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Group Lessons- Surviving Divorce

Ilana Malone
Seattle University

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Name: Ilana Malone
Group Content Area: Personal/Social
Group Topic: Surviving Divorce (6th Grade)
Group Sequence: Group #1.
Goals for the Group:
a. Washington State Learning Standards:
Health and Fitness component 3.1: Understands how family, culture, and
environmental factors affect personal health.
ASCA Standards addressed:

PS:A1.4 Understand change is a part of growth

PS:A1.5 Identify and express feelings

PS:A1.12 Identify and recognize changing family roles

PS:A2.5 Recognize and respect differences in various family configurations
PS:A2.6 Use effective communications skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal
behavior
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS:C1.10 Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict
PS:C1.11 Learn coping skills for managing life events

b. Unit Objective: For this group, we hope that to teach students ways to cope with the
changes happening in their lives and give them an outlet to talk about what is going on
for them emotionally, mentally, and physically. This group will also help normalize the
situation and provide a forum for support.
Lesson one will consist of introductions and a discussion about group norms,
expectations, and purpose. This is setting the foundation for the rest of the sessions to
come.
For our introduction we played a game called popcorn. Everyone wrote down three
things that were interesting/unique about them on a piece of paper, crumpled it up, and
tossed it in the air like popcorn kernels. After a few minutes of this, each person grabbed
a crumpled up paper and had to guess whose facts they had. We then talked about why
each person came to the group and what they wanted to gain from the experience.
Group Rationale: provide a rationale for running the group using data from the school and
research literature.

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a. Needs Assessment- According to the school-wide needs assessment that we performed in
October 2014, almost 9% of all 6th graders at Hamilton (n=29) said that they were dealing
with a parental divorce or separation all of the time or most of the time.
b. Research Literature- It is no secret that the divorce rate in the United States is incredibly
high. When children are involved, they report having less satisfaction and poorer
relationships later in life. To try to combat some of the stressors the student might be
dealing with outside the school, group therapy has been shown to be very successful
because effective group work with children includes interventions that allow them to
discuss their feelings, connect with others, and identify solutions to problems (Cercone
& DeLucia-Waack, 2012, p. 29).
Materials Needed: Paper, pens/colored pencils
Group Outline: Provide an outline of the group session.
Evaluation/Assessment: Conduct a pre and post assessment of each group to determine the
efficacy of your interventions.
References:
Crespi,T.D.(2009).Groupcounselingintheschools:Legal,ethical,andtreatmentissuesin
schoolpractice.PsychologyInTheSchools,46(3),273280
Gerrity,D.A.,&DeLuciaWaack,J.L.(2007).EffectivenessofGroupsintheSchools.Journal
ForSpecialistsInGroupWork,32(1),97106.doi:10.1080/01933920600978604
Ehrenberg,M.F.,Stewart,L.,Roche,D.N.,Pringle,J.,&Bush,J.(2006).Adolescentsin
Divorcingfamilies:PerceptionsofWhatHelpsandHinders.JournalOfDivorce&
Remarriage,45(3/4),6991.doi:10.1300/J087v45n0304
Rich,B.,Molloy,P.,Hart,B.,Ginsberg,S.,&Mulvey,T.(2007).ConductingaChildren's
DivorceGroup:OneApproach.JournalOfChild&AdolescentPsychiatricNursing,
20(3),163175.doi:10.1111/j.17446171.2007.00107.x

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Name: Ilana Malone
Group Content Area: Personal/Social
Group Topic: Divorce
Group Sequence: Group #2
Goals for the Group:
a. Washington State Learning Standards:
Health and Fitness component 3.1: Understands how family, culture, and
environmental factors affect personal health.
ASCA Standards addressed:

PS:A1.4 Understand change is a part of growth

PS:A1.5 Identify and express feelings

PS:A1.12 Identify and recognize changing family roles

PS:A2.5 Recognize and respect differences in various family configurations
PS:A2.6 Use effective communications skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal
behavior
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS:C1.10 Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict
PS:C1.11 Learn coping skills for managing life events

b. Unit Objective: What will students be able to do after this group? The objectives should
be connected to the Group Content Area above.
Group Rationale: provide a rationale for running the group using data from the school and
research literature.
a. Needs Assessment- What does the data suggest in your school that indicates
the need for this group?
b. Research Literature- What does the national research suggest as it relates to
the need for group?
Materials Needed: List all the materials you will need to run this group for this session.
Group Outline: Provide an outline of the group session.
Evaluation/Assessment: Conduct a pre and post assessment of each group to determine the
efficacy of your interventions.
References: See Lesson 1

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Name: Ilana Malone
Group Content Area: Personal/Social
Group Topic: Divorce
Group Sequence: Group #3
Goals for the Group:
a. Washington State Learning Standards:
Health and Fitness component 3.1: Understands how family, culture, and
environmental factors affect personal health.
ASCA Standards addressed:

PS:A1.4 Understand change is a part of growth

PS:A1.5 Identify and express feelings

PS:A1.12 Identify and recognize changing family roles

PS:A2.5 Recognize and respect differences in various family configurations
PS:A2.6 Use effective communications skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal
behavior
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS:C1.10 Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict
PS:C1.11 Learn coping skills for managing life events

b. Unit Objective: What will students be able to do after this group? The objectives should
be connected to the Group Content Area above.
Group Rationale: provide a rationale for running the group using data from the school and
research literature.
a. Needs Assessment- What does the data suggest in your school that indicates
the need for this group?
b. Research Literature- What does the national research suggest as it relates to
the need for group?
Materials Needed: List all the materials you will need to run this group for this session.
Group Outline: Provide an outline of the group session.
Evaluation/Assessment: Conduct a pre and post assessment of each group to determine the
efficacy of your interventions.
References: See Lesson 1

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Name: Ilana Malone
Group Content Area: Personal/Social
Group Topic: Divorce
Group Sequence: Group #4
Goals for the Group:
a. Washington State Learning Standards:
Health and Fitness component 3.1: Understands how family, culture, and
environmental factors affect personal health.
ASCA Standards addressed:

PS:A1.4 Understand change is a part of growth

PS:A1.5 Identify and express feelings

PS:A1.12 Identify and recognize changing family roles

PS:A2.5 Recognize and respect differences in various family configurations
PS:A2.6 Use effective communications skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal
behavior
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS:C1.10 Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict
PS:C1.11 Learn coping skills for managing life events

b. Unit Objective: What will students be able to do after this group? The objectives should
be connected to the Group Content Area above.
Group Rationale: provide a rationale for running the group using data from the school and
research literature.
a. Needs Assessment- What does the data suggest in your school that indicates
the need for this group?
b. Research Literature- What does the national research suggest as it relates to
the need for group?
Materials Needed: List all the materials you will need to run this group for this session.
Group Outline: Provide an outline of the group session.
Evaluation/Assessment: Conduct a pre and post assessment of each group to determine the
efficacy of your interventions.
References: See Lesson 1.

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Name: Ilana Malone
Group Content Area: Personal/Social
Group Topic: Divorce
Group Sequence: Group #5
Goals for the Group:
a. Washington State Learning Standards:
Health and Fitness component 3.1: Understands how family, culture, and
environmental factors affect personal health.
ASCA Standards addressed:

PS:A1.4 Understand change is a part of growth

PS:A1.5 Identify and express feelings

PS:A1.12 Identify and recognize changing family roles

PS:A2.5 Recognize and respect differences in various family configurations
PS:A2.6 Use effective communications skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal
behavior
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS:C1.10 Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict
PS:C1.11 Learn coping skills for managing life events

b. Unit Objective: What will students be able to do after this group? The objectives should
be connected to the Group Content Area above.
Group Rationale: provide a rationale for running the group using data from the school and
research literature.
a. Needs Assessment- What does the data suggest in your school that indicates
the need for this group?
b. Research Literature- What does the national research suggest as it relates to
the need for group?
Materials Needed: List all the materials you will need to run this group for this session.
Group Outline: Provide an outline of the group session.
Evaluation/Assessment: Conduct a pre and post assessment of each group to determine the
efficacy of your interventions.
References: See Lesson 1

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Name: Ilana Malone
Group Content Area: Personal/Social
Group Topic: Divorce
Group Sequence: Group #6
Goals for the Group:
a. Washington State Learning Standards:
Health and Fitness component 3.1: Understands how family, culture, and
environmental factors affect personal health.
ASCA Standards addressed:

PS:A1.4 Understand change is a part of growth

PS:A1.5 Identify and express feelings

PS:A1.12 Identify and recognize changing family roles

PS:A2.5 Recognize and respect differences in various family configurations
PS:A2.6 Use effective communications skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening and nonverbal
behavior
PS:B1.4 Develop effective coping skills for dealing with problems
PS:C1.10 Learn techniques for managing stress and conflict
PS:C1.11 Learn coping skills for managing life events

b. Unit Objective: What will students be able to do after this group? The objectives should
be connected to the Group Content Area above.
Group Rationale: provide a rationale for running the group using data from the school and
research literature.
a. Needs Assessment- What does the data suggest in your school that indicates
the need for this group?
b. Research Literature- What does the national research suggest as it relates to
the need for group?
Materials Needed: List all the materials you will need to run this group for this session.
Group Outline: Provide an outline of the group session.
Evaluation/Assessment: Conduct a pre and post assessment of each group to determine the
efficacy of your interventions.

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References: See Lesson 1