Dry Erase Boards in Counseling
Often times during my group counseling sessions I use dry erase boards. That way every student is involved in the conversation, and they are using their own words rather than the other students in the group to describe how they are feeling. This allows for great conversations during the session.
Self Esteem
This is the perfect activity when working with a group on building their self-esteem. One session I used the white board and asked each student to sit with their back facing the smartboard. I gave the other students time to make positive bubbles. The next session I gave them each a picture of the finished product. This was a good way to show how good it makes them feel to know what others think of them, and how they can make their friends feel this way as well.
Body Image
Fitting in and being accepted is something a lot of girls face. I did a "Girl Power" lunch session and allowed the girls to pick the topic they struggle most with. Together they decided that they wanted to work on body image. Each session we did a different activity: Looking at McDonald's menus to pick a healthy choice, choosing healthy snacks, talking about our struggles, etc. We worked on healthy eating and exercise lifestyles. Each week we set goals for us to work on and then shared with the group.
Friendship
Friendship groups are formed in many different ways. Some groups are formed when students want to know how to become a better friend and what to look for in a friend. Other friendship groups are formed when there are issues in the group and we work together to work through the issue and come up with a solution.
The Talking, Feeling and Doing Series
Playing therapeutic games is something I enjoy doing with the students. The Talking, Feeling, and Doing Series has a set of questions that each student has to answer that helps them communicate their feelings and to develop insight. This series also has anger management and good behavior. This game can be used for any age group and offers great questions for the students to work through together.
