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Primary Counseling » Small Groups

Small Groups

Close up of children holding hands; one is wearing a red polo shirtMeridian Primary offers counselor-led small groups that  support social -emotional learning. These groups will consist of a small group of students with similar needs who will engage in activities geared to reinforce positive social or self-regulating behaviors on a weekly basis for up to six weeks. 

Students can be referred to small groups in several ways. Parents or guardians, administrators,  or teachers can communicate with the counselor about referrals. Parent/Guardian permission is always required to participate in small groups.

POSSIBLE SMALL GROUP TOPICS:

Friendship/Social Skills: The friendship group is for forming stronger bonds and strengthening friendship skills. This group that works more intensely on friendship skills, such as acknowledging and strengthening how to connect and communicate with others, building friendly behaviors, and learning appropriate ways to problem-solve. 

Emotion Management: Intended for students who will be working on managing  feelings in a positive way. This group will explore impulse control and focus on building skills to handle a variety of emotions more effectively. 

Stress Management: This group grows in strength as we build relationships and share experiences and feelings. Some fun activities are relaxation techniques, yoga for kids, breathing techniques, nature walks, and working with the stories that we tell ourselves (changing our inner dialogue). This group will need a permission form signed by a parent/guardian to participate.

Changing Families: Life is like the waves of the ocean … constantly changing. Change can be exciting or at times hard to adjust to. A new sibling, new jobs, a move, and marriages (divorce or a blended family) are just some examples! We learn about being resilient and enjoy the company of group members with similar experiences.

Self-Concept: In this group, we will focus on identifying and celebrating our strengths as well as on developing positive thoughts and skills to use to be a productive and positive person.

School Success Skills: This group will explore and strengthen the skills for school success. Depending on the specific needs of the group, the group may focus on listening and attention skills, organization, study tips, test taking tips, and building motivation.