Our Group Agreements

Creating a safe and supportive space is important for our grief group. Let's work together to establish agreements that will help us all feel comfortable sharing, listening, and healing.

What makes a group feel safe and supportive for you?

Our Shared Agreements:

• Confidentiality: What we share here, stays here.
  
  
• Respect: Listen actively and speak kindly to one another.
  
  
• No Pressure: You only share what you are comfortable sharing. It's okay to pass.
  
  
• One Voice: Please avoid interrupting others when they are speaking.
  
  
  

(Teacher: Write down additional student-generated agreements below)

Signatures (Optional):

My First Grief Group Journal

This journal is your personal space to reflect on your thoughts and feelings. You choose what to write and what to share. There is no right or wrong way to feel or to express yourself here.

Prompt 1: What Does Grief Mean To Me?

In your own words, after our discussion today, what does grief mean to you? It could be a feeling, a process, an experience, or anything else that comes to mind. Think about the different types of losses we discussed.

Prompt 2: My Hopes for This Group

How do you feel about being a part of this grief group? What are you hoping to gain or experience here? Is there anything you are feeling nervous or excited about?

Prompt 3: A Moment of Reflection

Draw or write about something that brings you a sense of calm or comfort when you are feeling difficult emotions. This could be a place, a person, an object, or an activity.

Teacher Script: Healing Together

Welcome & Check-in (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Welcome everyone. I'm really glad you're here today. My name is [Your Name], and I'll be facilitating our grief group. This space is created for all of us to have a supportive and understanding environment as we navigate different feelings and experiences related to loss."

(Display Healing Together: Our Grief Space Slide Deck - Slide 1)

Teacher: "Our goal today is to start building a space where everyone feels safe and heard. We'll be creating some shared agreements for our group, learning a bit about what grief means, and taking some time for personal reflection."

(Display Healing Together: Our Grief Space Slide Deck - Slide 2)

Teacher: "To kick things off, let's do a quick, no-pressure check-in. If you feel comfortable, just share one word that describes how you're feeling right now. There's no right or wrong answer, just whatever comes to mind for you in this moment."

(Allow each student to share, or simply allow for a few volunteers. Model vulnerability if appropriate.)

Group Agreements (10 minutes)

(Display Healing Together: Our Grief Space Slide Deck - Slide 3)

Teacher: "Thank you for sharing. Building on that, how do we make sure this group feels safe, respected, and heard for everyone? What kind of agreements do we need to have in place so that we can all feel comfortable and supported?"

(Display Healing Together: Our Grief Space Slide Deck - Slide 4)

Teacher: "I have a few ideas to get us started, which you see on the slide and on our Our Group Agreements Poster. Things like:

• Confidentiality: What we share here, stays here. This is so important for trust.
• Respect: This means listening when others are speaking, and speaking to each other with kindness.
• No Pressure: You never have to share anything you don't want to. It's always okay to pass.
• One Voice: Let's try our best not to interrupt each other. "

Teacher: "Now, what other agreements do you think are important for our group? What else should we add to make this truly our safe space?"

(As students offer suggestions, write them clearly on the Our Group Agreements Poster. Encourage participation and discussion to ensure everyone feels heard and agrees to the norms.)

(Display Healing Together: Our Grief Space Slide Deck - Slide 5)

Teacher: "Excellent suggestions. These are our group agreements. We'll keep this Our Group Agreements Poster visible as a reminder of how we commit to being together in this space."

Introducing Grief (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Now, let's talk about the word that brings us together: grief."

(Display Healing Together: Our Grief Space Slide Deck - Slide 6)

Teacher: "When you hear the word 'grief,' what comes to mind? You don't have to share anything personal, just general thoughts or feelings associated with the word itself."

(Allow students to share thoughts. Validate all responses. Guide them to the broader definition.)

Teacher: "That's right. Grief is a really powerful and natural response to loss. And it's important to remember that 'loss' isn't just about someone dying. We can grieve many different kinds of losses. It could be the loss of a loved one, a pet, a friendship, a familiar routine, moving to a new place, or even a dream you had."

Teacher: "The really important thing to understand is that grief is unique to everyone. There's no single 'right' or 'wrong' way to grieve or to feel. Your experience is your experience, and it's valid."

Guided Journaling (7 minutes)

(Distribute My First Grief Group Journal to each student.)

(Display Healing Together: Our Grief Space Slide Deck - Slide 7)

Teacher: "Now, I'm going to hand out these My First Grief Group Journals. This journal is a totally private space for your thoughts and feelings. You decide what goes in it, and you decide if you ever want to share anything from it. No one will be collecting or reading your journal unless you choose to show it to someone."

Teacher: "Take these next few minutes to reflect on the prompts in your journal. Think about: 'What does grief mean to me right now?' and 'How do I feel about being in this group?' You can write, draw, or just jot down notes. This is your time."

(Circulate quietly, offering support or answering questions if needed. Do not pressure students to write or share.)

Closing & Reflection (3 minutes)

(Display Healing Together: Our Grief Space Slide Deck - Slide 8)

Teacher: "Alright everyone, please bring your attention back to the group. You can put your journals aside for a moment."

Teacher: "As we wrap up our first session, if you feel comfortable, I invite you to share just one word or a short phrase about how you feel after today's session. It could be different from how you felt at the beginning, or the same."

(Allow for voluntary sharing. Acknowledge and validate responses.)

Teacher: "Thank you all so much for being here today, for your thoughtful contributions, and for your willingness to engage in this important work. Remember that this group is here for you, and we are building a supportive community together. I look forward to seeing you all next time."