178. Small Groups: Who Should You Start With First?

Small Groups: Who Should You Start With First?You have time to run only a few counseling groups—but your referral list keeps growing. How do you decide which group should come first?

In this episode of Counselor Chat, we explore how to choose small groups based on your school’s current data and student needs instead of automatically repeating the groups you ran last year.

You’ll learn:

Which school data sources can help identify group needsHow to distinguish patterns from isolated incidentsThree important filters: need, fit, and feasibilityWhy the most requested group may not be the highest priorityWhat to consider when selecting group membersHow to create measurable group goalsSimple ways to collect data before, during, and after a groupHow to support students whose groups cannot begin immediately

The goal isn’t to run the most groups possible. It’s to run the right groups for the students who need them now.

Links:

My favorite Small Groups:K-3 Girls Friendship Group

4-8 Girls Friendship Group

K-3 Impulse Control Group

K-2 Coping Skills Group

1-4 Anxiety Group

4-8 Having Hope Group