Introducing the Group Activities (Free!)

I thought I would share a quick note on the group activity structure I will be using when I share group activities in this newsletter. In general, I follow a structured format introduced by Marilyn Cole in her book Group Dynamics in Occupational Therapy (reference to the newest 6th Edition below). I love this structure because once it is laid out - it makes it so easy to plan and run sessions without thinking too much about it.

For each group activity, I will provide background and objectives, materials needed (for virtual and in person), links to materials that I provide (for some sessions I have prepared google docs; for others I share links to websites - youtube, online quizzes and activities, etc). Finally, I will provide a facilitators guide - with scripts and transitions to make your life easier.

Each group activity session follows a consistent format:

1. Introduction - start of the group, including icebreakers
2. Activity - something active for students to do during the group
3. Sharing - all group members share their work after the activity
4. Processing - members talk about the work shared
5. Generalizing - members think through lessons learned from activity
6. Application - members consider how to use lessons in every day life
7. Conclusion/Wrap up - summary discussion and key takeaways

For the discussion sections (steps 3-6), I provide sample questions for each of the sections. Most times, it will be more than you need (I tend to skip around a bit depending on the dynamics of the group - their mood for the day, etc)

Each group should last approximately 60-90 minutes but can be adjusted to your specific situation (most can be done in less than 60 and some can be stretched to 2 hours).

Any questions about the format? Let me know!

Reference

Cole, M.B. (2025). Group Dynamics in Occupational Therapy: The Theoretical Basis and Practice Application of Group Intervention (6th ed.). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003524403

Final note

These activities should only be conducted by individuals with specialized training and the necessary qualifications, skills, and experience in working with students and working within group environments. This includes, but is not limited to, mental health professionals, therapists, educators, and trained practitioners in specific intervention methodologies.