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Healing Hearts Circle

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Lesson Plan

Healing Hearts Circle Lesson Plan

Provide a safe, supportive circle for 8th graders who have lost a loved one to suicide to share experiences, learn three coping strategies, and practice peer support.

Grief after suicide can feel isolating. This session builds community, validates feelings, and equips students with healthy coping tools and resilience through guided sharing.

Audience

8th Grade Students

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Peer circle sharing, guided discussion, and role-play.

Materials

Chart Paper & Markers, Emotion Cards, Coping Strategies Handout, and Timer or Smartphone App

Prep

Session Preparation

15 minutes

  • Print one copy of Coping Strategies Handout per student
  • Gather Chart Paper and Markers to record guidelines and strategies
  • Assemble Emotion Cards into a deck
  • Arrange chairs in a circle to promote open dialogue
  • Review trauma-informed safe space guidelines and referral steps

Step 1

Establish Safe Space

5 minutes

  • Welcome students and briefly introduce the purpose of the circle
  • Explain confidentiality: what’s shared stays in the room
  • Co-create ground rules on Chart Paper (e.g., respect, no judgment, active listening)
  • Encourage use of “I” statements and “pass” option if needed

Step 2

Check-In Sharing

15 minutes

  • Distribute Emotion Cards; each student selects one that matches how they feel today
  • Go around the circle; students share their card choice and an “I feel…” statement
  • Model empathetic listening and validate each student’s emotions

Step 3

Introduce Coping Strategies

10 minutes

  • Post three strategies on Chart Paper (e.g., deep breathing, journaling, grounding techniques)
  • Briefly describe each strategy and its benefit
  • Hand out Coping Strategies Handout
  • Ask students to circle the strategy they find most helpful

Step 4

Peer Support Role-Play

10 minutes

  • Pair students up and assign roles: Speaker (shares a brief worry) and Listener (practices active listening)
  • Speaker uses one chosen coping strategy; Listener offers empathetic feedback
  • After 5 minutes, rotate roles
  • Debrief: What felt supportive? What did you learn?

Step 5

Reflect & Close

5 minutes

  • Invite each student to share one takeaway from today’s session
  • Acknowledge bravery and thank everyone for participating
  • Remind students of ongoing support: school counselor, trusted adults
  • End with a brief grounding exercise (e.g., three deep breaths)
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Slide Deck

Healing Hearts Circle

A 45-minute support group for 8th graders who have experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide.

Welcome the students, introduce yourself, and explain the purpose of today’s Healing Hearts Circle. Emphasize that this is a supportive, confidential space.

Session Objectives

• Share personal experiences and emotions
• Learn three healthy coping strategies
• Practice offering and receiving peer support

Review the session objectives aloud. Invite students to listen for how each activity helps them toward these goals.

Creating a Safe Space

• Confidentiality: What’s shared here stays here
• Respect: No judgment, one speaker at a time
• Active Listening: Use “I” statements, maintain eye contact
• Passing is OK: You may pass if you’re not ready to share

Co-create ground rules with the group. Write or mark agreed guidelines on chart paper as you review them.

Emotion Check-In

  1. Pick an Emotion Card that matches how you feel today.
  2. Complete the sentence: “I feel …”
  3. Share briefly with the circle or pass if you prefer.

Distribute the Emotion Cards deck. Explain how to pick a card and model the “I feel…” statement once.

Sample Emotion Cards

Sad Angry Confused Lonely Hopeful Anxious Calm

Display a few sample cards on screen or chart paper. Highlight a range of emotions to normalize varied responses.

Coping Strategies

• Deep Breathing: Inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4
• Journaling: Write thoughts or draw feelings
• Grounding: Notice 5 things you see, 4 you feel

Introduce each strategy with a quick demonstration: lead deep breathing, show journal prompt ideas, guide a simple grounding technique.

Select a Coping Strategy

Take the Coping Strategies Handout.
Circle the strategy you find most helpful and be ready to explain why.

Hand out the Coping Strategies Handout and give students 1–2 minutes to circle their preferred strategy.

Peer Support Role-Play

  1. Pair up: Speaker & Listener
  2. Speaker shares a brief worry and practices chosen coping strategy
  3. Listener practices active listening and offers empathy
  4. After 5 minutes, switch roles

Arrange students in pairs. Briefly role-model one round. Monitor pairs and offer prompts as needed.

Role-Play Debrief

• What felt supportive?
• Which listening skills helped you feel heard?
• What did you learn about your coping strategy?

Gather the group again and invite volunteers to share insights. Affirm all contributions and highlight key takeaways.

Reflect & Close

• Share one personal takeaway from today
• Thank you for your bravery in sharing
• Brief grounding exercise: 3 deep breaths

Invite each student to share one takeaway. Lead a brief grounding exercise: three deep, slow breaths together.

Additional Support

• School Counselor: [Name, Location]
• Trusted Adult: Family member, coach, mentor
• Crisis Text Line: Text “HELLO” to 741741
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Dial 988

Remind students of ongoing resources. Encourage them to reach out anytime they need support.

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Worksheet

Emotion Cards

Print this page and cut along the dotted lines to create a deck of emotion cards for the check-in activity. Shuffle the cards face-down and have each student draw one that best matches how they feel today.

Sad

Angry

Confused

Lonely

Hopeful

Anxious

Calm

Scared

Frustrated

Overwhelmed

Peaceful

Guilty

Grateful

Numb

Worried

Relieved

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Worksheet

Coping Strategies Handout

Below are three healthy coping strategies. 1) Read each description. 2) Circle the one you find most helpful. 3) Use the spaces provided to plan and reflect.

Circle your chosen strategy:
( ) Deep Breathing ( ) Journaling ( ) Grounding

1. Deep Breathing

• Inhale deeply for a count of 4, hold for 4, then exhale for 4.

When might I use this strategy?







What did I notice when I practiced deep breathing?







2. Journaling

• Write or draw your thoughts and feelings in a private space.

When might I use this strategy?







My journal prompt or drawing idea:







3. Grounding

• Engage your senses: name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste.

When might I use this strategy?







My personalized grounding sequence:







My Plan

Describe when and how you will use your circled strategy in the future.












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Healing Hearts Circle • Lenny Learning