Mindset Standards:

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

M 2.  Sense of acceptance, respect, support and inclusion for self and others in the school environment

M 4. Self-confidence in ability to succeed

Behavior Standards:

B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions

B-SMS 6. Ability to identify and overcome barriers

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

B-SMS 10. Ability to manage transitions and adapt to change

B-SS 1. Effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills

B-SS 3. Positive relationships with adults to support success

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

American School Counselor Association. (n.d.). Mindsets & behaviors for student success: K-12 college- and career-readiness standards for every student. American School Counselor Association. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

Administration: Before disseminating this group to the school population and staff members, a formal presentation of the data findings and need will be presented for approval to administrators. The group goals, expectation, and implementation overview will all be outlined.

Staff and Teachers: After approval from administration, staff members will be informed of this small group through the weekly Monday Morning Memo's. A specific email will be sent out outlining the referral process. Meeting dates and times will also be added to the Monday Morning Memo and the campus's Google Calendar.

Students and Parents: The school counselor will post flyers around the middle school hallways advertising this small group. This flyer will also be posted to the school's website and facebook page. The flyer will be sent out on the ParentSquare app, as well. The school counselor will also send home an informational letter following the posting of the flyer to provide more information on this meeting, goals, meeting times, etc. A consent form will be sent home along with this letter as well. Parents can request more information by setting up a phone or in-person conference with the counselor with the contact information provided. Once a list of group members have been formed, personalized invitations will be sent out to group members outlining the meeting times and dates.

Assessment of Participant Readiness/Willingness/Interest: After gathering teacher referrals and student sign-ups, the counselor will meet with each student individually to assess their readiness for participating in the group. The counselor will ask the students their general thoughts about the group and their personal goals they may have for participating in the group. The counselor will also use the “TAP” model to screen potential participants.

T-Tell: Inform the student about the group

A-Ask: Ask the student about his commitment and willingness to join

P-Pick: The counselor picks the group members

Those that would benefit the most from this small group, will be chosen for this group. Those that did not get chosen to participate, will be presented with other opportunities for support.

Pre-Determined Rules set by Counselor:

1. Confidentiality

2. Respect for one another and the counselor

3. Active participation and active listening

4. Attendance

5. Only sharing what you feel comfortable sharing

   
   

Rules Determined by Group Members:

1. Conflict resolution - how to handle a disagreement among one another

2. How to give feedback

3. How to set a positive tone and create a safe space

Stage 2 - As group members become more comfortable with one another, I will strive to ensure no negativity or conflict arrises. If it does, I will meet with those students individually to resolve the issue and move forward. As members gain trust among one another, they will begin to openly express their feelings and experiences. Through group activities in each session, student will be engaged and actively participating. Students will participate in different activities, games, and learning opportunities to reflect on their emotions and feelings. Weekly feelings check-ins will ensure progress in being made and what needs may arise.

Stage 3 -At the conclusion of the group sessions, we will end with a group celebration sharing what we have learned and what we have to look forward to in our future. I will look at the self-assessment post test results to gauge student growth and create a follow-up plan. I plan to initially check in on group members once a month, to provide any needed support. I will also reiterate the importance of confidentiality even with the conclusion of the sessions.

Instillation of Hope - Students will feel positive that this group will be effective and they will gain necessary coping skills to help them get through this trying time.

Universality - All students that a participants are all going through divorce. Students will feel that they are not alone and build a supportive network to collaborate and grow with.

Altruism - By collaborating with one another, students will have opportunities to help one another by sharing their experiences. They can also share what coping skills have been effective for them, creating a sense of usefulness and empowerment to help one another.

Interpersonal Learning - Students will be able to receive feedback from one another and the counselor and then, experiment with new ways to relate to one another.

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

How this requirement supports my role: This requirement ensures all that are involved have given informed consent and are knowledgable about the groups goals and outcomes. Parent/guardians informed consent is mandatory. Consent must be presented to students in a way where they understand the objective of the group, are aloud to ask any questions before joining, and feel that this group would be beneficial for them.

How this requirement supports my role: This requirement ensures that all the necessary data is collected to detect a specific need in the school. This also states clear guidelines of how the counselor should find these needs.

American School Counselor Association. (n.d.). Mindsets & behaviors for student success: K-12 college- and career-readiness standards for every student. American School Counselor Association. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.pdf

Association for Specialists in Group Work. (2021). ASGW guiding principles: Best practices for the conduct of group work. Association for Specialists in Group Work. https://asgw.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ASGW-Guiding-Principles-May-2021.pdf

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.