Purpose:

1. A group designed for children ages 8-11 who experience distress due to anger, anxiety, loss, or difficult living situations, to improve their ability to express feelings, manage strong emotions, make friends, and behave appropriately in social situations.

Objectives:

Participants will be able to:

1. 1. Identify their own feelings, verbalize them, and express them in the group.
2. 2. Share their "story" in a safe and supportive environment which allows them to bond
3. with other children.
4. 3. Learn skills to appropriately manage anger and other strong emotions.
5. 4. Learn skills to increase their ability to make and keep friends.
6. 5. Demonstrate appropriate behaviors in a social setting.

Evaluation:

1. Parents will complete the YOQ at the beginning and end of the group. Pre- and post-scores will be compared to evaluate behavioral and emotional effectiveness.
2. Participants will also complete an art project during the last session on the topic: "What I Liked/Didn't Like About Our Group".

Methods:

Groups will follow a regular format for consistency and behavioral reinforcement:

1. 1. Check in time and news of the week ( 10 min.)
2. 2. Review of last week's activity (3 min.)
3. 3. Activity, art project, or game to introduce new lesson or concept (20-30 min.)
4. 4. Circle Time: Processing and sharing (10 min.)
5. 5. Snack time and behavioral reinforcement (10 min.)

Group Outline:

Week 1: All About Me--Introductory Activity, Group Rules, and Sharing

Week 2: I Have BIG Feelings--Identifying, naming, and claiming feelings

Week 3: My Story--Sharing about self, family, good times, bad times (Videotape)

Week 4: Volcanoes--All about Anger

Week 5: Chill Skills, Part I--Chill, Blow, Face, Space

Week 6: Chill Skills, Part II--Name, Claim, Tame

Week 7: Making Friends

Week 8: Good Manners Matter--Activity to celebrate and practice our progress