Sydney Ellis

Girls Empowerment Small Group

Small Group Counseling
Grade: 8th

Time Required: 30 minutes

Number of Sessions: 6 Sessions

Size of Group: 5 Female Students
Meeting Times: Fridays during 6th period
Rationale Statement: Girls starting puberty (4th-8th grades) are at higher risk for low self-esteem
and negative body image (Paxton, Neumark-Sztainer, Hannan, & Eisenberg, 2006). Low selfesteem is related to depression, poor academic achievement, and negative body image.
According to Brookland Middle Schools Fall Semester Needs Assessment, female students,
parents, and teachers would prefer more small groups and individual counseling on female
empowerment and positive self-esteem.
Screening Process: The female adolescent students who were selected for this small group were
chosen because of their overall demeanor and interactions with fellow students. These
individuals were selected because they possess low self-esteem and/or have a hard time opening
up to others and making friends. These female students are either average or below average in
terms of their academics. Students who would be inappropriate for this group would be: male
students, female students with high academic achievement, and female students who have lots of
friends. My site supervisor selected these students based on prior knowledge of how the girls
interact with their peers.
Overview: The overall purpose of this small group is for adolescent 8th grade females to feel
empowered and prepared as they begin their transition to high school. Many helpful topics are
covered within the six sessions. The session topics include: self-esteem; positive self-talk/ selfimage; role models and leadership; health and wellness; friendships; and the transitioning
process.
Data Reporting Method: Data will be collected from this group by administering a 6 question
(one related to each session) Pre/ Posttest questionnaire. The Pretest will be completed during the
first session; the Posttest will be completed during the final session. A handout analyzing the
results will be shared at a counseling department faculty meeting.

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September 2015
Dear Parent/Guardian,
My name is Sydney Ellis and I am a practicum graduate student in the Counselor Education
program at Virginia Commonwealth University. I am offering a small counseling group for 8th
grade girls. The purpose of the group is to provide empowerment for young adolescent girls. We
will meet for 30 minutes on Fridays for six weeks. The group will begin October 2nd and end
November 6th.
Requirements for VCU include videotaping the sessions which will be reviewed by other
practicum graduate students for educational purposes. Confidentiality will be maintained, and all
tapes will be destroyed at the completion of the semester.
If you would like your child to participate in group, please complete and sign the permission slip
below and return it to the school counseling office by Friday, September 25th.
If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact my site supervisor, Mrs.
Roshonda Ballard at (804) 261-5007.

I look forward to working with your student!

Sincerely,

Sydney P. Ellis

Roshonda Ballard

Graduate Student

8th Grade School Counselor

Virginia Commonwealth University

Brookland Middle School

School of Education

(804) 261-5007

Counselor Education Department

rstballard@henrico.k12.va.us

I give permission for my child to participate in the Girls Empowerment Group that focuses on
positive self-esteem and perseverance.
Childs Name______________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature _______________________________ Date_______________

Parent/Guardian Contact Number______________________________________________

Please return this permission slip to the main counseling office by September 25th, 2015

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Session One:
Purpose: Group members will introduce themselves to one another through an activity. We will
discuss the importance of confidentiality and establish group rules. We will go over promoting
self-esteem.
VSCA Standards:
MP7. Understand how character traits, interests, abilities, and achievement relate to
attaining personal, educational, and career goals.
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Students will be able to understand the importance of confidentiality

Students will be able to create their own rules and expectations of the group
Students will be able to introduce themselves to one another
Students will be able to define and discuss self-esteem
95% of students will be able to learn how to obtain and maintain positive self-esteem

Materials:
Paper
Pencil
Markers/Colored Pencils/Crayons
Your Name Magazine example & Counselors example
Construction Paper
Pre-Test
Pre-Test
1. What is self-esteem?
a. An individuals overall sense of self-worth and personal value
b. Being respectful of others
c. Taking care of yourself
d. All of the above
2. What is an example of positive self-talk?
a. I cant do this assignment because I dont know how.
b. I am confident I can achieve this goal.
c. My friends always get everything right.
d. Both B and C
3. What makes someone a role model?
a. Someone who makes bad choices
b. Someone who is famous
c. Someone who sets a good example for others
d. None of the above
4. Which of these do you need to eat 2 to 3 times a day?
a. Fruits
b. Grains
c. Vegetables

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d. All of the above
5. What makes someone a good friend?
a. They post a lot of pictures with you on Facebook and Instagram
b. They support you when youre going through a hard time
c. They are funny
d. All of the above
6. It is important to keep to myself and not make friends or form relationships with my
teachers during the first week of school.
a. True
b. False
Icebreaker and Introductions:
Your Name Magazine Students will design their own magazine cover page describing what
they like to do and what they would like us to know about them. Each student will share their
magazine cover by stating their name and what they drew.

Your Name Magazine

Brookland Middle School Publishers

October 2015

Richmond, Virginia
Look carefully at several magazine covers for ideas. Use the details you like to make your own
cover. Add some information that will give the reader ideas about what you like.

Draw a picture
of yourself!

Inside the issue:

About Me
What I want to be when I grow up
What I look forward to in High School
Group Rules and Confidentiality:
What does confidentiality mean?

Volume 1, Number 1
October 1st, 2015
Your Name Magazine

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Explain confidentiality as what is said in group should stay in group; however, we cant always
guarantee confidentiality because I cannot control what you may say to someone else. However,
you are encouraged to not discuss what you or your group members say outside of group.
Come up as a group with the group rules (3 or 4 rules)
Activity and Discussion:
1. What is self-esteem? (Confidence in our ability to think and in our ability to cope with
basic challenges in life- confidence in our right to be successful and happy; feelings of
being self-worthy, deserving, and valued
2. What does negative self-esteem look like? What does positive self-esteem look like?
3. Which type of self-esteem is better to have and why?
4. How will it help you to have positive self-esteem at school? At home?
Each member write on a piece of paper: I like ________ because (write their own name) and
then pass it to the person to the left. Everyone will write a compliment for each group member
until it gets back to the original owner. **Remind them not to disagree with or think the opposite
of the compliments. If someone wrote that about you, then it is true.**
1. How did it feel to receive those compliments?
2. How did it feel to give another group member compliments?
3. What did you most enjoy about this activity and why?
Closure:
What do you hope to learn in group?
What is one thing you want to know before starting high school?
What is one new thing you learned in group today? (A round)
Pass out Self-Esteem Handout for girls to take home- I encourage you to take this home, read it,
and put it somewhere where you may see it everyday
Self-Esteem
If you have high or healthy self-esteem, you might agree with the following statements:

I feel good about who I am

I am proud of what I can do, but I do not show off
I know there are some things that I am good at and some things I need to improve
I am responsible for the things I do and say, both good and bad
It is okay if I win or if I lose
Before I do something, I usually think I can do it.

If you have low or poor self-esteem, you might agree with the following statements:

I cant do anything right

I am ugly or dumb

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I do not have any friends

I do not like to try new things
It really upsets me to make mistakes
I do not think I am as nice, pretty, or smart as the other girls in my class
I have a hard time making friends
I have a hard time making friends because I end up getting angry and fighting with
people
It makes me uncomfortable when people say nice things about me
Sometimes I feel better if I say mean things to other people

Boost you self-esteem:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Tell yourself that it is okay not to be the best at everything.

Help out by doing chores around the house and volunteering in your community.
Do things that you enjoy, or learn about new things you would like to try.
Understand that there will be times when you will feel disappointed in yourself and other
people. No one is perfect!
5. If you are angry, try talking it over with an adult you trust (parents/guardians, relatives, or
a school counselor).
6. Think positively about yourself and the things you can do. Think: I will try!
7. If you still find that you are not feeling good about yourself, talk to a trusted adult.
Lesson Source:
Brookland Middle School- School Counseling Department
Camp, E., & Wu, A. (n.d.). Girl power: Self-esteem group curriculum for 5th grade girls.
Retrieved September 25, 2015, from
www.csus.edu/indiv/b/brocks/Workshops/CASP/Girl Power.08.pdf
Paxton, S. J., Neumark-Sztainer, D., Hannan, P. J., & Eisenberg, M. E. (2006). Body
dissatisfaction prospectively predicts depressive mood and low self-esteem in
adolescent girls and boys. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 35(4),
539-549.
Self-Esteem. (n.d.). Retrieved October 1, 2015, from
http://www.4girls.gov/emotions/feelinggood/se.test.cfm
Session Two:
Purpose: Students will create a positive self-image and learn more about positive self-image and
self-talk.
VSCA Standards:

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MP1. Recognize the effect of peer pressure on decision making
MP7. Understand how character traits, interests, abilities, and achievement relate to
attaining personal, educational, and career goals.
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.

95% of students will be able to discuss the importance of confidentiality

Students will be able to revisit the groups rules and expectations
Students will be able to define positive self-talk
Students will be able to discuss positive and negative ways that females are portrayed in
the media

Materials:
Pencil
Paper
Markers
Girl Detectives Worksheet
Icebreaker/Revisit group rules:
Name Acronym- choose a word or phrase that starts with each letter of your name. Describe to
the group. Make sure everyone starts out by saying I am _____. For example, I am Super! (S
is the first letter of my name)
Review rules of confidentiality, group rules, and what was discussed during the last session.
Come up with a group name.
Activity and Discussion:
1. What is positive self-talk?
2. Why is this important for your self-esteem?
3. How do you feel when you dont use positive self-talk?
Decoding the Media This activity allows the girls to investigate different ways females are
portrayed in the media. The girls will examine their ads and then answer some questions on their
Girl Detectives worksheet. The questions are:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Who created this message or picture?

What is the purpose of this message or picture?
Is this a positive, healthy message for girls? Why or why not?
How might different people see this message differently from me?
What would you change or add to this message or picture to make it better?

Once everyone is finished, have each girl share what they investigated.
Closure:
What did we do today in group?
What is one new thing you learned in group today? (A round)

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How will you use what we talked about today outside of this room?
Homework: Find one positive message or picture in the media on your own that represents
women. Bring it to the next meeting and explain to the group why it is positive and uplifting for
females.
Lesson Source:
Camp, E., & Wu, A. (n.d.). Girl power: Self-esteem group curriculum for 5th grade girls.
Retrieved September 25, 2015, from
www.csus.edu/indiv/b/brocks/Workshops/CASP/Girl Power.08.pdf
Session Three:
Purpose: Female role models and heroes in society will be identified. Students will be
encouraged to become female role models for other females.
VSCA Standards:
MP5. Demonstrate appropriate skills for interactions with adults and developing and
maintaining positive peer relationships,
MP7. Understand how character traits, interests, abilities, and achievement relate to
attaining personal, educational, and career goals.
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Students will be able to discuss group rules

Students will be able to identify female role models and heroes in society
Students will be able to recognize why these role models are important to our society
Students will be able to identify reasons what makes these role models leaders
95% of students will be able to determine what makes them a role model

Materials:
Paper
Pencil
Icebreaker/Revisit group rules:
Have everyone share their homework assignment and why it represents a positive message for
females.
Activity and Discussion:
1.
2.
3.
4.

What makes someone a leader?

What makes someone a role model?
Are they the same thing? Why or why not?
Are you a leader or a role model? Why or why not? How could you become one?

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Thank You Letter Have the girls write a thank you letter to someone they look up to (parent,
friend, teacher, celebrity, etc.) The thank you letters should be minimum 5 sentences, and should
include why they look up to them, how they help others, and how they could follow in their
footsteps.
5. What was this like for you?
Closure:
What did we do today in group?
What is one new thing you learned in group today? (A round)
How will you use what we talked about today outside of this room?
Lesson Source:
Camp, E., & Wu, A. (n.d.). Girl power: Self-esteem group curriculum for 5th grade girls.
Retrieved September 25, 2015, from
www.csus.edu/indiv/b/brocks/Workshops/CASP/Girl Power.08.pdf
Session Four:
Purpose: Students will gain knowledge regarding good nutrition and choosing nutritious foods.
They will also gain knowledge about healthy and safe behaviors.
VSCA Standards:
MP2. Understand the consequences of decisions and choices,
Objectives:
1. 95% of students will be able to identify nutritious foods
2. 95% of students will be able to identify safe and healthy behaviors
3. Students will be able to read food labels and learn how to apply the information to a
healthy eating lifestyle
4. Students will be able to read and understand the food pyramid
5. Students will be able to learn and participate in relaxation techniques such as deep
breathing and stress relief
Materials:
Food Pyramid example (for all members)
Food Label example (for all members)
Weekend Nutrition Log
Paper
Pencil

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Warm-Up:
Relaxation techniques- Deep breathing exercise
1. Could you do these exercises on your own?
2. When could you use them?
Activity and Discussion:
1. What is nutrition? (The study of food and its effect on the health and growth of an
individual)
2. Why is it important to take care of and appreciate our bodies?
3. Should we compare ourselves to females in the media? Why or why not?
Review the food pyramid- give examples of each food group

Read a food label and learn what the information means

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Closure:
Share one healthy food that you like to eat with the group.
What is one thing you learned about health and nutrition today?
Homework:
Track what you eat over the weekend and decide where your food falls under the food pyramid.
Keep a log of what you ate on Saturday and Sunday.
Name: ______________________
What Have I Eaten?
Saturday
Breakfast:

Food Pyramid Level:

Lunch:

Food Pyramid Level:

Snack:

Food Pyramid Level:

Dinner:

Food Pyramid Level:

Other:

Food Pyramid Level:

Sunday
Breakfast:

Food Pyramid Level:

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Lunch:

Food Pyramid Level:

Snack:

Food Pyramid Level:

Dinner:

Food Pyramid Level:

Other:

Food Pyramid Level:

Lesson Source:
Andrew, R., Tiggemann, M., & Clark, L. (2015). Predictors of intuitive eating in adolescent
girls. Journal of Adolescent Health, 56(2), 209-214.
Brookland Middle School- School Counseling Department
Session Five:
Purpose: The purpose of this session is to help the girls make friends in and outside of school.
The goal is to provide them with information they can take with them and apply throughout the
rest of their lives when developing positive peer relationships.
VSCA Standards:
MP1. Recognize the effect of peer pressure on decision making
MP5. Demonstrate appropriate skills for interactions with adults and developing and
maintaining positive peer relationships
MP6. Use appropriate communication and conflict resolution skills with peers and
adults
Objectives:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

95% of students will be able to identify what makes someone a good friend
Students will be able to recognize how to have healthy peer relationships
Students will be able to compare negative relationships versus positive relationships
Students will be able to identify the effect of peer pressure
Students will be able to discuss important conversation and listening skills

Materials:
Conversation and Listening Skills Worksheet
Paper
Pencil
Warm-Up:
Have each member share their food log from the weekend before. Talk about what was healthy
and what was unhealthy; have them identify what they want to work on.
Activity and Discussion:

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1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Why is it important to communicate with others?

How do you define a successful friendship?
What makes someone a good friend?
What is peer pressure?
Why is it not a good idea to be friends with someone who pressures you into doing things
you dont want to do?
6. What is the hardest thing about starting new conversations? What is the easiest thing?
Pass out Conversation and Listening Skills worksheet. Discuss each item on the list. Have
group members role play in dyads (5 minutes). Have two volunteers role play the conversation
and listening skills in front of the group (5 minutes). Have them make up a conversation about
anything. One person must start the conversation and the other person must respond.
7. What was that like for you?
8. How did it feel to be the one initiating the conversation?
9. How did it feel to be the one responding to the conversation?
Closure:
What did we do today in group?
What is one new thing you learned in group today? (A round)
How will you use what we talked about today outside of this room?
Lesson Source:
Richardson, R. C., Myran, S. P., & Tonelson, S. (2009). Teaching social and emotional
competence in early childhood. International Journal of Special Education, 24(3), 143149.
Conversation and Listening Skills

Approachwithconfidence.

Makeeyecontact.

Askquestionsaboutthingsthatinteresttheotherperson.

Focusonthepersontalking.

Getyourpointacrosswithoutinterrupting.

Listenandrespondactively.

Closeconversationappropriately.(Itsbeennicetalking,Seeyoulater)
Session Six:

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Purpose: The purpose of this session is to discuss transitioning to High School and taking all of
the information learned during these sessions and apply them beyond the small group.
VSCA Standards:
MP2. Understand the consequences of decisions and choices,
MP4. Use appropriate decision making and problem solving skills,
MP7. Understand how character traits, interests, abilities, and achievement relate to
attaining personal, educational, and career goals.
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to determine the importance of being themselves
2. Students will be able to recognize how positive relationships with teachers can be
beneficial
3. 95% of students will be able to identify what extracurricular activities and elective
courses they are interested in
4. Students will be able to discuss the importance of volunteering
5. Students will be able to discuss and create different ways to make friends
Materials:
Post-its with celebrity names already written
Paper
Pencil
What are your Interests? Worksheet
Post-Test
Group Member Evaluation
Icebreaker:
Who am I?- Have a stack of famous celebrity names on post-its. Everyone gets a turn to pick a
post-it and stand up in front of the rest of the group. The student will put the post-it on her
forehead while the other group members call out clues so she can guess who she is.
Activity and Discussion:
1. Is it important to be yourself? Why or why not?
2. What if you are having a hard time making friends so you start acting differently? What
is wrong with that?
3. Why do you think it is important to have good relationships with your teachers? What are
some things that they could help you with?
What are your Interests? Have students identify what kind of extracurricular activities and
electives they may be interested in at the high school level. (Worksheet with a list of many
different interests that they can circle)

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4. Share what you are interested in. If you like these things why wouldnt you try to be
involved in them when you start high school?
5. Why do you think volunteer opportunities are listed on there? Why is it important to
volunteer?
6. How can you take what we learned in our friendship lesson and apply it to when you start
high school? How will you make friends?
Termination:
Conduct a round by having each participant talk about what they feel that they are best taking
away from the group. Have they made progress with making and keeping friendships? What has
been useful to them? How confident are they feeling about being able to use the skills in the
group to help improve their friendships in the future?
Evaluation:
Post-Test
1. What is self-esteem?
e. An individuals overall sense of self-worth and personal value
f. Being respectful of others
g. Taking care of yourself
h. All of the above
2. What is an example of positive self-talk?
e. I cant do this assignment because I dont know how.
f. I am confident I can achieve this goal.
g. My friends always get everything right.
h. Both B and C
3. What makes someone a role model?
e. Someone who makes bad choices
f. Someone who is famous
g. Someone who sets a good example for others
h. None of the above
4. Which of these do you need to eat 2 to 3 times a day?
e. Fruits
f. Grains
g. Vegetables
h. All of the above
5. What makes someone a good friend?
e. They post a lot of pictures with you on Facebook and Instagram
f. They support you when youre going through a hard time
g. They are funny
h. All of the above
6. It is important to keep to myself and not make friends or form relationships with my
teachers during the first week of school.
c. True
d. False

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Lesson Source:
Brookland Middle School-School Counseling Department

Group Member Evaluation

1. What did you learn about in group?
D.G.-Using positive self-talk; stop with the negative thoughts; choose your friends wisely
and what to look for in a friend

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2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

J.N-Dont put yourself or others down; try to eat healthier; be happy with the way you are
L.L.-Stay positive; dont criticize others even though you may jealous of them- be happy
with who you are
What was the most helpful thing you learned? Why?
D.G.-To not be so negative and so hard on myself because things happen, be positive;
always be yourself
J.N.-To not put myself down; I dont eat as healthy as I should and paying more attention
to that; learning how to be more open with people and more outgoing
L.L.-Always stay positive and tell yourself you can do it, even if you make mistakes
What was the least helpful thing you learned? Why?
D.G.-Friendship because I have some really great friends already.
J.N.-Fake friend examples because I have never experienced someone who acts fake.
L.L.-Self-esteem because I already have a lot of self-confidence.
Which activities did you like the most?
D.G.-I am ; Your name magazine cover; Thank you letter
J.N.-Conversations with a partner; Thank you letter
L.L.-Your name magazine cover; I am ; Looking at the food pyramid
What is something I could do to make the group better?
D.G.-Tell us more about yourself and getting to know the other members even more;
more games
J.N.-Add more people; have the group for a longer period of time
L.L.-Try to get more people to get involved and to encourage them to talk more
Is there anything that you wanted to talk about that we didnt get to? If yes, what is it?
D.G.-More details about High School
J.N.-No
L.L.-Relationships with boys

Leader Self-Evaluation
1. How successful was the small group based on the pre and posttest results?
The small group was very successful based on the pre and posttest results. There was an
overall increase in student knowledge (see GRIP below).
2. What were some limitations to the small group?
The biggest limitation of the small group was the amount of time I had allotted for the
sessions. I only had about thirty minutes on a good day while meeting with the girls. I
always felt as though I had to rush by the end of the session, especially when I was trying
to close during the final session.
3. What were some benefits?
I think the information provided was very beneficial. The girls seemed to learn a lot from
each session and understood how to apply the skills and knowledge gained.
4. What should I change to make the group more successful?
I still need to be more comfortable with silence, especially with a quiet group. I need to
know when I am talking too much and when to let the students talk. I also need to be
more aware of my time limit. I found myself rushing by the end because I had a tendency
of giving the students too much time on an activity, and not enough time on processing.

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5. What activities were students most interested in?
The students seemed interested in all of the activities. There were times when the girls
did not want to stop an activity when I told them to stop.
6. What concepts/sessions did the students have a harder time grasping?
I think the girls had the hardest time grasping the topics during the final session. I asked
some questions about information we hadnt really discussed before and I feel as though I
could have left that out. The girls seemed to have an understanding of what we had talked
about in previous sessions; therefore, I think I should have focused more on closing than
bringing up new topics.
7. Was I able to lead the group well? Why or why not?
I definitely think I was able to lead the group well; however, I would not have said that
after the first session. The group started off a little rocky because the girls were so quiet
and I have a hard time being comfortable with silence. I felt like I was forcing them to do
things before they were ready. Of course, this was clearly not true because they all
enjoyed the experience and felt comfortable enough to talk with me and the other
members.