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Cracking the Code of Us

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Lesson Plan

Cracking the Code of Us

Students will identify one shared interest with the counselor and co-create a symbolic gesture to establish a positive therapeutic alliance.

Building trust and rapport with your counselor is the first step towards a successful and supportive counseling journey. This lesson will help students feel more comfortable and connected.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

25 minutes

Approach

Through engaging activities and discussion, students will discover common ground with their counselor.

Materials

Whiteboard or chart paper, Markers, Our Secret Handshake Activity, Getting to Know You Game, and Slide Deck

Prep

Review Materials and Set Up

10 minutes

Step 1

Connect & Build Rapport (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Greet students warmly and establish a positive tone.
    - Introduce the purpose of the session: to get to know each other better and build a strong partnership.
    - Briefly share a personal, light-hearted fact about yourself to model openness.
    - Transition to the Warm Up activity, if applicable, or begin with the Getting to Know You Game.

Step 2

Introduce Core Concept: Alliance & Partnership (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Use the Slide Deck to introduce the concepts of 'therapeutic alliance' and 'counseling as a partnership'.
    - Explain that building trust and finding common ground makes counseling more effective and comfortable.
    - Discuss the importance of shared interests as a bridge to understanding and connection.

Step 3

Engage in Activity: Shared Interests & Symbolic Gesture (10 minutes)

10 minutes

  • Facilitate the Getting to Know You Game to help students discover common interests with the counselor and peers.
    - After the game, focus on identifying at least one shared interest between the student and the counselor.
    - Introduce the idea of a 'secret handshake' or other symbolic gesture using the Our Secret Handshake Activity to represent their unique therapeutic alliance.
    - Guide the student and counselor in co-creating a simple gesture, drawing, or phrase that symbolizes their connection.

Step 4

Reflect & Close (5 minutes)

5 minutes

  • Bring the class back together for a brief reflection.
    - Ask students to share how it felt to discover shared interests and create a unique symbol.
    - Emphasize that this alliance is a dynamic process and can grow over time.
    - Conclude by thanking students for their participation and reinforcing the open-door policy for future sessions.
    - Use the Cool Down activity as an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

Cracking the Code of Us

Your Journey. Your Counselor. Your Connection.

Welcome students warmly. Briefly introduce yourself and the positive purpose of today's session: to build a strong connection. Emphasize that counseling is about working together.

Let's Get Connected!

Why is it important to feel connected?
What helps you connect with new people?

Ask students what 'connection' means to them. Share a quick, fun fact about yourself to model openness and encourage them to think about what makes them connect with others.

What's a Therapeutic Alliance?

It's the special connection between you and your counselor.
It's built on: Trust, Understanding, and Working Together.
Think of it as a team working towards your goals!

Introduce the term 'therapeutic alliance'. Explain it simply: it's the strong, positive relationship between a student and their counselor, built on trust and shared goals. It's like a partnership!

Building Bridges: Shared Interests

One of the best ways to build a strong connection is by finding things you have in common!
Shared interests create: Comfort, Understanding, and Fun!

Explain that finding common interests is a great way to start building that alliance. It makes conversations easier and helps people feel understood. We'll explore this with a game!

Time for the Getting to Know You Game!

Let's discover what makes us us!
We'll play a game to find common ground.

Transition into the 'Getting to Know You Game'. Explain the rules clearly. Observe and facilitate, encouraging students to notice similarities. Remind them to think about their counselor during this activity too.

Your Unique Symbol: Our Alliance Gesture

Now that we've found some common ground, let's create a special symbol for our connection!
This could be a:
- Secret Handshake
- Special Drawing
- Unique Phrase
It's YOUR code for YOUR connection!

After the game, guide students to reflect on specific shared interests with you. Then, introduce the 'Our Secret Handshake' activity. Explain that the gesture is a unique symbol of their specific, special connection with you.

Our Code is Cracked!

Congratulations! You've started to crack the code of connection.
Remember:
- Your relationship with your counselor is a partnership.
- We're here to work together on your journey.
- This connection is yours to grow!

Conclude by reiterating the value of their connection and the safe space counseling provides. Encourage them to use their new 'code' if it feels right. Remind them you are there to support them.

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Activity

Our Secret Handshake: Building Our Connection Code

Objective: To co-create a unique, symbolic gesture that represents the positive therapeutic alliance between you and your counselor.

Why are we doing this?
Just like secret handshakes show friendship, our special gesture will be a symbol of our trust and partnership in counseling!

Instructions:

  1. Recall Shared Interests: Think back to the Getting to Know You Game and any shared interests you discovered with your counselor.
  2. Brainstorm Ideas: With your counselor, brainstorm some ideas for a symbolic gesture. This could be:
    • A simple handshake with a unique twist (e.g., a high-five followed by a fist bump).
    • A small, quick drawing you both make in the air.
    • A short, silly phrase or word you both say.
    • A combination of these!
  3. Co-Create: Work together to decide on one gesture. It should feel comfortable and meaningful to both of you.
  4. Practice: Practice your new "code" a few times until you both remember it.

Reflection:

  • How did it feel to create a unique symbol with your counselor?





  • What does this gesture represent for your connection with your counselor?





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Game

Getting to Know You Game: Our Common Ground Challenge

Objective: To help students and the counselor discover shared interests in a fun and interactive way.

Materials:

  • Whiteboard or chart paper
  • Markers

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the Board: On a whiteboard or chart paper, write down several categories of interests. Examples:
    • Favorite Color
    • Favorite Animal
    • Favorite Subject in School
    • Favorite Hobby/Activity
    • Favorite Food
    • Favorite Type of Music
    • One Place I'd Love to Visit
    • Something I'm Good At
  2. Counselor Starts: The counselor goes first. Under each category, write your answer. For example, under
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Warm Up

Warm Up: What's Your Superpower?

Objective: To activate prior knowledge about self-expression and set a positive tone.

Instructions:

Take a moment to think: If you had a superpower, what would it be and why?




(Share your answer with a partner or the class.)

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Cool Down

Cool Down: My Connection Takeaway

Objective: To help students reflect on what they learned and how they connected.

Instructions:

On a scale of 1-5 (1 = not at all, 5 = very much), how comfortable do you feel about building a connection with your counselor after today's session?




What is one thing you learned or felt today about building a positive relationship with your counselor?





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