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The name of this group will be “Girls Unite” and will consist of ten- and eleven-year-old girls who are currently in the fifth grade. The main topic of this group will be building self-esteem and will include skill building in the areas of healthy friendships, effective communication and body image. Each session of this group will be structured to include education about the topic, counseling/processing and skill building (Thomas & Pender, 2008).

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The ASCA mindsets and behavior standards that group participants will be able to demonstrate following the group are:

M1: Belief in development of the whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being.

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

M4: Self-confidence in ability to succeed

B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome barriers

B_SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SS 6. Effective collaboration and cooperation skills

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

(American School Counselor Association, 2022).

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The first group of this type will be by invite only and each girl who is participating will receive an invitation. The invitations will be printed on nice stationery and will be in an envelope addressed to each girl. This is to introduce the group to the girls in a positive way and get them excited about participating. If this group is successful, any following groups will be promoted through flyers, school announcements and a blurb in the counselor newsletter to parents. Any girls then selected for the group will receive the same invitation as the first group.

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The potential participants will be notified personally by the counselor before receiving an invitation to the group. Each student will meet with the counselor individually to be screened for compatibility and contribution to the group. The TAP method will be used when screening each student. The counselor will describe the topics addressed in the sessions, when and where the sessions will be held and the expectations to uphold confidentiality by each member. They will then be asked to rate their interest in participating in the group and if they have any personal goals they would like to address during the sessions (Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling guide, 2015).

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As per district policy, informed consent will be obtained from both students and parents of students that are participating in the group. See attached informed consent form.

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According to ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors, group facilitators must, “Communicate the aspiration of confidentiality as a group norm, while recognizing and working from the protective posture that confidentiality for students in small groups cannot be guaranteed.” (American School Counselor Association, 2022). This ethical standard is helpful to counselors who facilitate groups because it gives them the support to discuss with the group members the importance of confidentiality and building trust amongst the group. It also allows the group facilitator to take necessary actions if confidentiality is broken by group members, such as, terminating that group member’s participation in the group if the behavior continues.

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According to the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program guide, group leaders should model positive behaviors, process the activities and interactions of the group and guide members to fulfill their potential (Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling guide, 2015). The leadership style that is most conducive to this type of group is a transformational leadership style. This approach would be most effective for this type of group because it inspires group members to make positive changes in their life and leads to improved well-being (Cherry, 2022).

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The guidelines and ground rules from the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program guide will be used to establish the norms of the group. Each rule will be discussed and participants will decide which rules to keep, add or delete. They will also discuss what each rule “looks like” and “sounds like” to better determine what those specific rules mean to them. The only rule that will be automatically kept will be rule number one, which covers confidentiality  (Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling guide, 2015).

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There are several  therapeutic factors that are expected in this group; universality, direct advice, development of socializing techniques and altruism. Universality is the most anticipated due to the fact that one of the main goals of this group is for members to build comradery and healthier relationships among the female population (Yalom, 1995). Group members will have the opportunity to give and receive suggestions for handling problems and will learn effective communication skills. It is an intention of the members to help each other and thus feel like they are a useful member of the group (Yalom, 1995).

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Stage 1: An ice breaker activity will be used to help build relationships and trust among group members in the first session. The guidelines and norms will be established together as a group so that all members feel like they have a say in how the group is run. Confidentiality will be discussed and each member will have the opportunity to talk about what confidentiality means to them. In stage one, the group facilitator will make sure and listen with compassion to establish an open and respectful environment (Hansen, 2009).

Stage 2: In stage two, the facilitator will step back more and more and allow the group members to initiate more and move forward on their own (Hansen, 2009).  During stage two the facilitator will have a quick check in with each member individually to gauge the progress of the group and gather any feedback about changes that need to be made.

Stage3: Three things will be addressed in stage 3. The first will be reflecting on the group and individual successes (Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling guide, 2015). Each member will receive a small journal as a parting gift where they will be encouraged to write about their self-esteem successes and goals for the future. The second thing to be addressed in stage three is the feelings of the members about the ending of the group. Each member will have a chance to talk about how they feel about the group ending and how they can keep the connections they made in the group as they move forward. The importance of confidentiality will be the final subject discussed in the last session and members will be encouraged to discuss how they feel about confidentiality being maintained even after termination of the group  (Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling guide, 2015).

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American School Counselor Association (2022). ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors.

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

Cherry, K. (2022). Leadership Styles and Frameworks You Should Know. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Hansen, S. (2009) The Five Stages of Group Development. http://www.school-counseling-zone.com

Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program: Responsive Services (2015). Professional School Counselor Small Group Counseling guide.

Texas Administrative Code, 19 § 239.15 (2017). https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=7&ch=239&rl=15

Thomas, R. V., Pender, D. A. (2008). Association for Specialists in Group Work: Best Practices Guidelines 2007 Revisions. The Journal for Specialists in Group Work, volume 33.

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

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The Texas Administrative Code lists specific standards required for school counselors. Standard II. Learner-Centered Skills states that a school counselor must, “counsel individuals and small groups using appropriate counseling theories and techniques in response to students’ needs” (Texas Administrative Code, 2017). This legally gives school counselors the ability to use direct knowledge from their graduate program, empirical research and evidence based practice to meet the needs of the students in groups.