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As humans, it is our natural response to gather in groups for beneficial purposes and our survival. Within groups, individuals are able to accomplish goals and relate to one another in productive and innovative ways (McClure, 1990). Group counseling is set to help individuals who are having trouble with parts of their educational, personal, social or vocational needs (Corey & Corey, 1992). Group counseling involves complex interactions that take place verbally and non-verbally and can effect actions and outcomes (Lewin, 1948). All groups have dynamics that play out over time and shown through interactions of group members and leaders, including their roles they take on. As much as the group influences the members, the members impact the group.

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This video goes through the four stages of group development. They show this by drawing a set of stairs and going through each step and what happens in each step.

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This video explains how team members work together. He goes through the four stages of group development and how participants act and feel throughout the stages.

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Forming, Storming, Norming, and Performing: Bruce Tuckman's Team Stages Model Explained

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During the first stage of group counseling is about dependency. Members are unsure of themselves and their position and often look to the leader or other members for direction. This is where trust is formed and the members begin to explore who they are.

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The second stage is about conflict. Conflict can arise as overt or covert and the type and amount of conflict that arises correlates to the amount of power struggle for positions that goes on within the group.

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Stage three is about cohesion or "we-ness" (Effective Group Counseling). Members begin to become more relaxed and closer psychologically. Members feel more included and productive and free sharing start to occur.

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The forth stage is where the main work is. Interdependence develops in members where they are able to work on personal issues and take on a variety of constructive roles. Comfort levels in the group increase and becomes a prime stage for problem solving. Members deal with termination of the group and begin to feel loss but reminded to celebrate accomplishments.

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Activities and Information that should be included during the termination process

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Activities and Information that should be included during the termination process

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* Working with the group at the physical level of separation Members’ interest and investment in the group is beginning to wane and your main job now is to emphasize movement away from the group and towards other groups, members’ own community, or workplace. (Benson, J,. 2001).
*  Complete group tasks aim to complete and resolve any remaining tasks left to the group and draw attention to any delaying or prolonging activity. Be alert for any over enthusiastic approach to work which might suggest a desire to deny or preclude the group ending. I find it important to be visible with my expectation that members will complete individual tasks and join with me in concluding group projects. This seems to make ending less threatening and more in the nature of a normal passage or development.
*  What you should aim at is a gradual reduction in attraction and interest in activity, as a way of increasing members’ motivation to conclude the business of separation and look outside the group for new and more stimulating relationships and experiences. To encourage this, avoid any activity which challenges the group to further accomplishments such as competition or new projects. Activity which is stimulating, exciting, gives high rewards, or encourages a lot of group interaction should also be avoided. *  It is important to help members conceptualize what the group experience has meant to them and be clear about what they are taking away from the group. A major activity at this stage is to create time and space where members can evaluate their involvement and progress. This is a different procedure from the reminiscing type of review that members typically engage in. Evaluation is a structured part of the group’s work and has clear objectives: . To determine the value of the group to the individual. . To gauge progress in achieving individual goals. . To assess whether group objectives were achieved. . To determine what aspects of the group require modification.

Below are some activities that can be used during this stage as well...
*Reflect on lessons learned
ask students to reflect individually on what they have learned during the group and share their insights. The act of articulating what was most important to them can help solidify their experiences in the course and bring a sense of closure. (TILT, 2014).
* Celebrate the success of the process. You could ask each student to bring an item of food or drink, thus creating a communal, celebratory atmosphere. This also provides the opportunity for students to make plans to get together with classmates in the future, perhaps even forming collaborations that last beyond the course. (TILT, 2014)
* Allow students to acknowledge the support they got from each other this is an activity. Provide a few moments in class for group members to stand up and approach 2 – 3 other group members to thank them for any help or insight they may have provided for their progress and learning in the class. This social experience is a nice way to end the termination period, on a positive note. (TILT, 2014).

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This picture shows a group of individuals who have worked together successfully and they are ending their experience together well. Which would be the same goal for our high school during this stage.

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Review team accomplishments.

Reflect on lessons learned.

Create take-away mementos.

Celebrate the success of the process.

Allow students to acknowledge the support they got from each other.

Resources. (Uminntilt, 2014)

The task that are listed above also goes with the activities that are listed in activities and information column. The activities provided gives the students the opportunity to share what they have learned, realized how far they have become, and it also allows them to share what they have learned from others which gives off a positive perspective not only to themselves but to others as well. Also, by taking this moment of reflecting it could give other members ideas to carry with them to help in the future.

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This image describes the key points of the adjourning stage. In order to get to this stage it took dedication, teamwork as a group, and togetherness for the same common goal. The outcome of this process should be success, and students feeling accomplished. However, also during this stage when this has all taken place it can be hard to say goodbye to good bonds that were formed and friendships that were made. It can be difficult to come from seeing a group of individuals you have bonded with two to three times a week to maybe none at all. All of this takes place during this stage of group counseling.

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How does member group work transfer outside of the group?

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How does member group work transfer outside of the group?

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* Member group work may transfer outside of the group by individuals feeling supported and accepted which reduce stigma and isolation. (Camh, 2021). This could help individuals to become more sociable outside of the group and may use what they have learned to reach out and help others. Group work provides a safe environment in which to take social risk and experiment with new ways of interacting and behaving. (Camh, 2021) These are some of the tools that can help group work to transfer outside of he group because the students will gain confidence and not feel ashamed and learn to take what they have learned in the group in the outside world. These tools can be the very tool to help the next individual the group member comes encounter with

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Consider how diversity impacts the development of this stage of group counseling.

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Consider how diversity impacts the development of this stage of group counseling.

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Diversity can either strengthen a group or weaken a group. According to what I read diverse backgrounds and personalities can strengthen a group verses if everyone was all the same in a group. Margaret A. Neale finds that diversity across dimensions, such as functional expertise, education, or personality, can increase performance by enhancing creativity or group problem-solving. (Rigoglioso, M., 2006). Also, conflict caused by diversity equals better performance which makes me feel that it would make this stage more deserving and informative when it comes to discussing what they have taken from each other in the group. If everyone is the same with the same personality then there would not be very much learning or new ideas to be learned.

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This image shows the togetherness of the group and how they are more comfortable and closer psychologically.

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Goals that we could consider for our small groups revolve around helping high school students coping with their parents’ divorce.  Delucia-Waack et al. (2001) discuss several goals that we may consider for our own small group sessions with our high school students that are developmentally appropriate for teens. There are six goals that we could plan to focus on in our group counseling sessions with the teens.

The first goal could be to help teens to gain a realistic idea of the divorce process and provide them with information.

The second goal could be to normalize discussing divorce and the experiences and feelings that occur around divorce. We will discuss how peer support is important and validates what they experience and feel.

The third goal is to provide a safe and supportive space to talk about divorce related concerns and to develop a support system.

The fourth goal would be to discuss teens’ feelings such as anger, guilt and shame that occur.

The fifth goal is to assist teens in developing coping skills.

The sixth and final goal will be to give hope for the future for these teens who have been impacted by parental divorce.

Then, we will need to set objectives that match our goals but must be measurable such as: students will be able to identify when they have feelings of anger, students will demonstrate one strategy to react to their feelings of guilt when it occurs, students will be able to explain what occurs in a divorce and what their responsibilities are compared to their parents, and students will identify two non-judgmental friends or relatives that they can talk to about their feelings.
The goals and objectives will be connected to the activities of each session. Some of the REBT techniques that would work for teens who are coping with stress from their parents divorce might benefit from

Relaxation

Meditation

Mindfulness

Breathing exercises

(Ackerman, 2021).

(Benham et. al., 2021)

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We found a thesis that broke down into eight sessions designed to help adolescents cope
with divorce. Each session has a different goal and has been listed below.
"Session 1: Introduction.
Participants will be informed about group rules, process, activities, and confidentiality. Participants will also be introduced to each other and the group facilitator in order to
build trust within the group.
Session 2: Definition of Divorce.
Participants will be asked what divorce means to them and how it makes them feel. Participants will be asked to both verbally give a description and draw it.
Session 3: Identifying Feelings.
Participants will be asked to identify any feelings they may have been experiencing throughout the divorce.
Session 4: What does my Family Look Like? Who is my Support?
Participants will be able to identify who their support system is and who they can trust talking to.
Session 5: Anxiety and Worry.
Participants will be able to identify and verbalize feelings of anxiety and worry. Participants will be able to cope with these worries and anxieties in a much more effect
way.
Session 6: Identifying Coping Mechanisms.
Participants will be asked to identify healthy coping mechanisms they can use when they are feeling overwhelmed with emotion.
Session 7: Focusing on the Future.
Participants will be able to decrease their worry about the future and what’s to come by
highlighting positive memories and future goals.
Session 8: Last Session.
Students will summarize what they have learned, express their feelings about how the
group worked together, and discuss how they will use what they learned in their families and in other stressful situations" (Avila, 2013, p. 32-33).

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Children’s reactions to divorce vary based on developmental level and age (Kelly, 2000). Erik Erikson argued that adolescence is an important time because adolescents are forming their own identities. It might be difficult for an adolescent to be experiencing a divorce and trying to figure out their purpose in life.
The youtube video by Epperson (2014), “The Voice of the Child of Divorce” mentions how the child is trying to understand everyday life.  During the process of a parent’s divorce, adolescents may experience grief, sadness, anger, blame, anxiety, and fear and the emotional distress may interfere with their everyday life.

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Zill et al. (1991) explains the long term effects of parental divorce on children regarding their relationships, adjustment and achievement. It explains the long term hazard effects that divorce has on children supported by data. It shows data explaining poor relationship with parents, high levels of behavior problems, and increased likelihood of dropping out of high school.

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Yauman (1991) explains the adverse emotional affect that divorce has on children under 18 years of age. This article also explains how the child may not be able to perform well in a school setting due to unresolved personal issues within the home. Group counseling is perceived to be one of the most effective, efficient, practical treatment mode for children of divorce (Yauman, B., 1991). Counseling groups help reduce the feelings of isolation and shame that so  many children experience and can provide peer support (Yauman, B., 1991).

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Subramaniam et al. (2020) studied 10 teenagers between 16-18 years old with a minimum of one year of living as part of a divorced family. This study was conducted to explore teenagers' conceptualization of wellness after their parents' divorce. The results showed nine themes: reluctant to confront their parents' divorce, willingness to express and reflect, acceptance of parental divorce, forgiveness of their parents, letting it go and moving on with life, acceptance of support from others, spiritual inclination, self-help, and helping others.

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Gatins et al. (2013) surveyed 365 middle school and high school students from both divorced and non-divorced families.  Adolescents from separated or divorced (S/D) families tended to rate their parents' relationships and impact on them more negatively than adolescents from living together or married (L/M) families. Although research usually argues that children of divorce have more negative outcomes academically and socially than those who live in intact families,  Hetherington et al. (1998) suggested that children and parents who might have had been hurt in the initial stages of divorce appear to have adjusted after 2 years. Also, Morrison and Coiro (1999) found that children raised in high-conflict marriages that do not break up demonstrated a greater increase in behavioral problems when compared with children of divorce. However,  there were only three of eleven items in which the L/M (living together/married) and S/D (separated/divorced) adolescents endorsed opposite sides of the agree-disagree continuum. These findings are similar to Amato (1994, 2001) and Ruschena et al. (2005), who argued that although differences might exist between those from intact and divorced families, they are often small.

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Wadsby et al. (2014) discuss  parental bonding, mental health, the presence of psychiatric symptoms, sense of coherence, and differences in the parents’ education level and financial situation for adolescents in Sweden who live alternately with one parent and then the other after divorce.  These results were compared with adolescents living in homes with married parents and those living in homes with single parents. The results are that  adolescents who alternated residences or lived with both parents scored significantly higher on mothers' care than those living with a single parent due to less responsibility falling either all on the mother or the father, but adolescents who lived with one parent had significantly more psychiatric symptoms than those in the other two groups. However, the reasons why children live mainly with one parent (preferably the mother) after separation or divorce might be due to conflict between the parents, violence, which may contribute to more psychiatric symptoms in the children.  According to the adolescents themselves, 1.7% of the adolescents living alternately had been beaten with hands, clenched fists, or weapons, burned, kicked, or held in strangleholds by an adult during the years he/she grew up (Wadsby et al., 2014).  The parents who had agreed to alternating residence arrangements were more educated in the study results indicating that they realized the importance of the teens maintaining their relationship with both parents. These highly educated parents usually had higher incomes than the single households parents, as well.

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Gonzalez and Viitanen (2018) addressed the long term effect of divorce on  adults as a result of exposure to divorce as children. It addressed four main areas: income, health,education attainment, and relationships. The study was done in Europe, specifically in Italy,  Greece, Portugal,  Spain and Ireland. Divorce in most European countries in the 60s was fairly ilegal. However, in recent decades these European countries have recently reformed their divorce laws and it is now legal to divorce your spouse.
The results of this study have shown that men exposed to divorce as children, made more money and were more career-driven than men who were not. On the other hand, women who were exposed or who came from a divorced family, made less likely to be career driven and made significantly less income than those who came from undivorced families.
As for education attainment, men exposed to divorce in childhood were less likely to earn a highschool diploma compared to their peers. However, the study indicated that the majority of these highschool dropouts later in life finish their education to earn more income.
As for women, the results were not too different from men except for women who were exposed to divorce during their childhood, they stayed longer in school and entered the workforce later. Both men and women were more likely to stay longer in school, highschool or college as a result of low grades.
As for marital status, there were no significant results between men and women’s marital status as a result of exposure to divorce in childhood. The only difference was they tend to marry much younger than their peers.

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Yauman (1991) explains the adverse emotional affect that divorce has on children under 18 years of age. Among the most salient of these are increased impulsivity, distractibility, aggressiveness, acting-out behavior, and overall lowered academic achievement (Felner, Stolberg, & Cowen, 1975). Children may not be able to perform well in a school setting due to unresolved personal issues within the home (Yauman, 1991). Group counseling is perceived to be one of the most effective, efficient, practical treatment mode for children of divorce (Yauman, 1991). Counseling groups help reduce the feelings of isolation and shame that so  many children experience and can provide peer support (Yauman, B., 1991). Zill et al. (1991) explains the long term hazard effects that divorce has on children:  poor relationships with parents, high levels of behavior problems, and increased likelihood of dropping out of high school.

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As pointed out by Wallerstein and Blakeslee (1989), divorce appears to be the central event in the lives of children and adolescents and remains as a profound experience as they move through life. According to Peace et al. (2018), as of 2016, 15% of all American households, and 23% of family households, contained at least one

12–17-year-old (U.S. Census Bureau, 2017a). Using data from the 2009 American Community Survey, Elliott and Simmons (2011) demonstrate that “about 18% of men and 44% of women with a divorce in the past year were living with children under 18. This equates to over a million children experiencing a divorce in the past year, with the

median age of these children around 9.8—about the onset of adolescence,” (Pearce et al., 2018).

Children’s reactions to divorce vary based on developmental level and age (Kelly, 2000). Erik Erikson argued that adolescence is an important time because adolescents are forming their own identities. It might be difficult for an adolescent to be experiencing a divorce and trying to figure out their purpose in life. During the process of a parent’s divorce, adolescents may experience grief, sadness, anger, blame, anxiety, and fear and the emotional distress may interfere with their everyday life (Avila, 2013).

In an American Academy of Pediatrics (2014) video, a seventeen year old girl discusses how she struggles to feel comfortable discussing her parents’ divorce with her friends or her boyfriend. Kids of divorce sometimes feel like they are to blame for the divorce or they feel like they made the situation worse such as the case of the video (American Academy of Pediatrics, 2014). Therefore, grouping teens together by developmental level will help to normalize their experience and will allow for the creation of an ongoing support system (Yauman, 1991).
Robson (1982) suggested that group counseling is most appropriate for children 9 to 12 years of age as well as for adolescents, whereas for children ages 6 to 8 years, both individual play therapy and group counseling are appropriate.  According to Yauman (1991) specific strategies used in these groups include listening to the positive features of the divorce, using bibliotherapy and movies to indirectly announce issues, and using board games to encourage discussion and role play.

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At the first session, there will be a discussion of ground rules, social norms, group expectations, goals, and confidentiality. There will be a list of group guidelines, possibly 4-5 rules and each member will receive a copy to have in front of them as the group leader goes over these rules (Sink et al., 2012). The rules for high schoolers could be take part in activities and sharing, support others in the group, tactfully share my feeling, thoughts, and opinions; maintain confidentiality, and take responsibility for my thoughts, feelings, opinions and behavior (Sink et al., 2012).   After this, the group leader will have a short discussion of rules that students might want to add but they don’t see them listed on the sheet. The group leader will allow 4 rules to be suggested with a short discussion of why and students can vote on one rule that was student generated to be added to the list of rules. Delucia et al. (2001) discuss several goals that we may consider for our own small group sessions with our high school students that are developmentally appropriate for teens. There are 6 goals that we could plan to focus on in our group counseling sessions with the teens. We would share these goals with the teens/participants.

·       The first goal could be to help teens to gain a realistic idea of the divorce process and provide them with information.

·       The second goal could be to normalize discussing divorce and the experiences and feelings that occur around divorce. We will discuss how peer support is important and validates what they experience and feel.

·       The third goal is to provide a safe and supportive space to talk about divorce related concerns and to develop a support system.

·       The fourth goal would be to discuss teens’ feelings such as anger, guilt and shame that occur.

·       The fifth goal is to assist teens in developing coping skills.

·       The sixth and final goal will be to give hope for the future for these teens who have been impacted by parental divorce.

Following the group goals that were offered in Avila (2013), after this, the students will also be introduced to each other and the group facilitator in order to

build trust within the group.

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Hammond (1981a) discussed creative activities to encourage discussion and indicated that having structured group activities provides a less threatening atmosphere for children of divorced parents. She suggested structured activities act as ice breakers, that will help initiate discussion and stimulate self-disclosure.

It would be helpful for the group to start to develop trust by asking the group members to identify their fears and start to explore them (Corey et al., 2018).  Corey et al. (2018) offered an idea in which students would split in pairs, discuss their fears, and then join another pair and share with them also. This is less threatening than talking with a whole group. This will also create a commonality between many students so they can share at a deeper level as they continue (Corey et al., 2018).

Ice-breakers should be chosen based upon the ages and developmental stages of the group members, as well as the intention of the ice breaker and the length of time of the group meeting. The types of ice-breakers that are relevant for teens are ones that involve getting to know the teen and team building ice-breakers. There are many resources available with long lists of ice-breakers for teens such as mantelligence (n.d.). For this topic at hand, an ice breaker that allows the teens to get to know each other better to build rapport and trust with each other are best. The purpose would be to have them get to know each other better and start to feel comfortable opening up to each other about their personal lives so they can start to work as a group for the next session.

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Diversity plays a large role in shaping this stage of counseling. Since different cultures have different social norms, there may be misunderstandings and resistance of some group members who are from cultures that are less trusting and deterred from disclosing any personal information in group settings. According to Sink et al. (2012), the counselor needs to consider the between group and within group differences. Sink suggests counselors refer to Delucia -Waack and Doniegan (2006) to understand how to be culturally responsive to their group. Counselors need to be aware of the participants’: families’ story and level of support for particular student, degree of language proficiency, educational history, and proximity to own and other cultural groups (Sink et al., 2012). Considerations of time, commitment to schedules, level of emotional expressiveness, and communication styles might all be applicable to working with multiethnic groups (Sink et al., 2012). In addition, it seems to be very advantageous of the counselor  to review the generalizations listed in Table 10.1 about the major ethnic groups of the United States.

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First session activity, Processing, and Closing

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First session activity, Processing, and Closing

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At the first session, the students will be asked to introduce themselves by name and             grade, something that they are good at and can help others do or learn, if their parents are getting divorced or when their parents were divorced (Studer & Allton, 1996). Following introductions, the counsellor will explain the rules of the group, followed by a discussion of the rules with will ask for input from the group. Then, students will be asked to complete the pre-test for evaluative purposes. Then, the icebreaker about trust will take place.  It would be helpful for the group to start to develop trust by asking the group members to identify their fears and start to explore them (Corey et al., 2018).  Corey et al. (2018) offered an idea in which students would split in pairs, discuss their fears, and then join another pair and share with them also. Some of these fears might relate to being accepted or rejected, being understood, being judged, being hurt, being attacked, crying in front of others, finding out things about me that I can’t cope with (Corey et al., 2012).

Studer and Allton (1996) suggested a counsellor designed "Divorce Concerns" pretest that would be given at the initial session and then again as a posttest at the conclusion of the group for evaluative purposes. A few of the questions are “One of the greatest concerns I have regarding my parents is…” and “One of the greatest concerns I have about my future relationships is ….” and “One of the concerns I have regarding this group is …”

At the ending of the closing of the session, the participants will be given permission slips for their classroom teachers each week the group met so that attendance could be maintained. The participants will also be given homework to write in their journals that they were given. Some of the questions or prompts will be self-reflective and their group experience and some will be about helping to start the work in that second session. For example, the students might be asked to answer: how do I see myself in this group?, How do I feel about being in the group?, What would I like to leave this group having learned or experienced?, One personal concern or problem I would hope to bring up is…, My most dominant reaction to being in the group so far is… (Corey et al., 2018).

Finally, students will be reminded of the rules and guidelines of the session again and confidentiality will be reiterated as an important one for them to follow. This is important as they leave the group setting and enter into normal life and then come back to the group session again next time. An inspiring quote will be read to encourage a positive attitude and everyone will say their good-byes.

"A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking, because her trust is not on the branch but on it's own wings. Always believe in yourself."
Author Unknown

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This picture shows the group in the Norming stage, still a little unsure and looking at the leader for guidance.o

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This picture shows the group not working together, but different thoughts and emotions. It shows conflict and power struggles arising.

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How Members transition from one stage to the next

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How Members transition from one stage to the next

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The transition of the group members is challenging for group members. In the storming stage members feel anxious, defensive, guarded, resistant, ambivalent, and the need to control the group.

For them to transition from the storming to the norming stage, members need to overcome six obstacles  with the help of a skilled counselor.

The first obstacle is Establishing Trust, according to Corey & et al. (2018), During the storming stage, the members are still wondering if the group is safe and whether or not they could trust others. Trust between members will build slowly, especially when members see that the counselor and others do not judge them. It is important to note that when the confidence is high between members, they actively participate. However, when trust is lacking, they are quit. The counselor would need to develop a sense of trust between members by asking members about their impression of what was said? Or what Normas are being broken by what happened? What is okay or not okay about what was said? By asking these questions, the group opens up about what they think is going on, how they can help others understand the real issue, and trust is built (Thompson & White 2010).

The second obstacle is defensive behaviors in the group. Members might feel attacked by other members' comments and feel the urge to defend themselves aggressively. This behavior might be one of the hardest for the counselor and other members. However, a skilled counselor will not respond negatively toward an opposing member, which will help the problematic behavior diminish (Corey & et al.). The counselor could reflect on the opposite member's emotions and ask the member to explore those feelings more, which will help the member think about the underlying reasons for his reactions.

The third obstacle is resistant toward others in the group. The counselor's job is not to ask the member why he is resistant but to ask the member(s) if their behavior is helping or hindering the group's progress? By asking these questions the counselor could help the group transition to the next stage smoothly Thompson & White (2010).

The fourth obstacle is the struggle for control. According to Corey et al. (2018), members try to control the group by assigning responsibility and making decisions. The counselor's job is to help the group members understand that their need to be in control is self-protection and the desire to stay private. The counselor here will help the members who are struggling with management to understand their struggle to keep control is, so they don't have to do in-depth work. The counselor could help that member by reminding them of why the activity will not achieve the goal set for the group development Corey et al. (2018).

The fifth obstacle is conflict. Conflict is bound to happen in any group counseling. According to Corey et al., conflict is a normal process of any healthy relationship; actually, conflict avoidance is problematic. When members are avoiding conflict, they are still not trusting the counselor and other group members. In this case, the counselor would teach members the importance of working through conflict constructively. It is also essential for the counselor to acknowledge that some members come from families that avoided conflict or that conflict meant that someone was hurt, sensitive, or a loser. These members may have never learned how to deal with conflict in a healthy way, while others might have learned how to deal with conflict but can't understand why others cannot deal with conflict.

The sixth obstacle is confrontation. According to Corey et al., Confrontation is positive feedback meant to build another person up, not tear them down. Confrontation does not share mean words with others or say what a person thinks about another. Some members may not understand the true meaning of confrontation, and that's when the counselor could model the right way to confront another person by giving positive feedback.

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What types of activities would be helpful to implement to help create greater connections and trust among members?

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What types of activities would be helpful to implement to help create greater connections and trust among members?

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This group of adolescents will benefit from a kin-aesthetic activity. This form of exercise will engage our High-School student group through movement, testing, trial and error (Macmillan, 2018).

For this stage, we choose the spaghetti and marshmallow tower project (play-day website). This construction group activity could be fun for our high school students and a good ice breaker and trust-building activity. This project will also teach the students about the importance of teamwork to accomplish a difficult task. We believe it would be good at the storming stage because it will help the students get to know each other and build a stronger bond. While working on this activity, members could get upset with each other because they lack trust in one another or want to control the outcome of the action. This activity will be a clear demonstration to our High- School students of the importance of working together, communicating their feelings about their parents' divorce, and how important it is for them to work together to overcome their struggles and feelings of shame and anger.

Types of equipment needed for this activity:

20 dry spaghetti noodles

One marshmallow

One roll of masking tape

1 yard of string.

How is this game played?

The group needs to figure out how to build the tallest structure with the equipment providing placing the one marshmallow on top of the tower. The design needs to stand for 5 seconds at least.

Sample of questions that we could ask after the activity:

1.  What have you learned from this activity?

2.  What made this structure, which represents you, fall or stays standing?

3.  Why was it essential to work with others to build this structure?

4.  How could you apply what you learned in this activity to your situation?

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How does diversity impact your planning and preparation for this group?

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How does diversity impact your planning and preparation for this group?

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When planning group counseling, it is important to consider each group member’s background, emotional and psychological well-being. According to ( Joel 2013) ) a member who is depressed might be distracted and can’t focus on what is going on in the group. At the same time, another member who has Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) would be unnerved by the need to move from side to side to take in all the actions happening in the group. This person also will struggle with sudden movements depended on what was the PTSD was caused by. Moreover, someone who might be an international or immigrant student might have a language barrier to consider and plan for a translator for the student. The same goes for a deaf student who will need Sign Language interpretation. In conclusion, it is essential to consider the minor details when planning a counseling group to succeed.

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 How activities and sessions are processed and closed.

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 How activities and sessions are processed and closed.

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From what I learned from the Group counseling lab, in each session, the counselor will start with a check-in with the group members to see how everyone is doing and see if they have any questions. These check-ins could be as simple as asking: How are you doing today? Or what are two things you are grateful for today? If there is an activity for that day, the counselor will introduce the activity then ask for volunteers to start.
As for closing a session, the counselor would manage the time and the activities to bring the session to a natural ending. The counselor would ask the members questions as, what did you learn from today's session? What in the session was helpful, and what was challenging?

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This picture shows two group members having a disagreement about a topic.

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