Probe Project Grief Support Group for Adolescents Grades

Probe Project Grief Support Group for Adolescents Grades 9 -12 UMKC INTERNSHIP 5575 B FALL 2010 APRIL HAZELWOOD

Foundation School Counseling Department’s Beliefs and Philosophy The mission of the Shawnee Mission North Student Services department is to provide a comprehensive school counseling program which addresses academic, career, and personal/social development and promote vision, leadership, opportunity, and advocacy for all students. School counselors collaborate with students, families, faculty, and communities to facilitate a support system of best counseling practices to assist students in meeting the high expectations of Shawnee Mission North and becoming life-long learners and responsible citizens. School’s Mission Statement Shawnee Mission North develops life-long learners and responsible citizens through high expectations for student achievement within a caring school community. My Counseling Mission Statement Every student has dignity and worth and should have the opportunity to achieve academic success. Students are able to achieve when given proper support. By working collaboratively with parents, students, teachers, administrators and other school staff as well as community members I will ensure that each student has the support necessary to reaching their potential.

Developmental Needs of Adolescents (Teens) 1. Physical Activity: • Teens have boundless energy and dreamy lethargy • They have growing bodies and need time to move and relax 2. Competence and Achievement: • Teens are self-conscious about themselves • They need to do something well and receive admiration • They need chances to prove themselves (to themselves and to others) 3. Self Definition: • Teens need opportunities to explore their widening world • They need to reflect upon new experiences and their role • Need chances to explore ethnic and gender identity 4. Creative Expression: • Teens need to express new feelings and interests • This expression helps them understand accept themselves 5. Positive Social Interaction with Peers and Adults: • Teens need support, companionship, and constructive criticism • They need relationships with those willing to share • The family is of primary importance for values 6. Structure and Clear Limits: • Teens need to know and understand the rules of the system • The search for security by teens is helped by having established boundaries • Teens are capable of working with adults to set their own rules 7. Meaningful Participation: • Teens need opportunities in which to express social and intellectual skills • Through participation, teens gain a sense of responsibility • Teens need opportunities to make meaningful contributions to their community

ASCA Developmental Crosswalking 9 -12 Personal/Social Domain STANDARD A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills to help them understand respect self and others. PS: A 1. 5 identify and express feelings PS: A 1. 12 identify and recognize changing family roles PS: A 2. 7 know that communication involves speaking, listening, and nonverbal behavior PS: A 2. 8 learn how to make and keep friends PS: A 2. 4 recognize, accept and appreciate ethnic and cultural diversity PS: A 1. 6 distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior PS: A 1. 11 identify and discuss changing personal and social roles STANDARD B: Students will make decisions set goals, and take necessary action to achieve goals. PS: B 1. 4 develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems PS: B 1. 5 demonstrate when, where and how to seek help for solving problems and making decisions PS: B 1. 6 know how to apply conflict resolution skills PS: B 1. 2 understand consequences of decisions and choices PS: B 1. 1 use a decision-making and problem-solving model STANDARD C: Students will understand safety and survival skills. PS: C 1. 6 identify resource people in the school and community, and know how to seek their help PS: C 1. 11 learn coping skills for managing life events

Critical Problem In collaboration with the counseling department, the school counselor-in-training identified 8 students who had lost an immediate family member and were currently struggling with their grief. While there were more than 30 students who had lost an immediate family member, 16 specific students were identified as having a strong need for a grief support group and 8 were chosen for this particular group.

Intervention This intervention was used for the purpose of providing grief support to 8 students in grades 9 -12 who have lost an immediate family member and are experiencing grief. The group educates students about the grief stages, process, and coping strategies as well as provides a supportive and encouraging environment for them to discuss their feelings, experiences and struggles. One hour sessions, once a week for 8 weeks.

SIMS Students: 9 -12 th grade students who have lost an immediate family member and are currently grieving. Interventions: School Counselor-In-Training met weekly for 8 weeks with the group and provided a semi-structured, psycho-educational Grief Support Group that included weekly topics and activities. Measurement: A pre-evaluation as well as post-evaluation, Self-Observations and Self-Reporting, Setting: School Counselor-In-Training met with students weekly for 8 weeks in the High School Student Services Conference Room for approximately 50 minutes.

Group Session 1 Introduce Self and Purpose of Group Name Game/Ice Breaker Group Agreement Discussion /Confidentiality Interviews and Introduction of Partner Assignment—Bring photo of person who died to share with the group or poem, song etc.

Group Session 2 Feeling Cards Share who they lost and when. How were they notified? What was it like? Funeral/Memorial service Who have been their main supports? Photos, Songs, and Poems to share Grief Experiences Handout (Discuss how different cultures grieve differently)

Group Session 3 Feeling Cards Thoughts, Feelings & Actions-Discuss questions on back Relaxation exercise to close group

Group Session 4 Feelings Cards Things To Do Instead of Hurting Handout Discussion

Group Session 5 Feelings Cards Dealing for Memories/Feelings Card Game Discussion

Group Session 6 Feelings Cards Hands Touching Activity Trace hands on sheet butcher-block paper Write name outside hand inside a memory word and name of deceased All connected to one another Discussion

Group Session 7 Feelings Cards Coping with Holiday Grief Handout (How do various cultural celebrations affect grief? ) Discussion

Group Session 8 Feelings Cards Plant a flower in honor of lost loved one Wrap-Up Pizza Party

Evaluations

Self-Reporting

Self Observations NB Pre-Group: wanted to meet other students with similar experiences Post-Group: formed new friendships with students who have had similar experiences HL Pre-Group: wanted to meet other students with similar experiences and share current struggles with mom’s new boyfriend Post-Group: formed new friendships and received lots of support as well as tips for how to communicate feelings with Mom SN Pre-Group: wanted to learn how to progress into later stages of grief Post-Group: made some progress in moving forward and formed new friendships KC Pre-Group: wanted discuss ways of communicating her feelings of grief with her family Post-Group: practiced and experimented with different forms of communicating her feelings JN Pre-Group: wanted to meet other students with similar experiences and share her own Post-Group: felt very supported while sharing her grief and family struggles AB Pre-Group: wanted to learn about the different stages of group and coping techniques Post-Group: learned a lot about grief and how to cope as well as made new supportive friends RP Pre-Group: wanted to learn about how to focus better instead of dwelling on his grief Post-Group: shared his worries, fears and concerns which allowed him to feel some relief and no longer dwell HD Pre-Group: wanted to gain motivation to participate in activities and spend time with friends again instead of feeling overwhelmed by grief Post-Group: began participating in sports again, hanging with friends and formed new friendships with students in the group

Summary Grief Support Group has shown to be effective for the students who participated in the study. As shown in the previous bar graphs, the students improved in the areas of personal/social development such as developing coping skills, expressing feelings effectively, seeking support when needed, improved communication with family and friends, forming friendships and many more areas. Also, students attendance and concentration in class increased as well as participation in extracurricular activities. If Grief Support Groups are continued in the future, the school could potentially receive the following benefits: Higher attendance rates Increased number of focused students in the classroom Increased number of active and involved students Increased number of knowledgeable and supportive students who will tell others of the benefits of seeking counseling services Increased number of students with coping skills

References American School Counselor Association. (2003). ASCA national standards: Developmental crosswalking tool. Retrieved from http: //mhscounseling. muscatine. iowapages. org/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfile s/crosswalkformhsguidancecurriculum. pdf. Sigelman, C. K. , & Rider, E. A. (2006). Life-Span Human Development (5 th ed. ). Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.