Philip Barbour High School – Stress Reduction/Management Group w/AP 11th Grade Students

Spring 2019
1st Session – Friday, March 8th, 2019
45 minutes

ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors

B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem
B-SMS 10. Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations
and responsibilities
B-SS 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students
B-SS 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary

WV Student Success Standards

ALP.SS.3.3.1 apply strategies to reduce stress and protect safety, differentiating between
situations requiring self-help, peer support, adult or professional help.

7 minutes – Basic intro to the group – this is a group about stress; pre-assessment
10 minutes – Exploring what stresses you out. Magazine activity, where students use old
magazines and paper to express the things that stress them out most. Magazines should be
spread out, after explanation, in middle of the student areas; will share briefly in large group
5 minutes – General comment on student group work as a whole; explanation of confidentiality
and other expectations (attending group, participating – feel free to drop out if this isn’t for
you, just let me know); what group will look like (support of one another, chiming in, creative,
etc.)
5 minutes – Introductions are probably not as necessary (all have class together), but introduce
for my sake and share two of the most significant things in your collage
5 minutes – Explaining stress with the plate, how much you carry – have a volunteer stand up
and hold their arms out straight. Have others suggest stressors in their lives that should be
added, and add a book as each stressor is mentioned. Process with the group what they noticed
about the growing strain, and if that connects with how they feel when stressed.
5 minutes – Purpose of the group is one of two things – either to reduce your stress, or help
you to manage it. Explain distress, no stress, and eustress with chairs and have people sit in
them – what would each one look like, and what are the positives and negatives of each?
Eustress as the sweet spot on the continuum.
5 minutes – Explaining ego states of TA with chairs and the pictures from SpongeBob and
Winnie the Pooh; some people have very strong HC, A, CP, FC, NP, etc., but that can change –
and we will look more at that in the weeks to come. You can get stressed a lot with a high NP,
high CP especially.
2 minutes – What will you take from today’s session?