Anxiety Within a Middle School Group by elwanda carter

We are in This Together

emcarter64 — 2024-01-21 21:24:56 UTC

The mission of this small group is designed to help students in the middle school recognize the signs of anxiety, where to get help, how to cope and have the ability to be successful.

Youtube music by Pharrell Williams "Happy( From the Movie "Despicable2"" https://music.youtube.com/watch?v=y6Sxv-sUYtM&si=ymv0A8X6f6Yrmqe

Opening Session for the Group (1st Session)

antongross — 2024-01-25 00:13:27 UTC

As we open with our first group session, as demonstrated in this video, we will make sure we have parents' consent, introduce ourselves and explain how things are confidential within the group. We set norms for the group together. We are not allowed to discuss what we talk about what we do in our group outside of our group setting. We will start with an icebreaker of random questions. You will say your name before answering the question. Each person will get a chance to unravel a question and answer. This will allow everyone to get a turn and the opportunity to speak about themselves.

Session 2

antongross — 2024-01-25 02:20:50 UTC

In our second session, we will play a game to build our trust and to have our group open up more to feel comfortable around one another. We are going to toss a tennis ball around the room without it hitting the floor for the first level. Once the first level is accomplished, the second level is the same task, but you have to say the person's name that you are tossing the tennis ball to. You can toss the tennis ball anyway you want as long as everyone touches the ball and it makes it back to the leader. The point of this game is to have our group understand that they are present and exist in other people's eyes.

Once you recognize the signs: Learn ways to calm the student/child

emcarter64 — 2024-01-26 01:03:57 UTC

Resources for Teachers and Parents

emcarter64 — 2024-01-26 01:04:03 UTC

A child experiencing anxiety can show up in various ways. Often times we may think that a child/student wants to get out of doing chores, class work, not wanting to be around others. A child/student may not know how to express why or how they are feeling so the ways they express themselves and asking for help appears the opposite to us the adult, parent, teacher and to their peers.

Resource for Teachers, Students and Parents. Let's Get Creative

emcarter64 — 2024-01-26 01:09:24 UTC

Learning ways to work through anxious feelings benefits, the child and the family. Let's get creative and cook our way through our anxious moments.

To keep the this creative moment minimal, so the child/student doesn't become overwhelming and cause the child/student extremely anxious, we will make bagel pizzas.

What is needed for this creative moment:

The child, the parent/guardian, good music

bag of plain bagels, mini pepperoni slices, pizza sauce, shredded cheese, cookie sheet and any other items likes on pizza.

What to discuss after the pizzas are made:

1: Did you recognize any feelings while preparing the pizza/ ie; what are some of the feelings you have when attending classes, events, taking a test?

2: What were those feelings and how often do you have them?

3: Did a change of feelings take place after making the pizza or while eating the pizza. ie; is there a change in feelings while in class or around others at school

This will help the parent and child recognize what could be discussed with the teacher and/ or the school counselor. It also gives the adult a chance to show they child/student that they have their support.

Please view the objectives above. You can modify what will best work with your child.

Teachers..Teachers...Here are some ways to Support Students with Anxiety

emcarter64 — 2024-01-26 01:12:56 UTC

Session 3

antongross — 2024-01-26 05:34:59 UTC

In the third session, we are going to get into our creative minds. The group has to either use bulletin board paper or use paper on a wall to create the art. The group has two options: create a wall that shows what is positive in their lives or the group creates a wall of all the things that give them anxiety. The purpose of this task is to have our group understand that they are not alone and that the people around them can face problems as well.

Session 4

antongross — 2024-01-27 02:54:33 UTC

In our fourth session, the environment will get a bit more serious and personal. The assignment here is to give two truths about yourself and a lie. We will go one at a time to tell our truths and lie. It is the group's collective decision to decide what the lie is for each person. Throughout this task, the group shares some personal things about themselves and they become more open to the group. The purpose of this task is to get our group comfortable around each other where they can express themselves fully.

Resource for Students, Parents and Teachers: On Our Sleeves

emcarter64 — 2024-01-27 17:10:06 UTC

There was a time that mental health was not a focus in school, within the public or in the home. It has become a focus in society. On Our sleeves is a movement and a great advocate for children's mental health awareness. It speaks to noticing mental health concerns in children and how we can help them to live a balanced life with adjustments and filling their toolbox. It offers great resources not only for the students, but parents and stakeholders.

When You Know About It....You can do Something About It...

emcarter64 — 2024-01-27 17:15:52 UTC

Changing the narrative of mental health concerns

Session 5

antongross — 2024-01-28 03:43:26 UTC

In our fifth session, we want to see ourselves more. The group should not only believe in each other, but they should be able to believe in themselves individually. For this session, we are going to create a Venn Diagram that will have the topics of what causes our anxieties; what are our safe spaces; and in the middle how do we get from our anxieties to our safe spaces. This allows for the group to be vulnerable around others and see firsthand what causes their anxiety and what relieves them away from their anxiety. This task also has the group focused on self efficacy which decreases anxiety according to the article, "Using Adventure Therapy to Improve Self-Efficacy of Middle School Students".

Session 7

antongross — 2024-01-28 05:57:06 UTC

In session seven, our group has done a wonderful job with each other and we are one session away from the ending of this group. We want to do something special for one another and say something nice about our group members. For this session, we are going to take turns saying what we hope for some of our other group members so they can feel seen after the group. We want every person in our group to release some of that anxiety and feel confident about themselves.

Closing Session (Session 8)

antongross — 2024-01-28 06:08:59 UTC

We have made it to the end of being together in the group. We have made tremendous progress in our time together and it is time to end our group. In this closing session, we are going to do something nice to keep this special moment. To end this group, we are all going to add our thumbprints together to create a flower. The purpose of this is to show the time the group has spent together. The counselor gets to keep it and the group can see it whenever they feel that they need to.

Session 6

antongross — 2024-01-28 16:56:45 UTC

In session 6, we want to relieve ourselves from the powerful session 5 that we had. Our task is to take a piece of paper and pencil and write what we feel when we are away from our anxiety. This task helps our group understand their feelings when it comes to the cause of anxiety and what it feels like to be relieved from it. The group can share what they wrote individually, but the hat will be thrown away with the anxiety filled notes to show that anxiety is normal but temporary.

Teen mental Health: Managing Their Emotions

emcarter64 — 2024-01-28 20:34:27 UTC

The basis of this article is discusses when you are able to recognize that our teens are working through mental health issues, you are better able to guide them in the correct direction, of self-regulation, seeking help from outside resources and this all allows the teen to the ability to balance and live a better life. When you can see it, know about it you are able to work through it.

References

kaitlynnbutaud — 2024-01-29 00:16:58 UTC

Changing the conversation about mental health. Active Minds. (2024, January 23). https://www.activeminds.org/

Chevere, G. (2016, December 11). Small group counseling - self-image. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96daW-XQpmE

Christian, D. D., McMillion, P., Brown, C. L., Schoonover, T. J., & Miller, B. A. (2021). Using Adventure Therapy to Improve Self-Efficacy of Middle School Students. Journal of School Counseling, 19(26).

DENNISON, J. Teen Mental Health: Managing Emotions: Simple strategies in library programming help teens learn to regulate emotions. Young Adult Library Services, [s. l.], v. 20, n. 1, p. 18–21, 2021. Disponível em: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=shib&db=eue&AN=157458206&site=ehost-live&scope=site. Acesso em: 28 jan. 2024.

Home. Believe Perform. (2023, October 16). http://www.believeperform.com/

Home. The Pathway 2 Success. (n.d.). https://www.thepathway2success.com/

How can teachers support students with anxiety. Google image result for https://pbs.twimg.com/media/eo-c5euxuaacczy?format=jpg&name=4096x4096. (n.d.). https://images.app.goo.gl/hBgwfxfinxd2UCGq7

Let’s Get Creative. Crayola. (n.d.). http://www.crayola.com/

On our sleeves: The movement to transform children’s Mental Health. YouTube. (2020, October 20). https://youtu.be/7BEPp-swIW8

Powers, K. (2021, July 30). 5 closing rituals for Group Counseling. Counselor Keri. https://www.counselorkeri.com/2021/07/30/group-counseling-closing-rituals/

Tadnem, S. (2017, December 1). Mental health lesson - “tennis ball toss” resiliency. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoNchoFOMYA&t=567s