Peer relationship navigation, conversational turn-taking, and stress management strategies within supportive group settings. Develops communal belonging through shared mental health education and collaborative skill practice.
A dynamic conversation game where students practice active listening and non-verbal communication through 'Talker' prompts and 'Listener' challenges. Students learn to recognize and use body language to show they are truly engaged in a conversation.
A comprehensive session focused on uncovering internal drivers, setting meaningful academic goals, and building social-emotional resilience through motivation strategies.
A mental health literacy workshop for high schoolers that teaches the 'Notice, Listen, Link' model for supporting peers in distress while emphasizing personal boundaries and professional referrals.
A lesson designed for small groups to explore self-worth by identifying individual strengths and mastering the art of positive self-talk through guided discussion and reflection.
A game-based social-emotional learning lesson using UNO cards to help students navigate the transition to high school, focusing on friendships, academic stress, peer pressure, and balance.
A functional skills lesson focused on navigating a restaurant experience on a budget, covering menu reading, budget planning, social etiquette, and group check splitting.
A 45-minute therapeutic leisure session for teens focused on building social connections and team dynamics through collaborative activities and reflection.
A 50-minute interactive workshop for high school girls focused on the power of sisterhood, navigating the nuances of Black girlhood, and understanding personal friendship styles inspired by Dr. Joy Harden Bradford's 'Sisterhood Heals'.
Reflecting on the 10-week journey and creating a personal communication contract for the future.
How to define, communicate, and maintain personal boundaries in a healthy way.
The framework for offering and accepting genuine apologies to repair damaged relationships.
A collaborative approach to problem-solving that seeks 'win-win' outcomes for all involved.
The sequence concludes with students designing a 'Community Care Agreement' to establish norms for mutual support and collective rest in their own communities.
This lesson teaches specific bystander intervention strategies to bridge the gap between noticing distress and connecting a peer to resources.
Students learn to identify subtle behavioral and non-verbal signs of distress in their peers and practice gentle intervention strategies.
A workshop focusing on the listening skills required to support peers, emphasizing validation over immediate problem-solving.
Students define psychological safety and analyze its impact on team performance, using Google's 'Project Aristotle' as a primary case study.
In this culminating project, students work in small groups to design a comprehensive check-in system for a specific student organization (e.g., Student Council, Football Team, Drama Club). They pitch their protocol, explaining how it fits the specific culture and needs of that group while ensuring emotional support.
Students learn how to recognize behavioral indicators that require escalation or support beyond a simple check-in. They study the difference between a bad mood and a crisis, learning professional boundaries and the appropriate pathways for referring a peer to a counselor or administrator.
Focusing on leadership, this lesson teaches students how to lead a check-in routine. They learn specific questioning techniques that encourage honesty without overstepping boundaries, and practice active listening skills to validate peers' feelings without necessarily trying to 'fix' them immediately.
Students examine real-world check-in models, specifically the 'Scrum' or 'Agile' stand-up meeting and medical rounds. They deconstruct these rituals to understand how they balance efficiency (time limits) with human connection (emotional state assessment) and obstacle identification.
Students investigate the concept of psychological safety and its role in team success, analyzing case studies from Google's Project Aristotle. They discuss how daily check-ins serve as a mechanism for establishing the trust required for risk-taking and error reporting in a group setting.
Positive peer connections are vital for social-emotional well-being and academic success, especially in high school. This session equips students with skills to navigate friendships, build trust, and reduce negative peer influences.
Developing emotional regulation skills is crucial for ninth-grade males, helping them navigate stress, reduce impulsive reactions, and make more thoughtful decisions. This directly enhances their agency and strengthens their character.
Empowering students with a sense of agency helps them understand that they are active participants in shaping their own lives, rather than passive recipients of circumstances. This integration of the three C's strengthens their self-efficacy and motivation.
Effective decision-making is a critical life skill, especially during the high school transition. This session empowers students to make thoughtful choices that align with their values, leading to positive outcomes and increased self-efficacy.
Understanding and actively cultivating strong character is essential for ethical decision-making, building positive relationships, and developing a strong sense of self-worth. This session guides students in self-reflection on their personal values.
Building strong commitment is foundational for academic and behavioral success. This session helps students understand the direct link between their commitment and their ability to follow through on decisions and goals.
Establish a supportive environment, introduce core concepts of Commitment, Character, and Choices, and set foundational group norms.
A fast-paced, game-based lesson designed to foster teamwork, communication, and problem-solving through a series of collaborative challenges.
A focused lesson for 9th-grade students to improve conversation flow, turn-taking, and social confidence through role-playing and strategic transitions.
Final review of core skills, personal growth reflection, and creation of a relationship roadmap for the future.
Focuses on physical organization, creating a designated 'launchpad' for school items to eliminate morning decision fatigue.
A deep dive into teen circadian rhythms and practical strategies for improving sleep hygiene without a total lifestyle overhaul.
Explores the impact of evening blue light and social media on sleep quality, helping students design a 'digital sunset' window.
An initial commitment session where students set baseline goals, choose a primary accountability partner, and sign their first growth contract.
A goal-setting session where the student identifies meaningful incentives and signs a restorative contract for attendance.
A practical planning session where the student maps out their current morning routine and designs a more efficient 'blueprint' for success.
A lesson focused on a non-judgmental exploration of why the student is struggling to arrive on time. It uses root cause analysis to separate symptoms from sources.
Honor individual growth, provide closure for the group, and identify resources for ongoing support, including Tier 3 referral screening.
Focus on the transition to summer, identifying potential triggers during unstructured time, and creating a personalized support plan.
Explore the physical and emotional 'waves' of grief, identify personal triggers, and build a toolkit of grounding and coping strategies.
Creating a concrete, actionable plan for the upcoming academic year and celebrating the group's progress.
Establish group safety, introduce the concept of diverse losses, and allow students to map their personal journeys in a supportive environment.
Building a personalized toolkit of strategies based on specific barrier types and identifying a support network.
Focuses on practical refusal skills and the creation of a personalized 'Summer Safety Blueprint' for navigating high-pressure social situations.
Identifying the root causes of academic struggle by distinguishing between personal habits, executive functioning challenges, and external/systemic factors.
Students identify specific summer risk factors and apply a structured decision-making framework to hypothetical party and social scenarios.
Introduction to the group, establishing norms, and addressing the psychological impact of academic failure by separating performance from identity.
Students examine current substance use patterns through a motivational interviewing lens and analyze Massachusetts-specific adolescent health data to understand local trends.
A restorative justice and empathy-building lesson designed for individual intervention with students displaying bullying or exclusionary behaviors. The materials focus on self-reflection, perspective-taking, and developing healthier social habits.
Students will apply their tools to future academic and personal stressors. This session focuses on time management, goal setting, and creating a proactive plan for high-stress periods.
Addressing perfectionism and self-criticism, this session introduces self-compassion as a tool for resilience. Students will practice kindness toward themselves and challenge the 'inner critic'.
This session focuses on navigating social anxiety and peer pressure. Students will learn about healthy boundaries and practice assertive communication to protect their mental well-being.
Students will explore the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They will learn to identify 'thought traps' and practice 'flipping the script' on anxious internal narratives.
The final session focuses on long-term maintenance and 'relapse prevention.' Students will create a take-home survival kit and celebrate their growth within the collective.
Students will explore a variety of sensory and cognitive coping strategies. They will evaluate which techniques work best for them and begin building their personal 'Coping Menu'.
This session introduces mindfulness as a tool for presence. Students will practice breathwork and a body scan, discussing how to integrate these small moments into a busy high school schedule.
Students explore mindfulness through artistic expression, using drawing as a tool for grounding and emotional regulation. This 40-minute session for Grades 9-10 combines guided instruction with creative practice and reflective dialogue.
A 40-minute group counseling session for 9th graders focusing on identifying personal self-care strategies and creating a customized weekly recharge plan.
Consolidating skills and committing to concrete actions empowers students to use social-emotional tools in real-life situations and reinforces group support.
Equipping students with emotion-regulation tools reduces conflict escalation, supports positive peer interactions, and builds resilience in challenging situations.
Active listening enhances understanding, builds trust, and improves peer relationships. Structured conversations help students apply listening skills in real interactions.
Learning to accurately identify others’ emotions and respond with empathy deepens social connections, reduces misunderstandings, and builds a positive group climate.
Building a rich emotional vocabulary to help students recognize and communicate feelings while establishing a safe group climate with shared agreements.
A two-session Tier 2 group lesson series for high school students to identify academic stress triggers and develop personalized coping strategies.
Building a robust emotional vocabulary to move beyond 'mad' and 'sad'. Students learn the difference between primary and secondary emotions.
Introduction to the concept of emotional mastery, identifying basic emotions, and setting group expectations. Students explore why understanding feelings is a strength, not a weakness.
Developing the ability to pause and choose a thoughtful response over an impulsive reaction. Students play a scenario-based game to practice decision-making.
