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6 weeks: Wednesdays 6PM-7PM
Ages: 13-18
6-8 Members
Purpose of the group: The new school year has just begun and with that a lot of thoughts about the unknowns for the school year may start to creep in. No matter what age, returning to school can cause anxious feelings. The start of the new school year comes with a lot of new things, so it isn’t uncommon to feel nervous about changes in teachers, classrooms, friends, homework load, curriculum changes, etc. The purpose of this group is to discuss and process through the anxious feelings and stress you may be feeling in the first few months of the new school year, while also developing tools and a positive support system to use going forward for the rest of the school year. Throughout the six weeks group members will gain a better understanding of how COVID has changed how we feel about school, identify causes of school nerves, better understand peer relationships at school, and create a healthy school life balance.
Group Structure: All group sessions will begin with an open discussion for group members to share thoughts, updates, progress, and/or setbacks about the previous week.Group members are encouraged to share to the extent they feel comfortable.Each week a new topic and discussion prompt is presented by the group facilitator, along with an activity.To end the group session members will summarize the week’s topic, discuss goals to work on before next meeting, and are encouraged to participate in a short mindfulness exercise. Group structure is subject to change based on group members need during session.
Schedule:
Week one: Introductions and Group Expectations
- Get to know you/Ice breaker activity
- Create group rules and expectations as a group
- “What are your goals for group” activity
Week Two: COVID and the 2022/2023 School year
- Review goals list
- How did COVID change what school looks like
- What will this school year look like with COVID
- What are your goals for the school year activity
Week Three: Start of School Nerves
- What are you excited and nervous for this school year?
- How do you know you’re feeling stressed?
- Write away Activity
Week Four: Peer Relationships and the New School Year
- What do peer relationships look like for you?
- Maintaining healthy relationships with Peers
- Friendship mural activity
Week Five: School and Life Balance
- What does a normal school day look like from the minute you wake up to when you go to bed?
- Toolbox for stress relief and self-care
- Developing your support system activity
Week Six: Summary
- Discussion of take away and skills
- What to do if problems arise?
- Feedback about the group
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