The Stress-Free Zone by Xiomara Chapa https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk Xiomara Chapa EDSC 6302 School Counseling Techniques en-us 2021-11-09 13:52:50 UTC 2025-10-30 14:26:57 UTC hello@padlet.com The Stress-Free Zone Counseling Group xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1878333363 This group is designed for high school students between the ages of 15 to 18 years old who are struggling with stress and anxiety. The purpose of this group is to help students learn various coping techniques and strategies to help manage their stress and anxiety and develop healthy mindsets for the future.

Through a survey conducted at the beginning of the school year, it was determined that one of the main issues that our students are currently facing are dealing with high stress and anxiety, followed by ongoing issues with depression and feeling down.]]> 2021-11-09 14:04:38 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1878333363 ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1878365983 The following are the Mindsets and Behaviors standards that students will meet by participating in this group:

M 1. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being

M 3. Positive attitude toward work and learning

B-LS 3. Time-management, organizational
and study skills

B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome
barriers 

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills 

B-SMS 8. Balance of school, home and
community activities]]> 2021-11-09 14:14:02 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1878365983 Publicity Plans xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1878554357 To advertise for this counseling group, an email along with a flyer will be sent out to all teachers to advertise during their advisory period with a QR code to sign up for a mandatory meeting after school. The mandatory meeting will be to provide more information regarding what the counseling group will entail. Students who are interested in attending will need to scan the QR code to secure their spot. ]]> 2021-11-09 15:07:21 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1878554357 Pre-Group Interview and Screening xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1879986694 Students who show interest and go to the the mandatory meeting after school will participate in the pre-group screening. During this meeting the counselors will provide information regarding the goals and purpose for the counseling group, the number of sessions, length of sessions, ground rules and confidentiality. Students who are willing to participate will meet with the counselors individually to be assessed. Once the students are chosen, they will be introduced to the group a week before the first session. ]]> 2021-11-10 01:54:07 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1879986694 Informed Consent xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880021028 After the students have been selected for the counseling group, which will be no more than 15 students, their parent/guardian will receive a consent form through their email and mailing address for them and their child to sign. We will also email/mail them out the flyer along with the goals and purpose of the counseling group and the topics that will be discussed. ]]> 2021-11-10 02:08:26 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880021028 Guidelines/Ground Rules xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880051187 The top 4 rules that will be discussed at the beginning of every session are: 
1. Show respect to everyone in the group
2. What is said in this group, stays in this group
3. Always try your best to participate 
4. Be kind

The rest of the rules and guidelines will be established on the first group meeting and the first session. Students will sign a form stating that they agree and will abide by the rules. ]]> 2021-11-10 02:21:29 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880051187 Group Dynamics xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880069431 The population of this group will be a mixture of 9th-12th grades, ages ranging between 14-18 years of age. Having a wide variety of ages participating in the group session will influence the dynamics in the group.

In Stage 1, we will focus on team building activities on the first group meeting before our first session to allow everyone in the group feel comfortable around each other. On the first session we will go over the ground rules and students will get into groups and propose additional rules they believe are important for everyone in the group to follow. On a poster, titled confidentiality agreement, every student will sign their name abiding to the confidentiality rules. This poster will be posted on the wall at every session and students will be reminded of the rules before every session.

In Stage 2, we will include a variety of activities throughout every session where students are able to work together as a group and exchange different ideas. After every session, students will have a task they will need to complete for the week and at the beginning of the next session we will share and reflect back on how the task went. Every task that is assigned for them to do will be based on the topic that we covered.

In Stage 3, we will reflect back on the topics that we discussed and every student will get the chance to share a coping technique that they have utilized since starting the The Stress-Free Zone group. We will go over various scenarios that can trigger stress and anxiety and as a group we will list various coping techniques/strategies that can be used to overcome that obstacle. Students will be given a notebook with all of the coping skills that were covered throughout the sessions for them to keep for future reference. A month after the last session, we will regroup to see where everyone is at mentally and what strategies they have been using since our last session. ]]> 2021-11-10 02:29:14 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880069431 Leadership Style xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880070689 The Leadership style I believe will work best for this group is Participative Leadership. The topics stress and anxiety can be very overwhelming for many students and may cause them to feel nervous or afraid to speak up and share their thoughts. This leadership style allows for support and encouragement which allows for the student to feel valued.  Utilizing this type of leadership style can encourage students to participate and share their thoughts and feelings. ]]> 2021-11-10 02:29:47 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880070689 Therapeutic Factors xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880073651 Within our group, there are two of Yalom's Therapeutic Factors that will be part of our group. First is Instillation of Hope. During each session we will learn about different types of coping techniques and strategies to reduce and/or manage stress and anxiety in different scenarios that students may come across. The last factor is Universality. Because there is a stigma when it comes to the topic of mental health, students tend to not want to talk about it. By having a group of students who all share the same struggles with stress and anxiety, can allow them to feel a sense of relief and not feel like they are on their own. ]]> 2021-11-10 02:31:03 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880073651 Legal Requirements xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880075283
The Texas Administrative Code includes the standards and requirements that school counselors must follow to obtain the School Counselor Certificate.

Standard 3 (3) use both preventive and intervening strategies to address the concerns of learners and to help them clarify problems and situations, set goals, explore options, and implement change based on The Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs.]]> 2021-11-10 02:31:43 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880075283 Ethical Requirements xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880075598 The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors provides the school counselor with the ethical practices that are needed to help support our students needs. The ASCA Ethical Standards: A.13. Evaluation, Assessment and Interpretation explains that school counselors: Conduct school counseling program assessments to determine the effectiveness of activities supporting students’ academic, career and social/emotional development through accountability measures, especially examining efforts to close information, opportunity and attainment gaps.]]> 2021-11-10 02:31:52 UTC https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880075598 References xchapa1 https://padlet.com/xchapa1/2qm3sv8aikaxkgsk/wish/1880077110 19 Tex. Admin. Code §239.15

American School Counselor Association. (2016). ASCA ethical standards for school counselors.

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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