NCESD Professionals Gain Skills to Facilitate Student Psychoeducational Support Groups
On October 17 and 18, 2024, the entire NCESD team of Student Assistance Professionals and Educational Advocates spent two valuable days developing their expertise in running student support groups. NCESD hosted an experienced trainer, Kim Beeson, formerly of Puget Sound ESD, to lead our team in learning best practices and handling challenging situations when facilitating student groups.
Topics covered included:
- Adolescent group theory
- School-based group tips and tools
- Building group rapport and cohesion
- How to lead opening and closing activities
- Responses to challenging situations
- Extensive group practice and feedback activities
The NCESD team is focused on leading educational student groups, not therapeutic groups. Student learning in small group settings aligns well with adolescent developmental needs to join with peers. Student groups can be difficult to organize and maintain in busy schools, but their benefits make them worth pursuing for better student support.
The NCESD Behavioral Health Student Assistance team’s mission is to assist students in better understanding their own and others’ behavioral health and to develop their internal habits for coping and wellness. When students have more skills to use, they can grow their healthy resilience so they are better able to attend and participate in learning at school.
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