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Introduction and Mindfulness
Introduction and Mindfulness
Overview
Overview
This week, facilitators will prompt participants to create a variety of goals and norms for the group to abide by throughout the six week curriculum. Facilitators will want to encourage participants to participate in each activity by promoting the sharing of personal stories, reasons for joining the group, or share some personal goals. Following Schiller's Relational Model, the group is identified as being in the pre-affiliation stage during week 1. The pre-affiliation stage is "characterized by the development of a working agreement, working relationships, affectional ties, a structure for work and a sense of the group" (Kelly et al., 2005, p. 25).
Week 1
Week 1
Opening Introductions and welcome to the course - 20 minutes
Meditation - 5 minutes
Check-in and get to know one another - 25 minutes
Identify norms and goals for the group - 20 minutes
Mindfulness and team building activity - 20 minutes
Diary Review Overview and Expectations - 15 minutes
Take-Away and Closing - 20 minutes
(Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2019, p. 563-564)
Description
Description
This week the facilitators goal should be to encourage each participant to actively participate to the best of their ability. During the opening introductions, the facilitator will welcome each participant to the group and thank them for their participation. Each participant will then introduce themselves to their peers and provide a reason as to why they chose to take part in this group if they choose. Participants may also be prompted to share a personal goal(s) they would like to accomplish throughout the next six weeks.
The facilitator will then guide participants through a five minute mindfulness activity to help clients destress, ground themselves, and clear their minds before completing the remainder of the session. The facilitator will help shift the groups focus and begin creating a list of expectations or "norms" that the group wishes to follow throughout the duration of the program. Following the creation of the groups norms will be the collaborative process of creating group goals based on the personal goals which were previously discussed.
After creating the norms and goals, the facilitator will lead the group through a team builder activity to build group strength and trust among each other. This activity will then lead to the focus of this session, mindfulness. The facilitator will provide participants with the "What is Mindfulness?" handout, listed below. The group will go over the handout and then proceed to practice a specific mindfulness technique titled "Focused Breathing".
Upon the completion of this activity, the facilitator will discuss the purpose and functionality of the diary review which begins in week 2 of the curriculum. Beginning the diary review in week 2 will allow participants to have plenty of opportunities to practice various mindfulness techniques in real life situations when they may need in the most. Lastly, week 1 will wrap up with the facilitator requesting that each participant share one or two takeaways they have from their first session. This could be things they learned, things they look forward to learning or practicing, or allow them to ask a question about this weeks session. The facilitator will end the session by previewing the week 2 curriculum and offering support to participants as they exit their first session.
Activities and Resources
Activities and Resources
Mindful Breathing Script for Facilitator.pdfMeditation Script
Team Builder Activity 1 - Fear In a Hat.pdfTeam Builder: Fear In a Hat
Mindfulness Instruction Sheet.pdfWhat is Mindfulness? Tips and Tricks Handout
Focused Breathing.pdfFocused Breathing Activity
5 Senses Activity.pdfFive Senses Activity
To begin this weeks session, the facilitator should begin with a five-minute meditation. By allowing your clients to meditate at the beginning of this session, you are providing clients with an opportunity to become aware of their present emotions, thoughts, and feelings, while encouraging acceptance of these feelings free of judgment. The goal of this exercise is to release any tension a client may be experiencing from their experiences throughout the day or past life experiences (Zastrow & Hessenaur, 2019, p. 348). The script for this weeks meditation is attached, and was derived from Anxiety Cananda (2022).
It order for the group to build trust, support, and mutual empathy with one another, the facilitator plays a crucial role in beginning this initial session with a team builder or "ice-breaker" activity. Team builders or "ice-breakers" can assist clients to feel more comfortable with their peers and give clients the opportunity to share their personal goals, as well as give clients a sense of empowerment in knowing that their voice is being heard by others (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2019, p. 24). The "Fear in a Hat" activity is adapted from Easter (2013).
The first component of Dialectical Behavior Therapy focuses on teaching individuals to utilize Mindfulness practices. Mindfulness is a popular practice to utilize among individuals experiencing high rates of anxiety. Mindfulness practices can help an individual become more present in the moment; focusing on the things they can control instead of those they cannot. It helps decrease anxiety, stress, and self-sabotaging thoughts and actions by assisting individuals in learning how to redirect their minds from resorting to immediate worry and thoughts of negative self-regard. The goal of mindfulness when working with anxiety is to ground the individual by teaching effective coping skills. Consistent mindfulness practice teaches individuals how to divert their negative thoughts and feelings in a way that protects them from internalizing their challenges and struggles (Crowley et al., 2018, p. 133). The "What is Mindfulness?" handout is provided by Therapist Aid LLC (2017).
This week, the facilitator will first teach the group about what mindfulness is, how it can help reduce their anxiousness, and why it's important to practice continuously. The facilitator should utilize the "What is Mindfulness?" handout as a guide for this session and practice. After discussing the handout, the facilitator can complete the mindfulness activity for this week titled "Focused Breathing" or "Five Senses Activity". The focused breathing activity is adapted from Zastrow and Hessenauer's (2019) "focused breathing" activity (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2019, p. 558).
Lastly, this week, participants will be introduced to a "diary review", which incorporates the utilization of a diary to track a clients thoughts on how well they feel they have utilized each new skill they will learn throughout this six week curriculum. Clients will want to record when they used the skill, why the used it, and if they feel it was helpful to them and their scenario. This can help a client to gain real-life experience in utilizing these skills and can help to grow their coping skills in working with their anxiety (Zastrow & Hessenauer, 2019, p. 557).
Purpose
Purpose
This week each participant will learn the importance of mindfulness skills and how they can better support their anxious, stressful, and deprecating feelings. Participants will learn how to utilize mindfulness in real-life situation and how this can help with emotion regulation, interpersonal development, and stress management. These skills will help to relax the mind during intense and stressful situations for individuals with anxiety. Additionally, participants will learn the importance of building relationships with their peers, and the importance of building a support system that is empathetic, trustworthy, respectful, with a basis of mutuality.
Goals
Goals
Individuals will feel as though they have an increased awareness of various mindfulness practices they can use when they are feeling anxious, stressed, or frustrated.
Individuals will feel better prepared to handle stressful situations by focusing on breathing and grounding themselves.
Individuals will have an increased awareness of the mutual struggles of those around them.
Individuals will begin to feel supported and welcomed by others.
Individuals will begin to feel confident in their ability to take control of their feelings and learn to cope with difficult situations in a realistic and positive manner.
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