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

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.

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

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Since written parental consent is required by law and by the district, I plan to send both paper and email copies home, in case the student loses the paper copy. In the consent form, it will discuss the type of group, the topics to be addressed, the start and end dates of the counseling group, and the duration and frequency of the meetings. The form will discuss confidentiality and contact information that the parents can call if they have any additional questions before signing.

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Students whom staff members or parents refer, or students who find themselves having difficulty managing their emotions, will begin the screening process. To start the screening process, each student will be independently interviewed by me (the counselor) to understand the ground rules for the group and to agree to maintain confidentiality verbally(Missouri Professional School Counselors and Counselor Educators, 2015). After expectations for the group are discussed, the TAP method will be used to disclose all the information participants need to be informed of, including tasks/activities related to group participation, their goals, and respect for one another. The student's answers will be a deciding factor in determining if they are a good fit for a group setting. Some of the interview questions that will be asked will assess their level of anger, how they react to situations while they are angry, what are some of their coping strageties if they have any.

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Regarding B.6.b. Confidentiality of Records and Documentation in the 2014 ACA Code of Ethics, any documentation provided to me must be kept in a secure location, and only authorized personnel have access to those documents. Many counselors emphasize the importance of confidentiality to students, but often fail to disclose the rules of privacy that they must also adhere to. During the first session, I will explain to the group members that any documentation, such as activities, parental consent forms, and other relevant materials, will be kept confidential and not disclosed to others unless required by law. By doing so, it will give members a sense of safety that whatever they do in session is not released.

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Explosive Emotions is an anger management counseling group that addresses explosive emotions in high school students ranging from the 9th grade to the 12th grade. This group is designed for students who consistently exhibit behavioral problems that disrupt the learning environment. This group will foster a safe and supportive environment that fosters acknowledgement of current emotions, as well as add support to the high school campus by reducing the number of fights and disruptions in the classroom, by allowing the group participants to understand their triggers, use the skills they learn for conflict resolution, and overall improve their relationships inside and outside the academic setting

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To ensure that Parents, Teachers, Administrators, Counselors, and Students receive information about the Explosive Emotions counseling group, flyers will be posted around the school discussing the group's purpose, who would benefit from it, meeting times, and the excellent outcomes that students participating in the group would experience. During morning announcements, the group will also be announced to inform those who do not look at the flyers. For Teachers, Counselors, Administrators, and Parents, an email will be sent with a more detailed plan of the group, including lesson plans, key points of that lesson, meeting times, the duration of the counseling group, and details explaining confidentiality. Within this email, there will be an option to refer a student. Other methods of delivery will include posting on the school's website. The goal is to reach as many people as possible within a timeframe.

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Upon completion of the Explosive Emotions counseling group, the participants will demonstrate growth in:

M2: Sense of acceptance, respect, support, and inclusion for self and others in the school environment.

M3: Positive attitude toward work and learning.

M4: Self-confidence in the ability to succeed.

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

B-SMS 1: Responsibility for self and actions.

B-SS 1: Effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills.

B-SS 2: Positive, respectful, and supportive relationships with students who are similar to and different from them.

(American School Counselor Association, 2021)

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Some predetermined ground rules for Explosive Emotions are:

1. Maintain Confidentiality.

2. Respect everyone.

3. Ensure everyone has the opportunity to talk.

Other rules will be discussed as a group to determine what is in the best interest of the group to continue to maintain a positive environment. Everyone is there to work on themselves and utilize methods of M2, M3, B-SMS 1, and B-SMS 2 ( American School Counselor Association, 2021).

Rules that the group can set include how long everyone can talk, the flow of the group counseling sessions, and what to do in case someone does not feel comfortable discussing that week's topic.

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Stage 1: Refers to building trust within the group. At this stage, the group will engage in icebreaking activities to get acquainted with one another and discover what types of things they have in common. The conversation of confidentiality will be discussed, as well as what to do if someone breaks confidentiality. As a group, we will discuss what works best based on individual schedules, and consent forms will be collected to ensure everyone's participation.

Stage 2: Refers to the individual and group working together to accomplish personal and group goals. To ensure group participation, I will incorporate an activity into each lesson to keep everyone engaged. Everyone will discuss each topic to get their opinion on how they would handle it, and at the end of the session, some of everyone's remarks will be added to find an overall goal. By doing this, no one will feel left out, and it will motivate students to continue providing feedback on what should stay the same and what should change.

Stage 3: Refers to the closure of the group. In group conversations, we will collectively determine an effective way to close the group without a sudden ending. One idea is to go around and ask everyone what was the one thing that they resonated with throughout the session, and what was one thing they would improve. As the counselor, I will then explain the importance of confidentiality and that what is said in this room needs to stay in this room, because if not, there will be consequences.

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

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In the Explosive Emotions group, I will be utilizing a little of Participative leadership and authoritative leadership. I will use an Authoritative leadership style when it comes to rules and regulations that the group must follow, such as confidentiality, parental consent, and respect for one another. Still, during sessions, I will implement more participative leadership that allows the group to tailor the sessions to what benefits them, enabling them to achieve maximum benefit and growth. The reason I chose these two leadership styles is that, given the group's struggles with their emotions, I need to establish clear boundaries that everyone understands, as well as the consequences that follow from breaking the rules. However, I also want to create an environment that fosters growth. If I tell them what to do without offering suggestions or feedback, the members will not derive the maximum benefit from the group.

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Some of the therapeutic factors I plan to implement are Instillation of Hope, Universality, Direct Advice, and Interpersonal learning (Yalom, 1995). All of these factors indicate that group lessons will be practical if participants are fully engaged, as represented by the "you are not alone" concept, through the exchange of suggestions between the counselor and peers. By doing so, this will create a positive learning environment for everyone to receive help from someone other than the counselor.

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According to the code of ethics, B.1.c. Respect for Confidentiality. As the counselor, it is my responsibility to explain confidentiality to the group in a manner that everyone can understand. I will explain that I will also maintain confidentiality unless they are harming themselves or others.

In my role as a counselor, discussing confidentiality is crucial and should be one of the first things a client or student is informed about.