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Small Group Counseling Curriculum Project

Elena Rosenthal

CSPU 513

Brandman University
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Shadow Hills High School

Anger Management Counseling

The purpose of this small counseling group is to help students who have trouble

managing their anger. This group will provide an opportunity for all students to learn and

practice interpersonal skills, discuss feelings, share ideas, practice new behaviors, and hopefully

make new friends.

The six week counseling session is designed for high school students. The anger

management group will provide students who are experiencing anger issues with safe and

healthy strategies for dealing with frustrating situations. Each session will be about 30 minutes

long and will last for six weeks. Each lesson provided will align with the ASCA National Model

and ASCA National Standards for personal/social development guide school counseling

programs. The ASCA National Standards for personal/social development guide school

counseling programs provide the foundation for personal and social growth as students

progress through school and into adulthood.

The following standards will be addressed:

Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them

understand and respect self and others.

Standard B: Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals.

Link to video: https://youtu.be/DTkbnqFHfRA

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SMALL GROUP GUIDANCE

PARENT/GUARDIAN PERMISSION FORM

Shadow Hills High School

Your permission is requested for your child to participate in small group guidance activities. The
group will meet six times. Each session will be about 30 minutes long and will take place during
the school day.

The group is titled Anger Management Coping Skills. Your child will have the opportunity to
learn new skills and behaviors that may help their personal development. The group will
provide an opportunity for members to learn and practice interpersonal skills, discuss feelings,
share ideas, practice new behaviors, and make new friends.

By signing this form, I give consent for my child to participate in this small group. Please return
this form to the counseling center no later than June 15, 2017. If you have any questions about
the counseling session, please feel free to call or email me. You can reach me by phone at
760-347-4741 ext. 121 or by email at elenarosenthal@dsusd.edu.

Best regards,

Elena Rosenthal
School Counselor

____________________________ ____________________
Name of Student Date

_______________________________________________________________________
Parent/guardian Signature Date
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Shadow Hills High School Counseling Program

Behavior Guidance
Anger Management
Session 1
Grades 9-12

Unit Name: Getting Acquainted

Name of Activity: People Bingo

Domain: Personal/Social

Standard: Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal
skills to help them understand and respect self and others. PS:A1 Acquire Self-
Knowledge.

Materials Needed (if any):

Bingo cards
Pens and/or pencils

Lesson Objective (s):

The objective is for the students to get to know one another and welcome everyone to the group.

Opening/Icebreaker 10 Minutes:

Start by introducing yourself, the reason for the counseling session, confidentially, ground rules,
and then discuss with the group the purpose of an icebreaker activity and how the activity will
be performed.

Make a 4 by 4 grid on a piece of card and duplicate for everyone in your group. Supply pens or
pencils. Each box contains one of the statements below. Encourage the group to mix, talk
to everyone to try and complete their card. If one of the items listed on the bingo card relates to
the person they are talking with, have them sign their name in that box. Also, let the students
know that since it is a small group another person can sign their card in a maximum of two
spaces.

End the activity after 10 minutes and review some of the interesting facts the group has
discovered about each other. You can add your own statements appropriate for your group.

1. Has brown eyes

2. Has made the longest journey
2. Has eaten the weirdest food
3. Plays soccer
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4. Is wearing blue
5. Speaks a foreign language
6. Plays a musical instrument
7. Has 2 or more pets
8. Has a brother
9. Hates broccoli
10. Has 2 or more siblings
11. Name begins with an 'S'
12. Loves Chinese food
13. Is a twin.
14. Likes to get up early
15. Someone over 6ft tall

Instruction 10 Minutes:

After the activity has ended, everyone will sit in a circle and introduce themselves. Once
introduction have been made, each person will state something about someone else who is one
their card.

Description of Activity & Purpose: 10 Minutes:

Discuss with students the importance of working in a group and getting to know one another, so
everyone feels comfortable in sharing their thoughts and feelings. Go over the purpose of the
group and what students can expect to learn.

Purpose: To help students who have trouble managing and dealing with their anger.

Students Outcomes:
- Recognize the emotional and physical signs of anger
- Understand their anger management style
- What triggers their anger
- How to deal with anger in a constructive way
- Prevent inappropriate ways of dealing with anger
- Practice effective ways of dealing with anger.

Closing statement:

Ask students if there is anything they want to ask or share before the session is over.
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Shadow Hills High School Counseling Program

Behavior Guidance
Anger Management
Session 2
Grades 9-12

Name of Activity: What Is Anger?

Domain: Personal/Social

Standard: Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal
skills to help them understand and respect self and others. PS:A1.2 Acquire Self-
Knowledge and PS:A1.5 Identify and express feelings

Materials Needed (if any):

- Paper and pens/pencils

- Anger Management Self Assessment Form

Lesson Objective(s):

The objective is to help group members recognize the emotional and physical signs of anger.

Opening 3 Minutes:

The session will start with a review of the rules and guidelines of the group which, includes
confidentiality. Then, I will go over the purpose of the group. Lastly, there will be follow up with
the students. Ask if anyone has any questions.

Instruction 10 Minutes:

Start by discussing what some triggers of anger are and the importance of knowing how those
triggers affect you. Ask the students to write down things that make them anger. Then ask for
volunteer responses.

Description of Activity & Purpose: 10 Minutes:

Distribute the anger management handout. Discuss physical and emotional signs of anger. For
example, physical signs include: rapid heartbeat, sweaty palms, tightness in the chest,
unsteadiness, clinched teeth and fists. Emotional signs include screaming, rage, and crying.
The handout is to help students understand their anger and how to identify it. The purpose is to
teach students what triggers anger and by being able to identify his or her bodys cues that anger
is approaching, can enable control of unsafe and/or unhealthy responses to feelings of anger.
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Connection/Closing Statement 5 Minutes:

Encourage questions and comments from students. Ask each student what he or she has learned.

Outside practice 2 Minutes:

Ask students to keep track of the every time he or she feels angry over the next week and what
triggered the feeling. We will review it in the next session.

Student Outcomes

Assess students current understanding of the triggers.

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Shadow Hills High School Counseling Program

Behavior Guidance
Anger Management
Session 3
Grades 9-12

Name of Activity: Understanding Your Anger Management Style

Domain: Personal/Social

Standard: Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal
skills to help them understand and respect self and others. PS:A1 Acquire Self-
Knowledge and PS:A2 Acquire Interpersonal Skills.

Materials Needed (if any):

- Paper and pens or pencils

- Anger styles handout

Lesson Objective (s):

Students will have a clear understanding of different degrees of their personal anger.

Opening 5 Minutes:

The session will start with a review of the rules and guidelines of the group which, includes
confidentiality. Then, I will go over the purpose of the session. Lastly, there will be follow up
with the students about their homework assignment. Ask if anyone has any questions.

Instruction 10 Minutes:

Begin by asking the students to share one thing that made them angry over the last week. Then,
explain that this session will further their understanding of anger and the activity in this session
will teach them to take the temperature of their anger in order to understand that the degree of
his or her anger varies depending upon the situationAND
that anyone can learn to respond to anger in a safe and healthy way.

Description of Activity & Purpose: 10 Minutes:

Distribute the Anger-Management Styles handout. Review it with the students and ask each
student to share a time when he or she observed someone exhibit anger that got out of control.
Explain that understanding the 3 styles of anger management will help them understand the
varying degrees of anger experienced in different situations. Ask students to think about times
anger attempted to take their personal power away from them. The purpose is to explain the
different types of anger management and how it affects each person.
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Connection/Closing Statement 5 Minutes:

Reflect on students understanding of the relationship between their degree of anger and their
bodys reaction to anger. Ask if anyone has any questions.

Student Outcomes:

Assess students participation in the group

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Shadow Hills High School Counseling Program

Behavior Guidance
Anger Management
Session 4
Grades 9-12

Name of Activity: Are There Good Ways To Be Angry?

Domain: Personal/Social

Standard: Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal
skills to help them understand and respect self and others. PS:A1 Acquire Self-
Knowledge and PS:A2 Acquire Interpersonal Skills.

Materials Needed (if any):

- Paper and pens or pencils

- Assertiveness handout

Lesson Objective (s):

Students will learn techniques and skills that will promote safe and healthy behavior when angry.

Opening 3 Minutes:

The session will start with a review of the rules and guidelines of the group which, includes
confidentiality. Then, I will go over the purpose of the session. Ask if anyone has any questions.

Instruction 12 Minutes:

Ask students what they remember from the last meeting. Discuss topics that made students angry
and ask each person how they dealt with their anger. Provide the assertiveness handout to the
students, and then ask for two students to volunteer for a role-play situation. Discuss with the
two students what they will be doing for the role play.

Description of Activity & Purpose: 10 Minutes:

After instructions have been given he or she will role play the anger in an unhealthy and unsafe
(aggressive) way. One of the volunteers will come into the group and slam books on the table
and shout at another student about hating the school and everything about it. After the enactment,
ask the students of different ideas of how they would have handled the situation in a healthier
and safer (assertive) way. The purpose is to teach students about different ways of dealing with
anger.
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Connection/Closing Statement 4 Minutes:

Discuss 4 Steps to Taking Control of Anger

A. STOPrecognize anger sources, triggers and clues;

B. COOL-DOWNdevelop an invisible cool-down signal (e.g., count to 10);
C. THINK of a Cool response;
D. ACT on your Cool Responsedo something positive; act in a safe and healthy way!

Outside practice 1 Minute:

Ask everyone to come up with one way they can manage their anger in a positive and we will
discuss next time.

Student Outcomes

Assess students understanding of behaving assertively when they are angry.

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Shadow Hills High School Counseling Program

Behavior Guidance
Anger Management
Session 5
Grades 9-12

Name of Activity: Steps To Coping With Anger

Domain: Personal/Social

Standard: Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal
skills to help them understand and respect self and others. PS:A1 Acquire Self-
Knowledge and PS:A2 Acquire Interpersonal Skills.

Materials Needed (if any):

- Paper and pens or pencils

- Coping with Anger Handout

Lesson Objective (s):

The objective is to help students learn to deal with anger in a constructive way.

Opening 3 Minutes:

The session will start with a review of the rules and guidelines of the group which, includes
confidentiality. Then, I will go over the purpose of the session. Lastly, there will be follow up
with the students about their homework assignment. Ask if anyone has any questions.

Instruction 10 Minutes:

Go over the homework assignment from last week and ask each person what is one positive way
he or she can deal with anger. Provide the students with the coping with anger handout and go
over the the acronym COPING.

Description of Activity & Purpose: 10 Minutes:

Begin by having each student pair with another student. If it is an uneven number, then one
student will pair with the counselor. Each person will give an example of a time when he or she
was anger and the partner will come up with a coping strategy to help the person for the next
time they are faced with a similar situation and then the partners will switch. The purpose is to
gain an understanding of multiple models of effective anger management.

Connection/Closing Statement 5 Minutes:

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Ask the students what they learned today and how they will apply it in real situations. Remind
students that next week is the last meeting. Tell students that since next week is the last regular
meeting of the group, the session will include a celebration of their successes. Help group
members decide how they want to celebrate the completion of their group.

Outside practice/Homework:

Ask students to come prepared to share what they enjoyed most about the group session.

Student Outcomes:

Assess students participation in the group

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Shadow Hills High School Counseling Program

Behavior Guidance
Anger Management
Session 6
Grades 9-12

Name of Activity: Can I Stay Cool?

Domain: Personal/Social

Standard: Standard A: Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal
skills to help them understand and respect self and others. PS:A1 Acquire Self-
Knowledge and PS:A2 Acquire Interpersonal Skills.

Materials Needed (if any):

- Paper and pens or pencils

- Certificates

Lesson Objective (s):

Students verbalize examples of the success of new anger management skills.

Opening 3 Minutes:

The session will start with a review of the rules and guidelines of the group which, includes
confidentiality. Then, I will go over the purpose of the session. Lastly, there will be follow up
with the students about their homework assignment. Remind participants that even though the
group is over, other group members will trust them not to tell other people about what another
person said or did in the group. Remind students about your responsibility to protect their
confidentiality. Ask if anyone has any questions.

Instruction 5 Minutes:

Students demonstrate their ability to use the group information to maximize their use of safe and
healthy assertive behavior when being angry by verbalizing their successes to the group. During
this session, students will reflect on their learning and progress toward goals.

Description of Activity & Purpose 15 Minutes:

Each student will be asked to share a personal goal they have about recognizing and dealing with
their anger. Everyone will also be asked to share a success story of how they have recently dealt
with anger. If they do not have a success story, then he or she can share how they envision their
success story going. The purpose is for students to self reflect and see how far they have come
from when they first started the counseling session.
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Connection/Closing Statement:

Ask students to fill out the Student Feedback Form. After completion, celebrate their successes
and present students with certificates. Remind students again about confidentiality.

Student Outcomes

- Assess students participation.

- Evaluate their feedback forms.
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Reference Page

1. ASCA. (2017). ASCA National Standards for Students. Retrieved from

http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/asca_national_standards_for_students.pdf

2. Brigman, G. & Goodman, B. 2008. Group Counseling For School Counselors. Portland,
ME. J. Weston Walch.

3. Knox, G. 40 Icebreakers For Small Groups. Retrieved from

https://insight.typepad.co.uk/40_icebreakers_for_small_groups.pdf