Weekly Stress Management Session Plan

ASSIGNMENT 1 – Psycho-Educational Group Project (25%)
Overview
For this assignment, you will design a six-week psycho-educational group and present it in a PowerPoint presentation. Your goal is to demonstrate your ability to plan, organize, and facilitate a structured group intervention commonly used in counselling and community service settings.
This assignment assesses your skills in program planning, clinical reasoning, communication, and professional writing using APA 7th edition guidelines.

Assignment Requirements
Your PowerPoint presentation must include the following sections:

1. Title and Group Overview
Provide clear introductory information, including:
Title of the Group
Purpose of the Group (What is it about?)
Intended Outcomes (What do you want participants to learn or gain?)
Location, schedule, and duration
Target population (e.g., adults, youth, newcomers, individuals in recovery, etc.)
Number of group members
Your overview should offer a concise snapshot of the group’s purpose and relevance.

2. Screening Methods
Explain in detail how you will determine who is appropriate for the group.
Your description must include:
Type of screening tools (e.g., brief interview, questionnaire, intake form)
Criteria for participation (readiness for change, current concerns, motivation, safety considerations)
What information you will gather
How you will ensure diversity, inclusion, and group cohesion
This section should demonstrate your understanding of ethical and clinical considerations in group formation.

3. Weekly Session Plan (Six Weeks)
Each week must include:
A. Session Overview
A clear explanation of what the session is about.
B. Activities
Describe each activity with enough detail to show how it will be conducted.
C. Duration
State the length of the session (e.g., 90 minutes).
D. Beginning, Middle, and Closing Phases
Each session should be presented as if you are facilitating it in real life. Include:
Icebreaker or warm-up activity (Week 1 must include this)
Group rules / housekeeping reminders (Week 1)
Main teaching or activity components
Assessment tools used that day (if any) and rationale
Dyads, triads, or round-robin activities as applicable
Closing check-out question
Homework or reflection assignments (if appropriate)

4. Evaluation Plan
Explain how you will measure participants’ progress from Week 1 to Week 6. Include:
Pre- and post-assessments (e.g., stress scale, coping questionnaire)
Qualitative feedback methods (e.g., weekly check-ins, reflection sheets)
Outcome indicators (What improvement should be visible by the end?)
Your evaluations should align logically with the group's objectives.

5. APA 7th Edition Writing and Referencing
Your presentation must follow APA 7th edition guidelines, including:
Accurate in-text citations for all theories, tools, and evidence used
A reference list on the final slide, formatted correctly
Clear, professional grammar and academic tone
A small APA 7 guide is provided at the end of these instructions for support.

Guidance for Weekly Breakdown (Example Structure)
Below is a sample structure for how your weekly plans should look. Do not copy this content directly—use it as a guide only.
Week 1: Introduction to the Group
Beginning Phase:
Facilitator introduction
Icebreaker activity
Distribution of name tags (optional)
Establishing group rules
Housekeeping reminders (washrooms, break time, attendance, confidentiality)
Middle Phase:
Introduce main topic (e.g., resilience)
Conduct self-assessment (explain name, purpose, and use)
First group activity
Discussion prompts
Closing Phase:
Brief emotional check-out
Summary of key points
Assign homework or reflection (optional)
Thank participants
Repeat a similar structured format for Weeks 2–6.

Evaluation Criteria
Your assignment will be graded on the following:
Quality of Content
Clarity, accuracy, and depth of explanation
Appropriate weekly structure
Thoughtful screening and evaluation methods
Professionalism
Grammar, writing quality, and organization
APA 7th Edition Use
Correct in-text citations
Properly formatted reference list
Overall Presentation
Visual organization and readability of PowerPoint
Logical flow from Week 1 to Week 6

APA 7 Quick Reference Guide (Student-Friendly)
Title Page (Student Example)
Centered and double-spaced:
Title of Paper (bold)
Student Name
Course Code and Name
Instructor Name
Due Date
Formatting
Times New Roman, 12 pt
Double-spaced
1-inch margins
In-Text Citations
Paraphrase: (Author, Year)
Direct quote: (Author, Year, p. #)
Reference List
Title: References (bold, centered)
Alphabetical order
Hanging indent (½ inch)
Examples:
Book: Johnson, P. (2020). Adolescent stress and coping. Routledge.
Article: Lee, K., & Chen, M. (2021). Stress and mental health in teenagers. Journal of Adolescent Research, 36(4), 455–470.
Helpful resources and tutorial links are provided at the end of the assignment instructions.

Support Resources
Students may review:
Purdue OWL APA Guide
Listed instructional YouTube videos for citations, formatting, and paraphrasing