This facilitator’s guide details procedures for conducting engaging and age-appropriate group sessions to help adolescents adapt quickly to the changes brought about by parental divorce or separation. The guide has everything a therapist or counsellor needs to facilitate the program, including a full script and abbreviated outline for each session, numerous handouts for group members and parents, a sample consent form, a program graduation certificate, and much more.
Sessions give teens the opportunity to clarify misperceptions about divorce and separation, engage in meaningful activities, and discuss topics that they may not have been allowed to explore previously. Because some of these topics may be difficult, each group session includes practice of relaxation skills, homework focused on seeking social support, and opportunities for adaptive cognitive coping.
Instructions for Facilitators
Teen First Sessions
Optional Sessions
Appendix A—Topic Cards and Group Rules Sign
Appendix B—Participant Handouts
Appendix C—Parent Handouts
Appendix D—Teen First Questionnaire
"These guides do a great job of normalizing the reality of different types of families while also providing behavioral and cognitive strategies for helping children deal with their strong emotions."
- Dr. Stephen Hupp, Professor of Clinical Child and School Psychology, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville