8th Grade Girl Power Small Group - GRIP Model

Goal:
The goal was to form a support group for 8th grade adolescent
girls who are having a hard time making friends at Brookland
Middle School. Skills discussed were about how to make
friends and carry on conversations with peers and adults.
Also, positive self-talk and healthy eating habits were
discussed. The students were provided with overall beneficial
knowledge and skills in order for them to smoothly transition
to high school. The design was a small group setting that met
for 30 minutes once a week during 6th period at Brookland.
Objectives for the group:
o Students will be able to understand and define selfesteem
o Students will be able to understand and define positive
versus negative self-talk
o Students will be able to increase knowledge of role
models and leaders, especially women role
models/leaders
o Students will be able to identify nutritious foods and
read a food pyramid/food label
o Students will be able to carry on appropriate
conversations with their peers
o Students will be able to identify things they are
interested in and how they can participate in these
interests in high school
Virginia School Counselor Association- Standards Met
o MP1. Recognize the effect of peer pressure on
decision making
o MP2. Understand the consequences of decisions and
choices
o MP4. Use appropriate decision making and problem
solving skills
o MP5. Demonstrate appropriate skills for interactions
with adults and developing and maintaining positive
peer relationships
o MP6. Use appropriate communication and conflict
resolution skills with peers and adults
o MP7. Understand how character traits, interests,
abilities, and achievement relate to attaining
personal, educational, and career goals.

Impact Statements:
Question 1: What is self-esteem?
Question 2: What is an example of positive selftalk?
Question 3: What makes someone a role model?
Question 4: Which of these do you need to eat 2
to 3 times a day?
Question 5: What makes someone a good friend?
Question 6: It is important to keep to myself and
not make friends or form relationships with my
teachers during the first week of school.
Results:
All five students completed a pre/ post-test regarding
their ability to identify positive self-esteem and
positive self-talk, recognizing a role model, healthy
eating habits, and making friends. Results revealed a
significant increase in these areas. Students
demonstrated a particular increase in the following
areas:
o Identifying positive versus negative self-talk
o The ability to recognize a good friend
o Understanding their own interests and
abilities to succeed

Group Counseling GRIP

80%

100%
80%

60%

100%
60%

100%

100%
80%

60%
40%

Q1

Q2

Q3

Pretest

0%Q4

Q5

Q6

Posttest

Program Implications: Results indicate that the group was successful in giving students the tools to develop positive
relationships with their peers, understand positive self-esteem and positive self-talk, identify role models/leaders and
how to be one, and locate nutritious foods. All students recognized the differences between positive and negative selftalk, as well as what makes an individual a good role model. All students also indicated what makes an individual a
good friend and how important it is to develop positive relationships early on. When implementing these particular
lessons, more time should be allotted. There were many things we did not have time to discuss, as well as things that
students also wanted to cover during the sessions. I would allow for approximately forty minutes in order for all lesson
components to be covered. Because of the time constraint, closures seemed to be difficult for each session. Allowing
more time for closing may help the individuals process more of the information provided during sessions. I plan on
following-up with each of the individual students, in order to make sure they were able to process the group
experience. I would run this group again with a new group of students. Six sessions seemed to be the appropriate
length for the groups overall purpose.