Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT)

This lesson is designed for 1st to 3rd grade students with special needs and behavior challenges. The objective is to engage students in a fun, collaborative, and hands-on activity that helps them understand the connection between helpful and unhelpful thoughts and their feelings and behaviors using cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) principles. The lesson is designed to be completed in 15 minutes.

An individualized CBT session guiding an 11th grade student through identifying and disputing core beliefs using targeted reading, worksheets, and reflection. This Tier 3 lesson deepens self-awareness and equips the student with practical CBT strategies in a single 55-minute session.

This two-session lesson is designed for a 13-year-old girl to explore and develop coping mechanisms after surviving trauma. The lesson aims to empower her with practical strategies to manage emotions and build resilience. Each session is 25 minutes long and includes a lesson plan, activity, and discussion to facilitate understanding and application of these vital skills.

This lesson uses a game-based approach to help two second-grade girls process trauma related to their biological parents. By engaging in a picture-based activity, the students will explore their feelings and thoughts in a safe and supportive environment. This lesson is important as it provides a gentle and interactive way for the students to express themselves and begin healing, using strategies that are accessible given their reading and spelling levels.

In this 25-minute Tier 2 small-group activity, new counselors will reinforce their understanding of core Cognitive Behavioral Therapy concepts through an interactive Bingo quiz. Participants identify real-life examples of CBT principles to mark off their cards, promoting recall, collaboration, and deeper learning.

This lesson introduces students to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), focusing on the interplay between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Students will explore how these elements influence each other and learn practical strategies to manage stress and anxiety. This lesson is crucial for developing self-awareness and emotional regulation skills, which are essential for mental well-being and academic success.

A one-on-one counseling session for 5th graders focused on identifying emotions and learning coping strategies. This Tier 3 individualized lesson empowers students to understand their feelings and practice tools for emotional regulation within 30 minutes.

Over 10 weeks of 30-minute one-on-one sessions teaching a 5th grade student CBIT strategies to manage Tourette’s and co-occurring ADHD. This Tier 3 plan provides personalized support, self-awareness tools, habit-reversal techniques, and relaxation methods from the Tourette Association of America.

This lesson introduces grounding techniques to help students manage distressing emotions and memories. It is designed to support a 6th-grade boy in overcoming trauma from a robbery by teaching him practical coping strategies. The lesson is important as it empowers students with tools to handle emotional distress, promoting resilience and emotional well-being.

This lesson serves as an introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for middle school students. It aims to help students understand the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Through discussion, group activities, and a CBT exercise, students will learn how to identify and challenge negative thoughts. This foundational lesson is important as it equips students with basic CBT skills that can be built upon in future sessions.

A 6-session, 30-minute Tier 3 support series guiding a high school female student through strategies to understand, confront, and overcome trauma-related fears. Through discussions, activities, games, and reflections, the student will build coping skills, self-awareness, and resilience to transform fear into personal strength.

This lesson introduces 10th grade students to grounding practices that can help manage trauma-related stress and anxiety. Through experiential learning and inquiry-based activities, students will explore techniques such as the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding method. This lesson is important as it equips students with practical tools to manage emotional distress, fostering resilience and emotional well-being.

This lesson aims to help 7th-grade students understand trauma and develop coping strategies. Through experiential and game-based learning, students will engage in activities that promote trauma-informed awareness and collaborative learning. This lesson is crucial for fostering resilience and emotional intelligence, equipping students with tools to manage stress and trauma effectively.

This lesson aims to introduce second graders to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques to help them manage anxiety. Through a combination of game-based learning, experiential activities, and discussion, students will learn to identify anxious thoughts and practice calming strategies. This lesson is important as it equips young students with tools to manage their emotions, promoting emotional well-being and resilience.

This 6-session individual lesson for a 6th-grade female student focuses on reducing anxiety, excessive worry, and overthinking using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions. Each 45-minute session is designed to empower the student with practical skills to manage anxiety, fostering emotional well-being and resilience.

A 4-session, 15-minute individual support program for a 2nd grader with trauma-related behaviors, focusing on building trust, emotional awareness, and coping skills. Through short, engaging activities like breathing exercises, emotion identification, and role-play, this series helps the student feel safe, understood, and empowered to manage anxiety and emotional outbursts.

This lesson introduces 4th-grade students to the CBT triangle, which connects thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and its relationship with brain function. Through engaging activities, students will learn how their thoughts can influence their emotions and actions. This lesson is important as it empowers students with self-awareness and emotional regulation skills, fostering resilience and mental well-being.

One-on-one coaching session guiding a 7th grader to build a personalized emotion regulation toolbox of coping strategies, grounded in CASEL competencies—for self-management and resilience. This Tier 3 intervention is 20 minutes long and provides concrete practice and reflection.

A one-session, 30-minute individual counseling lesson for 6th graders focused on mental health counseling and building personal coping strategies. This Tier 3 lesson helps students identify emotions, learn coping tools, and practice self-talk to manage stress and anxiety.

In this 25-minute Tier 3 lesson, 5- to 10-year-old children of divorced parents will learn core ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) concepts—recognizing feelings, accepting difficult emotions, and committing to value-driven actions—through art, discussion, games, and a worksheet. This targeted session helps them build emotional resilience and creative coping skills in a supportive one-on-one setting.

In this Tier 3, single-session 60-minute lesson, teachers will guide an 11th-grade student through understanding and managing dissociation resulting from trauma. This trauma-informed session builds self-awareness, grounding skills, and coping strategies to empower the student to feel present and safe.

A focused session for students who have experienced trauma, helping them understand their emotions and reactions. This lesson is key to personal insight and emotional regulation.

This lesson helps individual students understand and confront their fears through cognitive-behavioral strategies. It is crucial for building confidence and resilience, specifically designed for a 10th-grade student. The lesson is structured for a 40-minute session, focusing on school psychology.

This 5-session lesson is designed for a 3rd grade student on an IEP, focusing on identifying negative and positive self-talk, understanding coping strategies, and exploring cognitive behavioral triangle connections. Each 20-minute session will empower the student with practical skills to transform negative thoughts into positive ones, enhancing their emotional well-being and resilience.

An individualized 25-minute session for an 11th-grade student using Acceptance & Commitment Therapy techniques to strengthen present-moment focus and acceptance. This Tier 3 lesson provides a structured worksheet for prompts, a reflective journal, and a guided script for one-on-one coaching to support mindful awareness.

One-on-one coaching session for a 7th grade student to build a personalized set of coping strategies for managing big feelings and stress, aligned with CASEL’s emotion regulation competency. This Tier 3 individual support consists of a focused 20-minute session where the student will identify triggers, explore techniques, and create a customized coping toolbox to boost self-management and resilience.

This lesson aims to help elementary teachers understand secondary trauma and provide practical strategies to manage it. Secondary trauma can significantly affect teacher well-being and their capacity to effectively support students. This brief discussion-focused lesson highlights the importance of self-care and peer support, promoting a supportive school environment.

A small-group, trauma-focused discussion framework for 7th graders that uses guided story sharing, active listening, and safe-ground rules to foster emotional processing and peer support. This Tier 2 lesson spans one 40-minute session and equips students with practical skills to share, listen, and connect in a structured, caring environment.

In this one-on-one session, an 8th-grade student will learn healthy strategies to recognize self-harm triggers, practice coping skills, and build a personalized safety plan. This Tier 3 intervention empowers the student to manage difficult emotions and reduce self-harm urges—crucial for their well-being and resilience.

An individualized 30-minute counseling session for an 8th-grade student focusing on deep breathing and grounding techniques to manage anxiety in real time. This Tier 3 lesson equips the student with on-the-spot tools for emotional regulation and fosters self-awareness and resilience.

This three-session individual counseling series for 8th graders focuses on reframing negative thinking patterns into positive ones. It's crucial for developing emotional resilience and improving mental well-being. Each session lasts 30 minutes and is designed to provide personalized support and practical strategies for managing negative thoughts.

In this 30-minute Tier 2 CBT session for 6th graders, students will identify their anger triggers and learn evidence-based coping strategies. This group lesson will help them build self-awareness and practical tools to manage strong emotions, fostering healthier peer interactions and personal well-being.

An individual 15-minute SEL counseling session for a 7th grader to identify stress triggers and practice quick, evidence-based coping strategies like breathing and grounding. This targeted Tier 3 intervention helps students develop self-regulation tools they can use anytime to feel more in control and resilient.

This lesson is designed for 6th graders to help them understand and address their fears related to trauma. The objective is to provide students with strategies to manage their fears in a healthy way. The lesson will take approximately 15 minutes and includes a lesson plan, discussion, warm-up, and cool-down activities.

A guided individual counseling session using open-ended questions and reflective exercises to help a student articulate and manage emotions. This Tier 3 session is designed for an 8th grade student and takes 30 minutes, focusing on individual counseling techniques to foster self-awareness and emotional regulation.

Teaching 3rd-grade students about healthy coping mechanisms to manage stress and trauma.

This lesson introduces 6th graders to the basics of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) framework, focusing on understanding thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This foundational knowledge is crucial for developing emotional intelligence and resilience, helping students manage their emotions and reactions in everyday situations. The lesson is designed for a single 15-minute session and includes engaging activities and a game to reinforce learning.

In this 30-minute individual session, the student will learn strategies to recognize and manage anger using relatable soccer metaphors and interactive exercises. This lesson is crucial for helping the student process trauma, build emotional regulation skills, and feel empowered to 'score' positive reactions instead of frustration.

A 60-minute individual counseling session for a 6th grader focused on self-regulation through guided relaxation and visualization. In this Tier 3 intervention, the student will learn to use a personalized Calm Circle diagram to calm their mind and body, promoting emotional awareness and coping skills.

Introduce students to CBT by exploring how thoughts influence feelings and behaviors; empowers them to recognize and reshape unhelpful thinking patterns. This lesson is designed for a 6th grade classroom, delivered in a single 45-minute session, equipping students with practical tools to improve their emotional well-being.

This 2-session individual Tier 3 lesson helps second graders recognize and name stress and fear—especially in situations like moving or immigration—and practice two key coping strategies (deep breathing and talking through worries). Learners will engage with an illustrated story, guided discussions, role-play, and drawing activities in two 15-minute sessions.

In this 10-minute Tier 3 coaching session, individual counseling trainees will learn how to set up and use an Outcome Insight Matrix to track client progress in real time. This skill helps trainees tailor feedback and enhance treatment planning by capturing outcome measures effectively.

In this 30-minute Tier 1 session, school counselors will facilitate a digital flashcard quiz game to help students identify and practice matching feelings, thoughts, and behaviors within Cognitive Behavioral Therapy scenarios. This interactive activity builds emotional literacy and reinforces CBT concepts through fun, engaging gameplay.

Dive into identifying common triggers and practicing targeted coping tactics through interactive scenarios, paving the way for proactive behavior management in a one-on-one setting with a 6th grade student. This Tier 3 behavioral support lesson helps students recognize personal triggers and apply coping strategies, fostering self-awareness and goal-oriented behavior over a 55-minute session.

This lesson plan is designed to educate teachers on the benefits of trauma-informed approaches in the classroom. By understanding and implementing these strategies, teachers can create a supportive and nurturing environment that enhances student learning and well-being. This lesson will help teachers recognize the impact of trauma on students and equip them with practical tools to foster a positive classroom atmosphere.

This series of play therapy lessons is designed for second-grade students to explore emotions, build social skills, and enhance self-awareness through play. Each session incorporates experiential learning, trauma-informed teaching, and collaborative learning strategies to create a safe and engaging environment. These lessons are crucial for fostering emotional resilience and promoting positive interactions among students. Trauma-informed practices are integrated to ensure a supportive and healing environment, focusing on safety, trust, and empowerment.

This lesson introduces 4th graders to the concept of intrusive thoughts and how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can help manage them. Through experiential learning and collaborative activities, students will explore examples of intrusive thoughts and discuss strategies to cope with them. This lesson is important as it helps students understand their thoughts and emotions, promoting mental health awareness and emotional regulation.

In this intensive, 30-minute Tier 3 session, a small group of Grade 3 students will learn targeted strategies to recognize, label, and regulate their emotions in the school setting. By practicing calming techniques and applying their personalized “Feelings Toolbox,” students will build self-awareness and coping skills for managing strong feelings.

A one-session, 30-minute individual lesson introducing 1st graders with autism to basic CBT skills by identifying feelings, finding calm thoughts, and practicing a simple ‘Catch the Worry’ strategy. This lesson helps students gain tools to manage anxious thoughts and build emotional awareness.

A 30-minute one-on-one lesson for 6th graders focused on developing strategies to recognize, understand, and regulate emotions. This Tier 3 session provides personalized support and tools to help students gain confidence in managing their feelings in real-time.

This 6-week program is designed for a 9th-grade male student who enjoys art and struggles with mental health. The objective is to improve executive functioning skills, identify emotions, regulate emotions, and learn coping skills. Each session lasts 10 minutes and includes a lesson plan, worksheet, activity, game, discussion, project, and a cool-down activity.

Educating students on the nature of trauma and its effects on victims of child abuse.

In this lesson, 3rd-grade students will explore the concept of the cognitive triangle, understanding how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. This lesson is crucial for helping students recognize and change unhelpful thoughts into helpful ones, promoting emotional well-being and positive behavior. It is designed as a Tier 3 individual support session lasting 30 minutes.

This single-session, 25-minute individual counseling lesson helps a 9th-grade student understand how trauma impacts brain function and stress responses. By simplifying complex neuroscience, it empowers students with insight into their own experiences and builds self-awareness.

In this 30-minute Tier 3 intervention for a 7th-grade student, we will build personalized coping strategies to manage stress and emotions. This session empowers the student with practical tools and promotes self-regulation, supporting their mental health journey.

Teaching students techniques to control impulsive behaviors, aimed at middle school students, particularly 6th graders. The lesson will focus on helping students recognize impulsive behaviors and apply strategies to manage them effectively. The duration of the lesson is approximately 60 minutes.

These two 20-minute individual counseling sessions help Adrian identify and replace negative self-talk with positive or neutral self-statements, understand the link between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and practice coping strategies like deep breathing and taking space. By mastering these skills, Adrian will build resilience, improve self-awareness, and positively impact his learning and peer interactions.

A three-session individualized coaching program guiding a overwhelmed mother with bipolar disorder to actively listen to her child’s feelings and manage her mental health. This Tier 3 intervention focuses on practical skills, self-care strategies, and communication exercises to strengthen the parent-child bond and support emotional well-being.

This lesson focuses on helping a 4th-grade boy with trauma learn to manage his emotions through game-based learning and trauma-informed teaching. By using a video and interactive activities, the lesson aims to teach the student how to identify emotions, think about coping skills, and practice these skills in a supportive environment. This approach is crucial for building emotional resilience and providing the student with tools to handle challenging situations.

A personalized plan to help your 1st grader recognize triggers and practice calming strategies one-on-one, fostering self-regulation. This Tier 3, 20-minute individual session equips the student with self-awareness tools.

In this 30-minute individual Tier 3 session, a third-grade boy with autism will learn how to identify and manage his thoughts in order to influence his behaviors positively. This CBT-based lesson helps him become a “mind detective,” spotting unhelpful thoughts and replacing them with helpful ones to reduce frustration and increase self-control.

A one-session, 30-minute individual intervention for adults focused on supporting a stepson struggling with depression and gambling. This targeted session guides caregivers through understanding, communicating, and applying evidence-based behavioral strategies to foster hope, establish boundaries, and promote healthy coping. It equips participants with practical tools to intervene effectively and compassionately.

A focused 20-minute personalized counseling session for a kindergarten student to assess calming strategies, practice new techniques, and develop an individualized coping plan. This Tier 3 intervention strengthens self-regulation skills with immediate feedback and clear expectations.

This lesson involves a simulation-based activity where students role-play as grief counselors and clients. Through this exercise, students will learn effective communication and empathy skills, which are crucial for interpersonal relationships and emotional intelligence. The lesson includes feedback sessions to help students reflect on their performance and improve their skills, making it a valuable experience for personal and professional development.

This two-session Tier 3 individual lesson supports a 7-year-old 2nd grader with FASD to identify, express, and vocalize emotions using visual aids and structured activities. Each 40-minute session builds step-by-step skills to enhance emotional awareness and communication, fostering self-regulation and confidence.

In this 30-minute Tier 2 group session for 10th graders, students explore strategies to cope with challenging emotions through interactive activities, discussion, and self-reflection. This lesson equips them with practical tools to manage stress, anxiety, and anger in real life.

This lesson focuses on teaching impulse control strategies to 1st-grade boys with ADHD through two 30-minute sessions. The first session is indoors in the counselor's office, focusing on understanding and visualizing impulses, while the second session takes place outdoors, applying these strategies in a natural setting.

An 8-session Tier 2 group program for grades 1-3 teaching anxiety management, symptom reduction, and emotional regulation through engaging activities. Each 40-minute session builds coping skills to help students feel calm and confident.

Single 30-minute Tier 2 small-group session on identifying and addressing the subtle, indirect harms of cyberbullying—such as exclusion, rumor-spreading, and online isolation. Participants will reflect, discuss real-world scenarios, and develop concrete strategies to promote inclusion and digital wellbeing.