Small Group Topics
The school counseling team, teachers, and parents can recommend students for groups - we even have kids request to be in groups! We use small groups to support academic development and in the same way, counseling groups can assist students who need additional support to be successful in the classroom. We do our best to place students in groups but cannot always accommodate all requests. If you have any questions about groups and whether your child would be appropriate for a group, please contact a member of the counseling team.
"There are numerous reasons that group counseling is important. First, group counseling reaches far more students than one school counselor can assist in individual counseling sessions. Second, group counseling benefits students by improving their academic and socio-emotional functioning. Third, group counseling benefits the school community by strengthening relationships between students and enhancing communication skills. Fourth, families benefit by their children being in group counseling because they experience improved emotional and behavioral functioning in the home" (Tillman, 2019).
Friendship Groups
Friendships are an important part of a child's development and educational success. Friendships help children manage stress by offering distraction from unpleasant thoughts and tasks, and increase self esteem, confidence and cooperation. A friendship group will help your student develop the skills to make and maintain friendships through opportunities to communicate, work through conflict and establish and maintain trust and develop relationships. (Tillman, 2019).
Emotion Regulation Groups
Emotions can sometimes overwhelm and confuse students which can directly impact their behavior, relationships and learning. The Zones of Regulation curriculum helps students with sensory integration and regulation, emotional self-understanding and emotional regulation, executive functioning, visual teachings, social perspective taking and development of self-awareness. ( Kuypers, 2011). This 10 week program is integrated with other developmentally appropriate interventions to teach students the skills needed to regulate their emotions more effectively. In addition, teachers can use the same language in their classroom to help students express themselves consistently across the school. The counseling team uses a blend of curricula to meet the individual needs of the group.
Divorce and Grief/Loss Groups
Grief groups can be an effective intervention to increase social support and decrease feelings of sadness, anger, withdrawal, guilt, anxiety, loneliness and helplessness after the loss of a loved one (Tillman, 2019). The Kids Supporting Kids 10-session group counseling approach is helpful, practical and easy to implement. The group may include discussion of memories of the loved one, memories of how they died, and feelings about the loss.
If a student's parents are going through a divorce or separation group counseling may decrease feelings of anger while increasing self-esteem (Tillman 2019). The Common Ground 10-session counseling group involves providing a supportive environment, developmentally appropriate psycho-education about divorce, space to express their personal experience, coping skills, anger management, relaxation techniques, healthy communication skills, skills to seek support when needed, and recognizing positive characteristics about themselves and their family (Tillman, 2019).
These groups are only available per request. Please complete the email goulder_isabelle@svvsd.org if your child could benefit from either group.
References
Cook, A., Brodsky, L., Morizio, L. & Walker, W. (2018). Storybooks and Social Hooks: Building Social/Emotional, Academic and Literacy Learning Through Shared Reading (K-5). American School Counselor Association.
Kuypers, L. (2011). The Zones of Regulation: A Curriculum Designed to Foster Self-Regulation and Emotional Control. California: Think Social Publishing.
Tillman, K. (2019). Group Counseling with Elementary Students. American School Counselor Association.