DSM-5 Diagnostic Formulation

In this 80-minute, full-class Tier 1 session for undergrad counseling students, we’ll guide learners through building a live DSM-5-focused intake and assessment toolkit. Students will explore each tool, assemble their own kit in collaborative stations, and demonstrate proficiency with an interactive quiz. This lesson is essential for grounding future counselors in practical diagnostic formulation skills.

In this 45-minute session, adult learners will explore the process of constructing a psychiatric diagnostic formulation, integrating patient history, symptoms, and biopsychosocial factors. This lesson is vital for enhancing clinical reasoning, improving patient care, and ensuring accurate, individualized treatment plans.

An individual counseling script guiding one-on-one sessions through setting wellness goals and tracking progress. This Tier 3 session helps counseling students develop personalized wellness plans, reflect on progress, and measure goal achievement over 50 minutes.

An individual digital escape-room challenge where students solve logic puzzles to uncover missing SOAP note sections, reinforcing their understanding of counseling progress note documentation. This Tier 3 intervention is tailored for 12th graders and delivered in a 35-minute session to master SOAP note components.

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.

This individualized coaching module empowers school counselors to investigate gaps in their progress notes and refine documentation quality through self-assessment and targeted improvement. Delivered in a single 30-minute session for Tier 3 support.

In this 30-minute Tier 3 individual support session, 8th-grade students will learn and practice clinical intake interviews through a structured role-play activity. This lesson is crucial for developing active listening, structured data collection, and foundational counseling skills. Components include a detailed Lesson-Plan Script, Key Intake Questions Slide Deck, and Pair Role-Play Activity.

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.

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.

In this 30-minute Tier 3 session, mental health practitioners will learn strategies to support an adult client with schizophrenia and anxiety coping with a difficult breakup and co-parenting challenges. This targeted lesson provides trauma-sensitive communication techniques, evidence-based coping tools, and a structured plan to foster resilience and emotional stability.

This lesson plan is designed to help a 9th-grade girl with Depersonalization and Derealization Disorder (DDD) develop effective coping strategies. Through a series of three 30-minute sessions, the student will engage in activities, readings, and worksheets that focus on understanding her symptoms and learning practical techniques to manage them. This lesson is important as it empowers the student with tools to navigate her experiences, fostering resilience and emotional well-being.

This lesson plan is designed to help a 9th-grade girl with Depersonalization and Derealization Disorder (DDD) develop effective coping strategies. Through a series of three 30-minute sessions, the student will engage in activities, readings, and worksheets that focus on understanding her symptoms and learning practical techniques to manage them. This lesson is important as it empowers the student with tools to navigate her experiences, fostering resilience and emotional well-being.

This lesson aims to help 9th grade female students reduce symptoms of OCD through trauma-informed teaching strategies. By focusing on mindfulness and self-awareness, students will learn techniques to manage their symptoms, allowing them to better access classroom instruction. This lesson is important as it empowers students with tools to improve their mental health and academic performance.

A one-on-one counseling session for a 4th grader with ADHD and behavioral symptoms, focused on building self-awareness of emotions and strategies for maintaining focus. This 60-minute, Tier 3 intervention will help the student identify triggers, practice coping skills, and develop a personalized action plan.

This lesson is designed for 12th grade students to help them assess their mental and emotional health while dealing with college applications and making significant career decisions. The objective is to equip students with strategies to manage stress and make informed decisions. The lesson will last 45 minutes.

In this 30-minute Tier 1 session for 7th grade school counselors, participants will explore how demographics, school environment, and individual student factors (IEPs, 504s, ELL status, behavior challenges, and giftedness) inform differentiated planning, teaching, and assessment in anti-bullying lessons. Counselors will learn to recognize and adapt to these variables to ensure accessible and effective bullying prevention strategies for every student. This foundational training empowers counselors to build inclusive, responsive interventions that reduce bullying and support diverse learners.

A 16-week CBT curriculum for high school students (ages 15-18) with anxiety. Students will learn core CBT concepts—CBT triangle, anxiety management skills, thought distortion identification—and practice through readings, discussions, activities, games, worksheets, and guided scripts. Each 30-minute session builds practical tools to manage anxiety and foster resilience.

A 3-session CBT skills group for 10th graders with anxiety. Students will learn to identify cognitive distortions, fill out the CBT triangle, and reframe thoughts. These 30-minute Tier 2 group lessons build coping skills through interactive readings, discussions, games, and worksheets.

This 3-session lesson is designed for a student struggling with low self-esteem, negative mindset, perfectionism, PTSD, anxiety, and depression. It focuses on teaching positive coping strategies, 'I' statements, positive self-talk, and reframing negative thoughts to help manage overwhelming situations. Each session is 30 minutes long and includes a variety of engaging components to support individual growth and emotional well-being.

In this 30-minute individual session, adults will learn practical coping strategies to manage depression, including mindfulness, cognitive techniques, and self-care planning. This session is vital for empowering participants to recognize and challenge negative thoughts, build resilience, and develop a personalized action plan.

This lesson is designed to support Grade 9 students returning from psychiatric hospitalizations by focusing on distress tolerance and reintegration into a school routine. Through trauma-informed teaching and inquiry-based learning, students will explore strategies to manage stress and anxiety, helping them transition smoothly back into their academic environment. This lesson is crucial for building resilience and confidence in students as they navigate their return to school.

This 15-minute individual Tier 3 lesson guides a secondary student in designing a concise mental health screener to triage referrals into Tier 2 group or Tier 3 one-on-one counseling. It empowers the student to craft clear, targeted questions for quick identification of support needs, ensuring swift and appropriate district mental health services.

In this interactive session, students will work together to identify common sources of stress and develop effective strategies to combat them. Through collaborative problem-solving, they'll learn to support each other in managing stress. This lesson is important as it equips students with essential life skills to handle stress, promoting mental 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.

This lesson explores the role of counseling services in shaping students' identities and experiences in public schools. It is designed for adults, focusing on how counseling can support the development of well-rounded individuals in a diverse society. The session will last 30 minutes and is crucial for understanding the integration of counseling in educational settings.

This one-session, 30-minute individual lesson equips 11th grade students with practical skills—mindfulness exercises, cognitive reframing, and journaling—to help manage feelings of depression. By guiding students through hands-on activities and reflective prompts, this lesson empowers them to build personal coping strategies they can use anytime.

The THRIVE Toolkit introduces 12th grade students to a six-step framework (Tune In, Hope, Reflect, Integrate, Visualize, Execute) for enhancing daily mental wellness through group counseling techniques. This Tier 2 psychoeducational group lesson spans one 60-minute session and equips students with strategies to manage stress, build resilience, and support one another in a small-group setting.

A 60-minute individualized session teaching adults practical strategies to manage depression through cognitive techniques, self-care planning, and personalized coping tools. This lesson empowers participants with actionable skills to recognize and navigate depressive thoughts, fostering resilience and improved mental well-being.

A focused, individualized 30-minute session to help a 7th-grade student identify and track behavioral patterns and triggers. This Tier 3 protocol supports intensive, personalized assessment and reflection to guide therapy goals and progress.

In this Tier 2 group lesson, 10th grade counseling students collaborate to create a fictional client case from scratch and then draft a complete SOAP note. This fun, hands-on game strengthens clinical documentation skills and encourages creativity within a structured format. Audiences: 10th Grade Counseling Group, 1 session of 40 minutes.

This individual counseling session is designed to help 7th-grade students recognize and manage their emotions effectively. Through personalized discussion and activities, students will learn to identify their emotions, understand their triggers, and apply coping strategies. This session aims to enhance emotional intelligence and resilience, which are crucial for personal and academic success.

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.

In this 30-minute one-on-one session, the teacher guides a 12th grader through self-assessment, coping strategies, and goal-setting to support their mental health. This individual Tier 3 intervention builds self-awareness and equips students with personalized tools to manage stress and emotions.

This one-on-one counseling session equips an 11th-grade student with the Inner Mirror Strategy, helping them identify and challenge unhelpful thought patterns through metaphorical mirroring. By guiding self-reflection and positive reframing, the session promotes healthier self-talk and emotional resilience. (Tier 3, 50 minutes)

This 3-session lesson is designed for a 25-year-old individual with ADHD, focusing on managing workload efficiently and prioritizing tasks. The lesson aims to equip the individual with practical strategies to enhance productivity and reduce overwhelm, using personalized approaches tailored to their unique needs.

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.

A targeted individual assessment for 12th graders to evaluate their emotional strengths and growth areas in a 60-minute session, complete with follow-up suggestions to support personal development. This Tier 3 counseling & therapy lesson helps seniors reflect, set goals, and build self-awareness.

In this single 30-minute Tier 3 session, a 4th grade student will learn to identify common cognitive distortions and reflect on their own thoughts to improve emotional regulation. This lesson helps the student recognize and challenge unhelpful thinking patterns, building self-awareness and coping skills.

In this 5-session, 30-minute unit for grades 5–8, students deepen mental health awareness by identifying personal strengths and challenges and crafting a persuasive mental health public service announcement. Through reflective activities, collaborative brainstorming, and iterative feedback, students will develop, storyboard, and present a polished PSA to promote coping strategies and resilience.

Short, focused exercises to teach mindfulness techniques for stress reduction and emotional regulation for an individual 11th grade student. This Tier 3 session is a 30-minute individual counseling mini-session to equip the student with practical tools for emotional regulation.

This 8-session plan helps 10th-grade students understand social anxiety and explore effective coping strategies through personal reflection and self-guided activities. Each session focuses on different aspects of social anxiety, allowing students to develop personalized coping strategies and apply them in real-life situations. This approach promotes mental well-being and resilience by equipping students with the knowledge and tools to handle social situations more confidently.

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.

A 60-minute individual counseling session designed for adult clients to identify personal goals, explore obstacles, and develop an actionable plan. This Tier 3 intervention supports deep personal insights and empowers clients to take the next steps toward growth.

Implementing art therapy programs in school settings to support student well-being.

Provide a foundational understanding of mental health, its importance, and common misconceptions.

In this one 30-minute Tier 3 session, an individual 11th grade student will learn practical emotional regulation strategies using personalized tools and reflection. This lesson helps students manage intense emotions, reduce stress, and improve focus—critical skills for academic success and personal well-being.

An individual Tier 3 trauma-focused art therapy project for 10th graders, spanning multiple 70-minute sessions. Students use expressive painting to process trauma memories and emotions, guided by structured reflections and self-assessment. This project fosters emotional insight, coping skills, and therapeutic self-expression.

A one-on-one, 15-minute session using a visual CBT compass to help a 12th grade student shift from distressing thoughts to balanced perspectives. This individualized lesson equips the student with a practical tool for self-regulation and cognitive reframing.

An interactive workshop for K-12 school counselors focused on best practices for writing clear, concise progress notes to track student growth and meet legal standards. This Tier 1 session includes foundational theory, practical activities, and reflection to ensure counselors leave confident in their documentation skills.

A small-group workshop guiding 10th graders through creating personalized self-care plans to manage stress and boost resilience. This Tier 2 group intervention includes interactive activities and personal reflections to help students identify and practice self-care strategies over multiple sessions.

An individualized breathing and visualization program for handling end-of-year pressures, perfect for anxious seniors. This 30-minute Tier 3 counseling session equips a 12th-grade student with five simple steps to calm the mind using breath work, guided imagery, and creative expression.

This follow-up individual counseling session aims to build on the previous lesson by introducing journaling and positive self-talk as additional strategies to manage overthinking. These techniques can help the student process thoughts and emotions more effectively, leading to improved mental well-being and focus.

An individualized counseling toolkit enabling one-on-one clients to chart personal directions, set measurable objectives, and track progress toward well-being. This high school-focused, single 60-minute session empowers students to define goals, develop personalized treatment plans, and monitor their growth toward emotional and behavioral health.

In this detective-themed individual counseling session, a 5th grade student will track anxious thoughts like clues and learn strategies to ‘catch’ and challenge them. This 45-minute Tier 3 activity helps build coping skills and self-awareness in a personalized, engaging format.

This lesson aims to equip students with practical strategies to manage anxiety through experiential and collaborative learning. By engaging in a calming activity, participating in a group activity, and engaging in a guided discussion, students will gain insights into managing anxiety effectively. This lesson is crucial as it empowers students with tools to handle stress, promoting mental well-being and resilience.

In this 30-minute session, undergraduate students will learn foundational strategies for managing trauma, building resilience, and fostering emotional well-being. This Tier 1 lesson equips all students with practical tools to recognize trauma responses and apply healthy coping techniques in real-life scenarios.

This individual session uses art and personal reflection to help an 8th-grade student reduce anxiety. Through a creative activity and guided self-reflection, the student will explore ways to manage their feelings and develop coping strategies. This session is important as it provides the student with practical tools to handle stress, enhancing their emotional well-being and academic performance.

This lesson empowers individuals to prioritize their own mental health through self-care practices. It focuses on creating personalized self-care plans for individual adults, providing a comprehensive understanding of mental health first aid. The lesson is designed for a 60-minute session and includes a lesson plan, slide deck, and reflection journal.

An individualized 30-minute mini-lesson for a 7th grade student, guiding them through identifying signs of depression and learning immediate coping strategies to foster self-awareness and resilience. This Tier 3 session provides personalized support to build emotional awareness and healthy habits.

A small-group intensive focusing on advanced SOAP documentation techniques to help adult counseling participants capture nuanced clinical information efficiently. This single 45-minute session empowers learners with sophisticated strategies for writing precise, actionable progress notes and fosters collaborative learning through interactive activities.

This lesson focuses on empowering 12th grade female students to manage symptoms of depression through collaborative discussion. By engaging in a supportive dialogue, students will explore strategies and share experiences in a safe environment. This lesson is important as it fosters a sense of community and understanding, helping students to feel less isolated and more equipped to handle their emotions.

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.

An individualized intake script and rubric for one-on-one sessions, enabling precise identification of concerns and goals. This Tier 3 lesson supports a 9th grade student during a 20-minute clinical intake and assessment session, guiding the counselor through structured questioning and goal setting.

Designed for students in grades 7-12, this session offers insight into managing stress through mindfulness and proactive strategies. Students will explore techniques like guided meditations and stress journaling, equipping them with tools to handle anxiety and enhance resilience.

This lesson aims to raise mental health awareness among students in grades 5 to 7 through an engaging group session. By understanding mental health, students can better support themselves and others, fostering a more empathetic and supportive school environment. The lesson includes a 30-minute session with a focus on interactive learning and group activities.

A brief structured check-in tool to monitor ongoing suicide risk factors and update safety plans dynamically with a 9th grade student in a 20-minute one-on-one session. This Tier 3 individual intervention helps counselors assess current risk, track mood trends, and provide coping support to keep students safe.

Students will explore how their thoughts shape emotions and learn mindfulness and cognitive techniques to manage moods. This helps build self-awareness, emotional regulation, and resilience. Audience: Grades 6–8; 1 session, 50 minutes.

An individualized 30-minute session for a 9th grade student focused on identifying personal risk factors, protective factors, and triggers, culminating in a personalized safety plan. This Tier 3 counseling intervention helps students gain self-awareness and equips them with tools to manage crises.

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 comprehensive overview of how mental health manifests and changes from childhood to old age.

This 4-session lesson is designed for students in grades 3-5 to help them manage and overcome testing anxiety. Through engaging activities, games, and discussions, students will learn strategies to build confidence and remain calm during tests. Each session is 20 minutes long, focusing on different aspects of anxiety management and providing practical tools that students can use in real-life testing situations.