A comprehensive 4-hour training curriculum for first-year camp counselors at the Metro West YMCA. This training establishes essential safety norms, communication habits, and the 'FARM' reward culture to set staff up for a high-impact summer.
Session 3 introduces the metaphor of feelings as waves. Students explore the unpredictable nature of grief and learn to identify helpful vs. unhelpful outlets for strong waves like anger and bargaining.
Session 2 connects emotions to bodily sensations. Students explore where big feelings 'live' in their bodies and practice scanning for physical clues using a somatic mapping activity.
Session 5 centers on honoring the person who died, establishing enduring memories, and fostering long-term resilience and hope. Students create personal keepsake crafts.
Session 4 focuses on identifying internal and external safety systems. Students map out their protective anchors (grounding people and memories) and their coping sails (healthy, self-soothing behaviors).
Session 1 focuses on identifying and naming complex emotions associated with grief. Students learn the 'emotional weather' metaphor, explore how grief feels in their bodies, and practice sharing in a safe circle.
A final reflection on the simulation where students analyze their performance, identify breaking points, and create a long-term strategy for real-world balance.
Students create a personal 'Emergency Protocol' for overwhelming situations, learning how to prioritize tasks to drop and identifying support systems for recovery.
Students analyze their personal energy cycles to match high-demand tasks with high-energy periods, moving beyond simple time management to strategic resource allocation.
Focuses on professional communication and the distinction between hard and soft deadlines. Students practice scripts to negotiate extensions and help before a crisis occurs.
Students design an ideal weekly schedule and are immediately introduced to the 'Chaos Factor'—unpredictable life events that disrupt plans. They identify the need for buffer time and flexible scheduling.
A 3-5 day small group social-emotional learning lesson series designed for upper elementary students (grades 3-5) to identify complex emotions (frustrated, angry, worried, embarrassed, sad, and calm) and explore how feelings change over time, using a meteorological weather-tracking theme.
Students apply unit learning to a chosen career or post-secondary education path, identifying workplace accommodations and constructing a self-advocacy plan.
A comprehensive mental health lesson for high schoolers focusing on cognitive restructuring. Clients learn to identify cognitive distortions, challenge anxious thoughts, and reframe them into balanced perspectives through guided role-play and structured tracking.
Lesson 4 of the SEL sequence. A complete, ready-to-go 15-minute lesson for 3rd-5th Grade students on focusing attention, managing digital/mental distractions, and anchoring executive attention.
Lesson 3 of the SEL sequence. A complete, ready-to-go 15-minute lesson for 3rd-5th Grade students on emotional self-regulation, recognizing trigger storms, and physical calming strategies.
Lesson 2 of the SEL sequence. A complete, ready-to-go 15-minute lesson for 3rd-5th Grade students on cooperative peer relations, active inclusion, and launching kindness anchors.
Lesson 1 of the SEL sequence. A complete, ready-to-go 15-minute lesson for 3rd-5th Grade students on building an emotionally safe classroom harbor and establishing mutual support anchors.
A mindful technology lesson designed for high school students to analyze their digital habits and design a custom summer wellness contract that balances screen time with dopamine-boosting offline activities.
A social-emotional learning lesson that equips middle and high school students with a physical, tactile 'Self-Kindness Compass' to guide self-talk and practice self-compassion during unstructured times or moments of self-criticism.
A structured counseling lesson designed for a 16-year-old student to address anger-induced screen-seeking behavior and build self-directed limits on tech use. Combining CBT and Motivational Interviewing, this lesson equips the counselor and student with tools to de-escalate emotional reactivity and establish sustainable digital boundaries.
Under the Pre-ETS category of Counseling on Post-Secondary Opportunities, this lesson equips transitioning high school students with knowledge of workplace accommodations, visible/invisible disabilities, and self-advocacy. Students explore equity rights to prepare for post-secondary career and vocational opportunities.
The grand finale week of the curriculum. Students execute a massive live bracket tournament and showcase their esports career portfolios.
Covers mental stamina, character matchup analysis, and competitive coaching roles. Students learn how to analyze gameplay video (VOD review) and support team members mentally.