Healing Hearts Facilitator Guide School Counseling Resource
Healing Hearts
Facilitator Guide • Support for Parental Cancer & Change
Grade Focus 2nd - 3rd Grade
Clinical Framework & Purpose
This 4-session curriculum is designed to support elementary students whose mother works at their school but is on medical leave for chemotherapy. For these students, the school building is not just a place of learning, but a space associated with maternal safety. Her physical absence can trigger hypervigilance, distress, and grief. This guide provides step-by-step session scripts, therapeutic goals, and developmental guidelines.
1
Session 1: Mapping the New School Day
Therapeutic Goal
De-escalate anxiety and hypervigilance surrounding mom's absence. Transition the school environment from a place of "missing mom" to a safe, predictable routine with reliable helpers.
Key Counselor Scripts
"Even though Mom isn't in her usual spot today, she is working hard on healing at home. There are lots of helper-hearts here at school who know just how to keep you safe today."
Facilitator Tip: Help the student identify 3 physical "safe zones" in the school (e.g., nurse, counselor office, a specific library corner) and introduce them to these staff members to build physical safety maps.
2
Session 2: Chemo Heroes (De-mystifying Treatment)
Therapeutic Goal
Provide developmentally appropriate, non-scary psychoeducation about cancer and chemotherapy. Correct common childhood misconceptions (e.g., contagion, magical thinking of personal guilt).
Key Counselor Scripts
"Cancer isn't like a cold—you can't catch it from a hug. Chemo is a strong medicine superhero. It fights the bad cells, but because it's so strong, it makes Mom feel very tired and sleepy."
Explaining Hair Loss: "The chemo medicine is so tough on bad cells that it sometimes bumps the healthy hair cells too. Losing hair means the medicine is working hard. It is temporary and normal."
Healing Hearts School Counseling Curriculum Page 1 of 2
Healing Hearts
Facilitator Guide • Support for Parental Cancer & Change
Sessions 3 & 4
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Session 3: Navigating Emotional Weather
Therapeutic Goal
Validate externalized anger and internalized worry/grief. Support somatic awareness of emotions (where they live in the body) and supply structured, sensory-based calming strategies.
Key Counselor Scripts
"Just like a sky can have sunshine, rain, and thunder all in one afternoon, your heart can hold worry, love, and anger all at the same time. Every single feeling you have is okay."
Managing Sudden Anger: Frame anger as a protective shield. Explain: "Sometimes when we are actually really scared, our brain uses anger like a shield. Let's practice taking off the shield safely."
4
Session 4: Bridges of Love (Connection Rituals)
Therapeutic Goal
Create physical connection tokens to maintain safety when physically separated. Empower the child to feel active in Mom's care process without taking on parentified burdens.
Key Counselor Scripts
"Love is like an invisible string. No matter how far apart we are—even if Mom is resting and you are at school—the string never breaks. We can send love across that string anytime."
Implementation: Guide students to make pocket cards. One stays in their pocket or cubby, the other goes home to Mom's nightstand. Suggest non-disruptive touch rituals during the school day.
Clinical Red Flags & Coordination
Watch For:
Severe school refusal or physical separation panic.
Somatic complaints (frequent stomach/headaches).
Significant academic regression or selective mutism.
Persistent parentification (extreme worry about parent's chores).
Home Coordination:
Coordinate weekly with the non-treatment caregiver. Share details of the feelings weather-vane and pocket rituals. Ensure teachers are briefed to offer gentle transitions when students look spaced-out or sad.
Healing Hearts School Counseling Curriculum Page 2 of 2
School Day Map Worksheet My School Day Journey
Session 1 • Navigating Big Changes & My School Day
Name:
Date:
Sometimes, our daily routine changes. Even though Mom isn't in her usual spot in the school building right now, she is resting and getting strong at home. Your school is still a safe, wonderful place filled with people who care about you. Let's map your day!
1 Mom's Resting Space & My Learning Space
In the boxes below, draw a picture of Mom cozy and resting at home, and a picture of you learning and playing at school.
Mom Resting Safely at Home
Me Learning & Playing at School
2 My School-Day Safe Spots
Think about three places at school where you feel cozy, happy, or safe (like the library, your desk, or the playground). Color the stars and write or draw those three spaces:
Safe Spot 1
Safe Spot 2
Safe Spot 3
Healing Hearts Support Worksheet Page 1 of 2
My School-Day Helper Team
Session 1 • My Helpers & My Plan
Name:
Date:
3 Who are three adults at school you can talk to if you feel sad or worried?
Draw their faces or write their names. In the small bubble, write one thing they are good at helping you with (like "making me laugh" or "giving high fives").
Helper 1 Name
How they help me:
Helper 2 Name
How they help me:
Helper 3 Name
How they help me:
4 My Quick Cool-Down Check
When my heart feels heavy or hyperactive at school, I can follow these three quick steps:
1
Stop & Hand-on-Heart: Put your hand on your heart and feel it beating. This is your safe core.
2
In and Out: Take 3 slow, deep belly-breaths. Pretend you are smelling a flower and blowing out a candle.
3
Visual Check: Close your eyes and picture Mom cozy on her couch at home, surrounded by safe stars.
Healing Hearts Support Worksheet Page 2 of 2
Chemo Heroes Booklet Meet the Chemo Heroes!
Session 2 • De-mystifying Treatment in Kid-Friendly Language
Name:
Date:
Sometimes, our bodies need some extra help to fight off sneaky cells that shouldn't be there. That's where Chemo comes in! Let's learn how this super-medicine works and why it makes Mom a real-life superhero.
1. What are Cells & What is Cancer?
Our bodies are built out of trillions of tiny building blocks called cells . They are too small to see, but they are hard at work! Sometimes, a tiny group of cells gets confused and starts growing where they shouldn't. This confused group is called cancer .
🦠
Healthy Cells
They follow the body's rules, help us grow big and strong, and play nicely together.
🧩
Confused Cells
They get confused and stop listening. They need a special helper-medicine to clear them away.
2. Chemo - The Tough Helper-Medicine
Because confused cells are stubborn, doctors use a very strong medicine called Chemotherapy (or "Chemo" for short). Chemo works like a trained superhero that zooms through the body to find and wash away those confused cells.
Draw Your Chemo Superhero!
What does your "Chemo Superhero" look like? Does it have a cape? Does it use water-blasters to wash away the confused cells? Draw it here:
Healing Hearts support curriculum • Chemo Heroes Booklet Page 1 of 2
Superheroes Need Rest
Session 2 • Understanding Changes & Staying Safe
Name:
Date:
3. Why is Mom so Tired?
Because Chemo medicine is so incredibly strong, it uses up a lot of energy! It works so hard to fight the bad cells that it sometimes makes Mom feel sleepy, nauseous, or extra-tired.
Hair Loss
Chemo sometimes bumps hair cells by accident, which makes Mom's hair fall out. This means the medicine is working! Her hair will grow back when she is finished.
It is NOT Contagious
Cancer is not like a cold or flu. You cannot "catch" it, and you did not cause it. You can still hug Mom, love her, and hold her hand safely!
Three Absolute Truths
• You did not do or say anything that caused this. It is nobody's fault.
• Mom loves you just as much as always, even when she is too tired to play.
• Your only job right now is to keep being a kid! Learning, playing, and growing.
4. Draw One Way You Can Help Mom Rest
Draw yourself doing a peaceful activity next to Mom (like reading a quiet book, drawing her a picture, or tucking her blanket in):
Heart Weather Worksheet The Weather in My Heart
Session 3 • Expressing, Tracking, & Managing Big Feelings
Name:
Date:
Just like the sky can change from sunny to rainy, stormy, or windy, our hearts can experience different kinds of emotional weather too! Every feeling you have is totally okay and natural. Let's track your weather.
1 What's My Weather Today?
Look at the weather-hearts below. Color in the weather-heart that matches how you feel right this second:
☀️
Sunny
Happy / Peaceful
☁️
Cloudy
Quiet / Lonely
🌧️
Rainy
Sad / Tired
⚡
Stormy
Angry / Mad
💨
Windy
Worried / Scared
2 Draw Your Emotional Weather Inside the Heart
Use crayons or markers to fill this giant heart with the weather colors inside you today. You can draw lightning bolts, quiet clouds, warm sunshine, or heavy rain.
Healing Hearts School Counseling Curriculum Page 1 of 2
My Calm-Down Toolbox
Session 3 • Coping Strategies for Hard Weather Days
Name:
Date:
3 Three Superpowers to Calm the Storm
When your heart feels like a stormy thunderbolt or a windy hurricane, try using these three body tools:
1. Flower & Candle
Breathe in deeply like you are smelling a pretty rose. Then breathe out slowly like blowing out a candle. Repeat 3 times.
2. Lemon Squeeze
Squeeze your hands closed into tight fists like you're squeezing sour juice out of a lemon. Hold for 3 seconds, then let go!
3. I-Spy Game
Quietly look around the room. Name 3 blue things you can see, 2 things you can hear, and 1 thing you can touch.
4 My Sunny-Day Memory Bubble
Think of a memory that makes your heart feel very warm, safe, and happy (like a fun birthday, a sweet cuddle, or playing with a pet). Draw that memory in the giant bubble below so you can look at it whenever the weather is hard:
Healing Hearts School Counseling Curriculum Page 2 of 2
Bridge of Love Connection Cards The Bridge of Love Cards
Session 4 • Staying Connected & Sending Love From School
Name:
Date:
Love is like an invisible string that keeps us close, even when we are in different buildings. You can use these Connection Cards to send sweet thoughts, drawings, and "love coupons" to Mom while she rests at home. Color, write, and carefully cut out the cards!
Sheet 1: Color, Fill In, and Cut Along the Dotted Lines
🤗
A Hug to Save
for Later
Give this to Mom to store under her pillow.
Draw a picture of you and Mom hugging:
🌰
My Day in a
Nutshell
Tell Mom about one neat thing from your school day.
Today, something fun I did at school was:
I love you!
👑
Quiet Kingdom
Ticket
Mom gets 30 minutes of quiet, peaceful resting time.
My quiet promise to you:
"While you rest, my quiet activity will be:"
Healing Hearts Connection Project Page 1 of 2
The Bridge of Love Cards
Session 4 • Staying Connected & Sending Love From School
Name:
Date:
Sheet 2: Color, Fill In, and Cut Along the Dotted Lines
⭐
My Safe Star
for You
A bright star to light up Mom's bedside table.
Draw a shining star and color it golden:
📖
Cuddle Story
Coupon
Good for one bedtime story read-aloud or cuddle session.
My favorite story book to read with you is:
Can't wait to read it together!
🌸
A Garden of
Smiles
A little flower power to brighten Mom's room.
Draw a beautiful flower garden for Mom:
Healing Hearts Connection Project Page 2 of 2
