Last Two Group Sessions

The eight week group program of Forgotten Voices officially ended last Monday. It really is hard to believe how fast this summer flew by...

The second to last session focused upon the topic of anger. The children were divided into two different groups, based upon age. Within the groups, we worked on skills related to anger (identifying, expressing, coping, and problem solving). The children learned new words to express their feelings (rage, envy, jealousy, irritation, etc). We used anger thermometers to represent our current anger levels. The Turtle Technique from Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was used to help children learn how to better solve problems. The 5 step process entails - STOP - GO IN YOUR SHELL LIKE A TURTLE - RELAX - THINK - DO SOMETHING. The children really liked this method, and we practiced the technique with role plays. Finally, we worked on some ways to cope with our anger (breathing, mindfulness, yoga, using the 5 senses, and other distraction methods). All of the children really seemed to enjoy this session, and most cited it as their favorite session in the post-group evaluations.

The last session was centered around the topic of choices. The take home message was that we all have choices in life. Some choices are good. Some choices are bad. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide how he or she wants to act. The children divided up into two groups and created a skit with puppets centering around a problem. Using the Turtle Technique, both groups worked out the problem and choose an effective and healthy solution. After this activity, the children played a review game as a means of summarizing all of the programs themes. Candy was awarded for participation. Lastly, we had an award ceremony, as each child was given a certificate for the successful completion of Forgotten Voices. A party followed with treats from Loco-Pops, balloons, confetti, and noise makers. The session marked a great ending to a wonderful group experience.

Having finished all of the post-group interviews, the results are phenomenal. Our assessment and evaluation tools show remarkable success. Upon comparison with the Pre-Group Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire, all children either stayed stable within the normal range for targeted issues, or made improvements (moving from an abnormal/borderline score to a normal score) on the Post-Group Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Also, all parents indicated on the Post-Group Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire that they have seem improvements in their children since the beginning of the group. In addition, on the individual evaluations, all of the children stated that they liked the group and expressed interest in joining another program in the future.

Amazing results. Great project. Future plans...most definitely. We will be back at this transitional housing facility for another group starting the beginning of October. We will continue to assess results, tweaking the program with each run, and working to ensure the success for these remarkable children.