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Starting the Journey

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Alexis Wright

Tier 3
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Individual Session Plan

The student will build trust in a one-on-one setting, explore their personal strengths, and collaboratively set a meaningful goal to guide future work.

An individualized session ensures confidentiality and tailored support, fostering a safe environment where the student feels heard and empowered to identify strengths and goals.

Audience

11th Grade

Time

45 minutes

Approach

Personalized rapport-building, strengths exploration, collaborative goal-setting.

Materials

  • Comfortable Private Seating, - Notepad & Pen, and - Personal Strengths Worksheet

Prep

Prepare Individual Session

10 minutes

  • Review the student’s background notes or intake information.
  • Arrange a quiet, private space with comfortable seating.
  • Place a notepad, pen, and copies of Personal Strengths Worksheet on a small table.
  • Ensure all distractions (phones, noise) are minimized to maintain confidentiality.

Step 1

Welcome & Check-In

5 minutes

  • Greet the student by name and invite them to sit comfortably.
  • Remind them this is a confidential, nonjudgmental space.
  • Ask: "How are you feeling today?" and listen openly.

Step 2

Rapport-Building Conversation

10 minutes

  • Use open-ended prompts:
    • "Tell me about a positive moment from your week."
    • "What’s a hobby or activity that helps you unwind?"
    • "Who in your life makes you feel supported, and why?"
  • Reflect back key points to validate their experiences.

Step 3

Strengths Exploration

15 minutes

  • Hand them the Personal Strengths Worksheet.
  • Ask them to list three personal strengths and complete the explanations.
  • As they write, observe body language and offer gentle encouragement.
  • After they finish, invite them to share one strength. Ask follow-up questions like:
    • "How has this strength helped you in the past?"
    • "In what situations do you notice this strength shining?"

Step 4

Collaborative Goal Setting

10 minutes

  • Review the strengths they identified.
  • Ask: "Based on these strengths, what’s one goal you’d like to work on?"
  • Help them break that goal into 2–3 small action steps.
  • Write the steps on the notepad and agree on one to start before the next session.

Step 5

Wrap-Up & Next Steps

5 minutes

  • Summarize the session: key strength, chosen goal, first action step.
  • Check in: "How do you feel about what we discussed?"
  • Confirm the date/time of the next session.
  • Thank them for their openness and remind them you’re available if they need support before then.
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Worksheet

Personal Strengths Worksheet

Instructions: Take your time reflecting and writing your thoughts. This worksheet is for you and your therapist to explore your strengths and set a goal together.

  1. List three personal strengths:



    • Strength 1: _______________________________



    • Strength 2: _______________________________



    • Strength 3: _______________________________


  2. For each strength, briefly explain why it’s important to you:

    • Strength 1 explanation:





    • Strength 2 explanation:





    • Strength 3 explanation:





  3. Identify one goal you’d like to focus on this year:










  4. Brainstorm two small action steps—using your strengths—to support this goal:

    1. Action Step 1: ___________________________



    2. Action Step 2: ___________________________



  5. How confident do you feel about taking these steps? (Circle one)
    Not at all 1 2 3 4 5 Completely


  6. In one word, describe how you feel after completing this worksheet:


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