Anxi-TEA by Kayci Wetherspoon

Anxi-TEA Small Group

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 00:11:19 UTC

This small group will tend to the needs of students with anxiety at the middle school level. The students will learn the definition of anxiety, how to identify signs/triggers, and ways to cope when anxiety is present. Students will also be able to have a safe space were they can share their thoughts with others who are experiencing the same thing.

ACSA Mindsets and Behaviors

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 00:47:53 UTC

The standards and skills listed below will be goals we want our students to achieve.
M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being.
M 5. Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes.
B-SMS 2. Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control.
B-SMS 6. Demonstrate ability to overcome barriers to learning.
B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem.
B-SMS 10. Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities.
(American School Counselor Association, 2014, p.2)

Plans for Publicity

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 01:10:56 UTC

The plan to disseminate the information to parents, students, teachers, administrators, counselor, etc. will be Google Classroom, emails, and session by session newsletters. Google Classroom will include students, parents, and administration to update them on session plans, possible changes in schedules, and allows open forum to ask questions. I will post weekly surveys and check-ins to get a feel for how the students are progressing. Emails will be for teachers if to see if they need any support in the classroom. Also the emails will be used to let the teachers know updated information if the location or time changes for any reason. The newsletter will be a foreshadow for the next session and a recap of the previous session. I will include strategies for the students and parents to work on while at home.This is will be a digital copy will be posted on Google Classroom for easy access.

Pre-group interview/screening

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 01:41:05 UTC

In order to prescreen students who may participate in the group, I will look into files to see if a student has been referred to me regarding anxiety. I will reach out to teachers for recommendations for students they may feel is experiencing anxiety feelings.

Informed Consent

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 01:49:43 UTC

As there in not a parental consent form specific to my campus, I did use the resource provided by the district. Parents must be contacted and provide written consent for their student to attend our group. Without consent student will not be able to participate as that would fall under a legal and ethical responsibility of the counselor.

Ground Rules

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 14:35:51 UTC

Our ground rules for the group will laid out on day one before any "content" is discussed. Explaining the rules will establish what is acceptable and inappropriate during group. Students will receive a copy of the group rules and we will go through each rule to explain for a clear understanding. Students will have to sign the copy acknowledging their agreement to rules. As group we will add to these rules if the group deems it necessary.

1. Only say helpful comments
2. Don't tell others what is said in the group.
3. One person talks at a time; there are no side conversations.
4. Use the bathroom and after group only.
5. Name calling is not allowed.
6. Do not touch someone else's stuff.
7. If you arrive late, bring a pass with the time and adult signature.

Group Dynamics

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 15:02:31 UTC

Stage 1:
To build relationships in the group, we will start each group session with an icebreaker. The icebreakers will allow the students to open up about smaller personal things. I too will share out personal experiences of my own so they know I trust them. I will make a vow to the students that I will keep their information confidential unless it is necessary that I share the information. Students will grow trust over time. The group will establish norms on the first day in mini groups. We will come back together to see what our group norms will be. This will allow the students to feel ownership within the group and be able to hold students accountable if they are not following the set norms. I will thoroughly go over confidentiality, its meaning, and how it protects the students. Although confidentiality is not guaranteed, they are protected in their rights to not have their information divulged to others.

Stage 2:
Each day the students will work on group assignments. The assignments will allow students to work collaboratively towards progression of our group goals. This is the most effective strategy for students to grow and develop on the topic of anxiety. I will be giving a pre-assessment to test students knowledge on the topic of anxiety and ways on how to cope. That will provide me with a baseline of what knowledge the students have on the topic. Also, students will complete a four question survey regarding their experience with group and any feedback necessary that I need to know.

Stage 3:
Plan is to end the last session with an open forum about their experience. I will ask general questions that spark conversation. Students will also take the post-assessment so I am able to evaluate their progress and knowledge of the material taught. I will provide students with their final survey regarding their overall thoughts and feelings on the sessions they attended. We will end the last session with a recap of how to handle our emotions when anxiety is present. We will say our last toast with teacups to forward progression!

Leadership Style

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 15:46:34 UTC

My belief is that transformational leadership would be the best fit for a group like mine. These leaders tend to be emotionally intelligent, energetic, and passionate (Cherry, 2020). With the group sessions students will need to explore their emotions and feelings in the presence of anxiety. I need to be able to help them identify their emotions and keep the energy in the room. Topics like this could create somber feelings/emotions. Transformational leaders are not only committed to helping the organization achieve its goals, but also to helping group members fulfill their potential (Cherry, 2020). We want our students to exceed their potential and having a leadership style like transformational will help the functionality of the group. It may create openness which will allow students to feel comfortable sharing.

Yalom's Therapeutic Factors

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 15:47:50 UTC

Our goal is to create an inclusive and accepting environment within the group. One of Yalom's Therapeutic factors that can be associated with our group is direct advice. According to Yalom (1995) direct advice factor includes receiving and giving suggestions for strategies for handling problems. The direct advice factor will assist the student when they are working through ways coping with anxiety symptoms.

Legal requirements

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 15:48:39 UTC

We are legally required obtain consent from parents/guardians for students to attend group sessions such as Anxi-TEA. As a counselor to remain in compliance with district and state policy, I will need written consent to move forward.
Sec. 33.003. PARENTAL CONSENT. The board of trustees of each school district shall adopt guidelines to ensure that written consent is obtained from the parent, legal guardian, or person entitled to enroll the student under Section 25.001(j) for the student to participate in those activities for which the district requires parental consent.
Parents need to be provided with specific information regarding the program and the content should accessible throughout the duration of the year. As expressed in the Texas Education Code.
Sec. 33.004. PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. (a) Each school shall obtain, and keep as part of the student's permanent record, written consent of the parent or legal guardian as required under Section 33.003. The consent form shall include specific information on the content of the program and the types of activities in which the student will be involved.

Ethical requirements

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-13 15:49:19 UTC

Ethical requirements that would specifically apply to hosting a group like this are listed below:
A.9.b. Protecting Clients
In a group setting, counselors take reasonable precautions to protect clients
from physical, emotional, or psychological trauma.
B.1.c. Respect for
Confidentiality. Counselors protect the confidential information of prospective and current clients. Counselors disclose information only with appropriate consent or with sound legal or ethical justification

Resources

kwetherspoon1 — 2021-04-14 18:36:42 UTC

American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA Code of ethics. https://www.counseling.org/resources/aca-code-of-ethics.pdf

American School Counselor Association. (2014). ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors for student success: K-12 College and Career Readiness standards for every student. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

Cherry, K. (2020). Leadership Styles and Frameworks You Should Know. https://www.verywellmind.com/leadership-styles-2795312

Dallas Independent School District Counseling Services. (2020). Group and One-on-One Services. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1TBVI78Ow_qSYWXxmkd1W5nBpenCs9Q3

Texas Education Code 33.002-33.007
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.33.htm#33.000

Yalom, I.D. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books. https://learn-us-east-1-prod-fleet02-xythos.content.blackboardcdn.com/5fb6991aeccdc/925232?X-Blackboard-Expiration=1618347600000&X-Blackboard-Signature=afLnmzPfEJyM2zaoovDQG4FVdJ6B8WA9Z%2Fas5A7o39g%3D&X-Blackboard-Client-Id=100963&response-cache-control=private%2C%20max-age%3D21600&response-content-disposition=inline%3B%20filename%2A%3DUTF-8%27%27yalomscurativefactorsofgrouptherapy.pdf&response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&X-Amz-Algorithm=AWS4-HMAC-SHA256&X-Amz-Date=20210413T150000Z&X-Amz-SignedHeaders=host&X-Amz-Expires=21600&X-Amz-Credential=AKIAZH6WM4PL5SJBSTP6%2F20210413%2Fus-east-1%2Fs3%2Faws4_request&X-Amz-Signature=d0bcde79a5ab84f6e582fac68a1746697b303c35afd0ffa41581c72d15ab3489