SchoolName:WesternAlbemarleHighSchool

GroupName:StressGroup
TargetGroup:S tressedandoverwhelmed9thand10thgradegirls
DatatoIdentifyStudents:Counselororselfreferral
Goals:
Studentswillreflectontheircurrentcopingmechanismsandlearn3newcopingmechanismsforstress
andanxiety.
Studentswilldefinetheiracademicandemotionalgoalsforthe2017springsemester.
Studentswillidentifythreenewresourcesandthreemembersoftheirsupportsystemintheirpursuitof
academicgoals.

ASCAMindsets Mindsets:
andBehaviors M1.Beliefindevelopmentofwholeself,includingahealthybalanceofmental,
social/emotionalandphysicalwellbeing.
M2.Selfconfidenceinabilitytosucceed
M5.Beliefinusingabilitiestotheirfullesttoachievehighqualityresultsand
outcomes.
M6.Positiveattitudetowardworkandlearning.
Behaviors:
BLS3.Usetimemanagement,organizationalandstudyskills.
BLS7.Identifylongandshorttermacademic,careerandsocial/emotional
goals.
BSMS5.Demonstrateperseverancetoachievelongandshorttermgoals.
BSMS7.Demonstrateeffectivecopingskillswhenfacedwithaproblem.
BSMS8.Demonstratetheabilitytobalanceschool,homeandcommunity
activities.
BSS2.Createpositiveandsupportiverelationshipswithotherstudents.
BSS3.Createrelationshipswithadultsthatsupportsuccess.
BSS8.Demonstrateadvocacyskillsandabilitytoassertself,whennecessary.

OutlineofSessions Session1:Introductions
Counselorexplainspurposeandgoalsofgroup.
Preassessments:Coping(CADS)andStressScale
Studentsandcounselorscreategrouprules.
Rapportbuildingthroughintroductionactivities.
Discusslayoutofgroupsandwhenweshouldholdourgroups.
Session2:Stress&theBody
Whatdoesstressfeelliketoyou?
PresentationfromSAPabouthowstressaffectsthebodyandwhatisactually
happeningphysiologically.
Breathingmachinetopracticedeepbreaths
Havesomecoloring/fidgetsforattendeestouseduringdiscussions.
Session3:TimeManagementandCopingSkillsIntroduction
TEDTalkontimemanagementanddiscussion
Timemanagementdiary
Session4:
Discusstimemanagementdiaryfromlastweek.
CHOICEActivity
NPRonProcrastination
MindfulEatingexercisewitharaisin
PositiveandNegativeselftalk
 ProgressiveMuscleRelaxation

ProcessData Sixfemaleparticipantsthree9thgradersandthree10thgraders.
~45minutes8weeklysessions

PerceptionData Datagatheredthroughdiscussionandpreandposttest

OutcomeData DataaccessedwillincludeGPAandattendancedataforeachparticipant.

PreGroupPreparationOutline
Objectives Assessneedforgroupwithcounselorinput.
Identifypotentialmembersviareferralsfromcounselors,college/careercoach,
andgiftededucationteacher.
Determinestudentinterestandsuitabilityofpotentialgroupmembersthrough
screeninginterviews(seeg roupinterestform).

Procedure Meetwithreferredstudentsindividuallytogaugeinterestandandsuitabilityfor
group.Giveoutpermissionslip/consentform(seeg rouppermissionslip).
CreategroupoutlinebasedonASCAstandards.

Session1:February16,2017IntroductiontoSmallGroup(11:1512:05)
Objectives Assessstudentstofindoutwheretheyareatwhenitcomestocopingstrategies
andstress.
Groupmemberswillbeinformedofthepurposeofthisgroupandconfidentiality.
Groupmemberswillbeabletocreateandadheretogrouprulesandgoals.
Groupmemberswillbegintodeveloprapportwitheachotherandfacilitators
throughstructuredactivitiesandsharing.

Materials WAHSStressScale,CopingwithAcademicDemandsScale(CADS),starbursts,large
paper,printoutofstarburstquestions.

Procedure Icebreakergame(Starbursts)[10mins]
Eachstudenttakes2starburstsandwillanswerthefollowingquestionsbased
onwhatcolortheyget:
Name&gradefirst
Red:Whataretwowordsthatdescribeyou?
Orange:Ifyoucoulddoanythingforawholeday,whatwouldyoudo?
Yellow:Whatisthebestmovieyouveeverseenandwhatmakesitthe
best?
Pink:Whatisonethingyouarepassionateabout?Why?
Twoofthesamecolor:Ifyouwereasuperhero,whatwouldbeyour
power?Why?
Introductiontosmallgroup
Explainpurposeofgroupandaskifthereareanyquestions
Focusonmanagingschoolrelatedstress
Schedulethatworksbestforeverybody?Ifthistimereallyisntgood,we
couldsplitupintotwogroupsorwecoulddoindividual.
SetRules
Whatrulesneedtobeinplaceforeverystudenttofeelsafehere?(writeon
largepaper)
Whataresomecomponentsofasuccessfulgroup?(groupnorms)
 Itisyourresponsibilitytomakeupanyclassworkmissedduringgrouptime.
Confidentiality:stresstheimportanceofkeepingthetopicsdiscussedbyother
groupmembersprivate.Shareanexampleofwhatisappropriateandwhatis
notappropriatetoshare.Whathappensingroupstaysingroup
Grouptimes?
WAHSStressScale
CopingwithAcademicDemandsScale

Session2:February23StressandtheBody(9:3010:15)
Objectives Participantswillbeableto
Practicecontinuousdeepbreathingtohelpmanageconstantstress
Explorewhatthephysiologicalaspectsofstressare,whereitcomesfrom,and
whywedoit.
Nameatleastonecopingstrategythatisnotgoodandonecopingstrategy
thattheyusealready.

Materials Coloringpages,breathingmachine/program,informationaboutstressaffectingthe
body

Procedure SAPpresentsonwhatstressdoestothebody
Responselikerunningabearfight,flight,orfreezeandhowyoucant
focustotakeabreath.Energygoestomusclesinsteadofbrain
Sleephygiene
Badstresscopingskills
Breathingmachineexercise:canyougetdeepbreaths?
Istheresuchathingasgoodstress?Whatarethedifferencebetweenthatand
badstress?(eustressvs.distress)
Discussion:Whatdoesstressfeelliketoyou?
Discussion:Copingstrategiesideasandwhatyoudocurrently?
Whataremystrengths?
Planoutmeetingtimefornextweek

Session3:February27TimeManagementandBriefCopingSkills( 3:153:45)
Objectives Participantswillbeableto
Hearanddiscussavideoontimemanagement
Comparehowtheirlifefitswiththe168hoursidea
Discusscopingstrategiesandonesparticipantsuseormightwantottrie

Materials TEDTalk,copingstrategieshandout,timemanagementtipshandout,timemakeover
instructionsandcharts

Procedure FirstthingschedulenextweekMTW
TEDTalk:LauraVanderkam:Howtogaincontroloveryourfreetime
Discussion:
Thoughts?positive/negative?
Howcouldsomethinglikethisworkforyou(ornotworkforyou)?
Takeawaysfromthisvideo?
Distribute30min/15minlogs.
Handoutwithtimemanagmenttipslookoveranddiscuss.Ontheback
iscopingstrategies.Discusstheseonesyouusealready?Onesyou
 mighttry?
Whatisonethingyouwanttotrythisweek?Itismonday.
Prioritizeyourtasks.Makealistoftimeyouhaveanddivideitup.
IFTIME:Boxbreathing