Pause Patrol by Lori Mayer

Pause Patrol Group

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-12 00:47:05 UTC

The Pause Patrol is on a mission to stop and think before they act! This group will help students understand their impulsive behaviors and give them skills to help control it.

The overall group topic will be teaching self-control related to impulsive behaviors such as: blurting out, anger outbursts, breaking rules and attempts to gain attention with things such as silly behavior. The curriculum will include both education about what impulsive behavior is, and coping skills and strategies to help students manage their impulsive behaviors and develop self-control skills. This group will be for students in 1^st or 2^nd grade that are displaying impulsive behaviors while at school, particularly if it is impeding their academic or social progress.

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:55:10 UTC

The American School Counselor Association has established Mindsets and Behavior Standards for students that creates a framework for services provided by school counselors including their use of group therapy.

The ASCA Behaviors that students will develop as a result of participation in Pause Patrol are as follows:

B-SMS 2. - Self Discipline and Self-Control

B-SMS 6.- Ability to Identify and Overcome Barriers

B-SMS 7. - Effective Coping Skills

B-SS 1.- Effective Oral and Written Communication Skills and Listening Skills

Publicity

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:55:40 UTC

In order to advertise the group to stakeholders I would place an item in both the staff and parent newsletters for three weeks to gather a list of students to screen. I would also send an email to staff. I oftentimes also have particular students in mind before putting a group together, and so I would reach out to the guardians and teachers of those students individually.

Group Pre-Screening/ Interviews

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:56:15 UTC

Before a the group begins I would meet with each potential member of the Pause Patrol Group individually in order to determine if this is an appropriate setting for them. During the pre-screening process I would inform students about the group rules and about the meaning of confidentiality. Then I would ask them if they thought that following the rules and maintaining confidentiality would be hard or if they felt like they could do those things. If students feel comfortable with these conditions, they would be invited to join the group. If they did not feel comfortable or that they could follow the rules I would not involve them with the group but consider other possible services for them.

Informed Consent

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:56:34 UTC

Since the group participants are minor children, informed consent is at the discretion of their parent/ guardian. A form similar to the one that is attached will be sent home for parent/guardian to sign once they have shown interest in their student joining the group. If a parent has questions they can call to discuss it or make an appointment to review the informed consent. In addition to the informed consent, the student needs to be a willing participant in the group and will have to agree during the prescreening to confidentiality and to follow the group rules.

Group Rules!

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:57:12 UTC

The Group Rules will be discussed thoroughly at the first session of the group and then students will be reminded of them at every group after. A developmentally appropriate and themed poster will be created to be hung up during group sessions. They are as follows:

Be Kind to Others
What we say here stays here
Wait your turn and listen to others
Keep your hands and feet to yourselves.

If at any point more rules need to be added due to issues arising, they will be discussed and added by the group on a case by case basis.

Group Dynamics

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:57:40 UTC

Group Dynamics will change over the course of the life of the group and the school counselor needs a plan to guide the group through each stage.

Stage 1- The first session with the group will largely be establishing group rules (norms), a discussion of confidentiality and what it means and a reminder that we only control ourselves and that means we can't be sure others will not break confidentiality. The rest of the group session will introduce the topic of self-control and a discussion of where group members may struggle with self control so that they can see that all group members struggle in this area and help foster group cohesiveness.

Stage 2- During the ongoing sessions of the group there will be time for group activities and practice of skills with one another that will foster participation and working together to learn new self-control skills. There will be a check-in at the beginning of each session that will assess learning, progress and the application of newly acquired knowledge taught in group.

Stage 3 - This group is time limited and this will be introduced to all students during the pre-screening and reenforced during the course of the group due to the brevity of the group and the developmental needs of younger students to help them process the limited number of meetings. In the session before the last, time will be given for discussion of how each group member feels about the next meeting being the last. Reminders will be given that the school counselor will still be available to assist students in different capacities than as their group leader in the future and that we will all continue to see one another, just not in group every week. The last session will be about reviewing what was learned and stressing that our group rules about confidentiality still apply after the group is over. The post group assessment will also be given. To encourage all students, there will be a small celebration at the end of the final session where the counselor will provide a special snack while making sure each student is praised for their effort and learning.

Leadership Style

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:58:10 UTC

A school counselor must be directive as a leader, especially when working with younger students , particularly with self-control needs. However, instead of taking an authoritarian style of leadership, which does not allow children to grow through their own creativity, I will use a transformational leadership style. This style still allows the school counselor to set very clear goals and expected outcomes from group sessions, but allows student's the freedom to explore how to meet these objectives with their ideas instead of dictating precise methods that they will use to accomplish their goals. Working with children effectively certainly requires flexibility and transformational leadership allows for this while still allowing the school counselor to steer the ship, so to speak, and keep progress on course.

Therapeutic Factors

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:58:35 UTC

Therapeutic factors that can be expected during the course of the group are as follows:

Universality: students will see they are not alone in their self-control struggles.

Imparting of information: Students will learn about impulsive behaviors and coping strategies to increase their levels of self-control.

Development of socializing techniques: Students will interact and practice new skills with each other during group

Direct Advice: Students will receive suggestions from the counselor and other group members on how to handle different situations surrounding self-control.

Imitative Behavior: Students will be able to hear about the successes of other group members and try new ways of coping for themselves.

Interpersonal Learning: students will be able to give feedback and suggest new solutions to one another.

Legal Requirements

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:59:00 UTC

Rule 239.15 (c) of the Texas Administrative Code outlines Standards for Learner-Centered Skills in School Counseling. It specifically addresses the need for School Counselors to provide short term counseling in a small group setting (item 3), and also lists other requirements of the school counselor pertaining to group counseling, such as developing the school counseling program (item 1), meeting student needs with the program (item 2), and assisting students in meeting their personal goals (item 11). This small group is designed with Learner-Centered Skills as a top priority.

Ethical Requirements

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:59:10 UTC

Section A.9. of the American Counseling Association's Code of Ethics addresses ethical issues pertaining to group counseling. There are two areas of concern, screening and protecting clients. The prescreening of each group member to assess their suitability for Pause Patrol meets the first ethical requirement. Protecting clients is an ongoing process from before the group starts until long after it finishes with informed consent, group rules and confidentiality being addressed with parent/guardians as well as group members. However, there are some issues such as exposure to the trauma of others or behavioral outbursts of another student that may need to be addressed on a case by case basis.

References

lmayer2_1 — 2025-02-13 00:59:27 UTC

19 Tex. Admin. Code §239.15

American Counseling Association (2014). ACA 2014 Code of Ethics. Alexandria, VA: Author.

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.