M2: Sense of acceptance, respect, support and inclusion for self and others in the school environment

Behaviors

B-SMS 1. Responsibility for self and actions

B-SS 2. Positive, respectful and supportive relationships with students who are

similar to and different from them

B-SMS 7. Effective coping skills

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

Describe the group:

• Group topic

• Meetings: day, time, length of each session, total number of sessions

• Expectations of participants: attend every meeting unless there is an illness or an emergency

• Reason student is being considered for membership in group .

• Participation in the group is voluntary/involuntary.

  
  

  Tell student what he or she will gain from being in the group.

• Goals/outcomes

• Learn new skills

• Being in a group can be fun.

  
  

  Tell the student about the expectations of members of a small group.

• Attend the group every week

• He or she is expected to maintain confidentiality about what occurs in the group.

• Everything said in the group stays in the group.

  
  

  He or she is expected to participate.
  • PSC will make sure everyone gets a chance to talk
  • Listening is a part of participation
  • Members help others in the group
  • Members respect and value each other’s situation.
  

  Readiness:

• Ask the student about his or her interest and commitment

• Ask student to explain his or her understanding of what you have said about the group

• Ask student what questions he or she has about any part of the group process

• Ask student if he or she is interested in the group, and why or why not

• Ask if student is willing to adhere to expectations/ground rules (e.g. attendance, confidentiality,
  cooperative participation, sharing information about thoughts and feelings related to topic).

• Ask student what his or her goals for growth are (or might be).

• Ask student to rate his or her interest in participating in the group on a scale of 1-10.

  
  

  Students will be screened as a group.

  
  

  Pick members

• Is the student willing to participate in the primary tasks of the group?

• What is the student’s reason for wanting to be in the group?

• Hypothesize whether student will be satisfied with:
   -The group focus and being able to meet personal needs or goals.
   -Other members in the group
   -The process of working in a group and an overall enjoyment of group work.

• Will student be able to apply/transfer group experiences to other life areas/relationships?

• During interview, was student able to interact with the group on a personal level?

• Are student’s expectations aligned with stated group outcomes/other members’ expectations?

• On a scale of 1-10, how motivated is student to participate fully in the group experience?

Rules determine by me would be:

1-10 on the Ground Rules PDF.

Group members will be able to determine their own guidelines which can be similar to the ones set by the counselor such as:

1. The group might set time limits for speaking

2. Respect

3. Non judgmental place

4. Confidentiality

5. Group etiquette (no phones)

Stage 2: We will review confidentiality and ground rules. In order to keep the group working cohesively we will foster a safe and respectful environment. I will check in with each group member by a simple conversation of how things are going for them. After the end of each session we will leave time for reflection amongst the group members.

Stage 3: We will close the group with again, reviewing confidentiality. We will make a plan together for continuation of newly learned skills and set up a post group follow up session in 4 weeks to encourage accountability for goals and allow members to share success stories. I do not want the group members to feel abandoned after the group sessions come to an end so I will give them homework, such as goals to work on together even after the group is complete.

Getting parental consent is always the best thing to do in my opinion. You never want a parent to be upset you are doing something with they child and they do not approve. Covering yourself is the safest thing to do no matter the topic being discussed with the student.

In a group setting, counselors take reasonable precautions to protect clients from physical, emotional, or psychological trauma (ACA, 2014).

I think this ethical requirement is important for group work especially this group topic as it pertains to bullying. Bullying can cause trauma in multiple ways. Doing group sessions will help protect students from this type of trauma by learning ways to deal with it effectively.

ASCA. (n.d.). ASCA student standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success. ASCA. https://www.schoolcounselor.org/getmedia/7428a787-a452-4abb-afec-d78ec77870cd/Mindsets-Behaviors.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.

2 Texas Education Code § 33