Taking back control of our lives and rebuilding our self-esteem by

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 00:50:41 UTC

The purpose of this group is to help eighteen-year-olds who have been bullied throughout their lives develop a healthy self-esteem. Facilitating a safe environment where members feel connected, understood, and are able to share their experiences without judgement is a priority. This counseling group will also encourage members to build meaningful connections with other members.

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 03:54:10 UTC

The mindset standards will be accomplished by members through participating in group activities.

The mindset standards are:

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.

Publicity

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 04:42:34 UTC

Advertisement for this group will include creating posters to display around the high school campus. I will send an email asking teachers and counselors to recommend students that they think could benefit from this type of group.

Pre-group Interview and Screening

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 17:50:20 UTC

The participants will be informed in person. The assessment will be administered through an in-person evaluation. I will ask the participants questions to determine if they are a good fit for the program. The participants will be screened individually and during this screening I will share the expectations of the group, the weekly schedule for meeting, and allow them to ask any questions that they may have.

Obtaining Informed Consent

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 18:03:54 UTC

Once all five group participants have been selected, they will receive a packet that will include a consent form that will need to be signed by their parent or guardian and one of the posters that was advertised around the campus. The packet will be sent home and need to be returned before the start of the first session.

Ground Rules

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 18:42:46 UTC

The ground rules will be discussed with all participants individually prior to having the first group session. The group rules include:

Maintaining confidentiality of all group members.
Being respectful to other group members.

All the other rules will be discussed and agreed upon during the first group session.

Three Stages of Group Dynamics

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 20:02:00 UTC

Stage 1 - Building a relationship among group members/myself by listening and creating a safe environment where there is no judgement. Confidentiality will be addressed at the beginning of the first session and consequences for breaking confidentiality will also be discussed (being removed from the group, etc.)

Stage 2 - I will include activities to keep members working productively. Regular check ins that encourage participants to express their feelings towards their progress will help me gauge progress.

Stage 3 - Group closure will be discussed regularly through activities and during check ins. The last session will be ended with a reflection activity where members will share what they learned and what they will take with them into their next chapter of life.

Leadership Style

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 20:13:50 UTC

I believe that a participative leadership style will be most effective for this group. Participative leadership offers guidance and also allows input from other participants (Cherry, 2023). I believe that this leadership style will work best with this group because I want to help guide the participants with their self-love and healing journey, but also want to encourage them to do the work on their own. Once the group ends, participants will need to be able to apply what they learned throughout the sessions in their everyday life.

Yalom's Therapeutic Factors

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 20:27:02 UTC

I believe that the instillation of hope, universality, and receiving direct advice are all going to be present during group sessions. This group of participants all have a background with being bullied and have developed low self-esteem due to that. This group can instill hope in them and help them believe that they can heal. They will be surrounded with other people who have been bullied too so they will see that they are not alone. They will give and receive advice on strategies to help them gain self-confidence.

Legal and Ethical Requirements: Parental Consent

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 20:51:00 UTC

Section 33. 003 states that written parental consent is required for students to participate.

This requirement supports me in my role as a counselor that is conducting group counseling sessions because I understand the importance of parental involvement/support with participants who have been bullied/mistreated at school. Students may not always share those experiences with their parents, so it is great to receive confirmation that the parent is aware of what their child has experienced and that they support their child receiving help.

Legal and Ethical Requirements: Consult With Staff

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 21:05:28 UTC

Consulting with school staff, parents, and community members to promote student success is a requirement under the Texas Education Code.

This requirement supports my role as a counselor by allowing me to reach out to school staff members to see if they know a specific student who can benefit from my group. The recommendation can help the student become a participant in my group and give them the opportunity to gain support/resources and connect with other students who have also been bullied.

References

smaynard22 — 2024-09-14 21:05:58 UTC

Cherry, K. (2023). How to lead: 6 leadership styles and frameworks. How to Lead: 6 Leadership Styles and Frameworks (verywellmind.com)

Texas Legislature. (n.d.). Texas Education Code § 33, Subchapter A: School counselors and counseling programs. https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.33.htm#33.000

Yalom ID. (1995). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books. Yalom's Curative Factors of Group Treatment (blackboardcdn.com )