provide a brief overview outlining the main lessons they learned from the group. To foster a sense of cohesion and closure, use concluding rituals like reciting a collective affirmation.

Monitoring Members' Feelings:

Open Discussion: Encourage participants to share their thoughts and feelings regarding the group's dissolution, recognizing any worries or anxieties they may have.
Feedback Forms: To get information about their experiences and areas for development, provide anonymous feedback forms.

Reinforcing Confidentiality:

Review Confidentiality Limits: Stress the value of maintaining confidentiality and the moral principles that protect members' privacy.
Discuss Post-Group Sharing: Encourage participants to talk about their experiences outside of the group while respecting others' privacy and not disclosing their personal information (Hansen, 2009).

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Leadership Styles for The Brave Hearts Club

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Leadership Styles for The Brave Hearts Club

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In order to inspire and motivate students to reach their personal best by creating a welcoming and stimulating environment, I intend to employ a transformational leadership style with The Brave Hearts Club. Their needs for guidance, support, and affirmation are met by this strategy. I want to enable students to grow resilient and self-assured by establishing clear objectives, offering tailored support, and promoting self-awareness.

Students in primary school benefit greatly from this approach since it meets their developmental requirements for direction, support, and positive reinforcement. In school counseling, transformational leadership has been associated with better student results, such as increased emotional intelligence and counseling process participation (Mason & McMahon, 2009).

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Yalom’s Therapeutic Factors in Group Sessions

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Yalom’s Therapeutic Factors in Group Sessions

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In order to increase the efficacy of The Brave Hearts Club, I plan to implement a number of Yalom's Therapeutic Factors:

Instillation of Hope: I want to encourage participants to believe in their capacity to overcome obstacles by sharing success stories and positive results.

Universality: Promoting conversations that help participants understand they are not alone in their experiences can help them feel less alone and more connected to one another.

Imparting Information: Giving members access to useful data and materials that are pertinent to the group's objectives might enable them to make wise decisions.

Altruism: Encouraging group members to assist and support one another can boost self-esteem and foster a feeling of purpose.

Development of Socializing Techniques: Better interpersonal relationships within and outside the organization can result from giving members the chance to develop and improve their social skills.

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Legal & Ethical Requirement 1: Confidentiality

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Legal & Ethical Requirement 1: Confidentiality

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Informed Consent and Confidentiality

Informed Consent: Counselors must get participants' informed consent before they participate in group therapy by explaining the objectives, methods, and procedures of the process, as well as the confidentiality restrictions (ASCA, 2022).

Confidentiality: Counselors must let participants know that, although confidentiality is intended, it cannot be guaranteed because of ethical and regulatory requirements, such as disclosing suspected abuse or threats of violence (ASCA, 2022).

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Legal & Ethical Requirement 2: Informed Consent and Assent

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Legal & Ethical Requirement 2: Informed Consent and Assent

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Adherence to Ethical Standards

ASCA Ethical Standards: It is morally necessary for counselors to stay up to date on the American School Counselor Association's (ASCA) Ethical Standards, which set forth the ethical behavior guidelines required to uphold the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and leadership(ASCA, 2022).

ACA Code of Ethics: Counselors should also be knowledgeable about the American Counseling Association's (ACA) Code of Ethics, which offers a thorough summary of counselor ideals and acts as a manual for ethical behavior (ASCA, 2022).

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

ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors - American School Counselor Association (ASCA). (2022). https://www.schoolcounselor.org/About-School-Counseling/Ethical-Responsibilities/ASCA-Ethical-Standards-for-School-Counselors-%281%29?utm

Hansen, S. (2009). The five stages of group development. School Counseling Zone, 1-3.

Mason, E. C. M. & McMahon, H. G (2009). Leadership practices of school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 13(2), 107-115. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5330/psc.n.2010-13.107

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.