Counselor Up!
  • Blog
  • About
  • Speaker
  • Author
    • Book Summary
    • Book Discussion Guide
  • Things I Love
  • TPT Store

Inside Out: A Journey of Grief

7/22/2015

41 Comments

 
Using Inside Out to help kids cope with group. A six session group plan. www.counselorup.com
By now, every school counselor has probably seen the movie Inside Out. If you haven't, go see it now! There's been a lot of buzz about how the story can help kids to understand their emotions, locus of control, and self-talk. When I saw the movie, I was most struck about how it is a story of coping with grief. Riley, the protagonist, is grieving the life she left behind when her family moved. I was inspired to create a 6 lesson group about grief. 

Inside Out Grief Group Highlights:

Inside Out Memory Projector www.counselorup.com
Students can introduce themselves and the person they lost using Inside Out's Memory Projector.

Grief Group Outline

Session 1: Intro
Watch Inside Out Official Trailer. 
o Get to know each other M&M Game
o Memory Projector printable-draw a picture of the person that you lost, introduce them to your group. Color the circle         with the color that corresponds with how you are feeling today (see Feelings Poster)

Session 2: Understanding Grief
Watch Pizza Place Trailer
o Define Grief: Intense sorrow caused by loss of a loved one (especially by death)
o Yes/No flip Cards for characteristics of grief. Read card and students can flip their thumbs up or thumbs down card to         agree or disagree that they have experienced that characteristic of grief.

Session 3: Understanding Your Emotions
Watch Feelings Intros
o Draw 5 circles on the board: students share a time they felt each of the 5 feelings (anger, fear, sadness, disgust, joy)
o Memory Bank –draw a memory in each circle, color with corresponding feeling color

Session 4: Honoring Your Memories
Watch Riley's Memories
o Share memories of their loved one with the group, may bring in items or photos to share
o Continue to work on the memory bank-Can add multiple pages to create a memory book

Session 5: Support Network
Watch Just Like Joy
o Crayon example: Show students a crayon and say that when stress happens, it puts pressure on you. Break the crayon.    You need a support network to help you stand the pressure. Tape crayon to a popsicle stick or pencil. Try to break              (won’t break).
o Does Riley push away her support when she’s feeling sad?
o Who are your support people activity (included)
o Optional Game: Kerplunk

Session 6: Coping Strategies
Watch Put Sadness in a Circle
o In the movie, Riley tries to put sadness in a circle and tells her not to come out. Does this work? What happens?
o It’s OK to feel your feelings. When you try to keep your uncomfortable feelings away, they start to spread. (Joy and              Sadness get lost in the movie)
o Coping strategies memory game. When you are ready to feel joy again try these ideas!

I am so excited about this group! You can find many great clips of the Inside Out movie on Pixar's Youtube channel or you can purchase the DVD - I am sure it would get lots of use!
41 Comments
Renae
7/22/2015 05:26:17 am

This is great!!! Thanks

Reply
Laura link
7/22/2015 05:28:26 am

This is such an amazing resource! You are a doll for sharing your wisdom and talent.

Reply
Brooke
7/22/2015 05:34:03 am

I think this is a great way to really demonstrate grief through a concept younger kids can relate to. It will help "normalize" their feelings and emotions with honoring the memory of their loved one.

Reply
Rebecca Atkins link
7/22/2015 10:19:57 pm

I truly hope so! Thanks Brooke.

Reply
Clo Bessette
7/22/2015 05:48:08 am

Very engaging lessons. Thank you for sharing!

Reply
Janie Smythe
7/22/2015 05:50:57 am

Thank you! Looks awesome!

Reply
Tricia Clanton
7/22/2015 06:05:33 am

Thank you so much for sharing.

Reply
Elizabeth Pace Atkins
7/22/2015 06:16:15 am

Amazing resource.

Thanks Rebecca!

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
7/22/2015 06:58:57 am

Thanks so much!

Reply
Brenadette
7/22/2015 07:39:55 am

Thank you! God bless you!

Reply
Raymonica
7/22/2015 08:00:58 am

Thank you!!!

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
7/22/2015 10:20:58 pm

Thanks Everyone for your support :) Please like on Facebook, follow on Twitter and Instagram to keep in touch.

Reply
Jane
7/23/2015 12:51:59 am

LOVE this...can't wait to use it. Thank you so much!

Reply
Lisa Massman
7/23/2015 01:37:19 am

This looks marvelous, thanks for sharing with us and putting it all together in an accessible way.

Reply
Irene link
7/23/2015 03:56:08 am

Thank You!

Reply
Danielle
8/10/2015 04:14:30 am

Wow this is great! Thanks so much for sharing your creativity. P.S Saw the movie and loved it!

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
8/10/2015 10:59:41 am

Isn't it awesome?!

Reply
Kay trotter link
9/12/2015 11:38:45 am

Love this grief group, however I am wondering where do you get all the Movies your suggestion g to use? Is there a URL for them?

Reply
Rebecca Atkins link
9/12/2015 12:17:32 pm

Hi Kay, all the titles for the movie clips are hyperlinked :)

Reply
Renee
2/29/2016 02:30:56 pm

Hello, we have a grief camp for kids every year and are using the "Inside Out" theme this year. I ordered your lessons and just had a question about how you use the memory game?
Thank you!

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
2/29/2016 04:11:39 pm

Hi Renee, it's just like the game memory. You print the cards on card stock, the place them face down in random order. You then take turns flipping over two cards. If you get a match, you take it. The cards all have coping strategies so it's a great way to start conversation about ways to handle the strong feelings associated with grief.

Reply
Maureen McNichols
8/11/2016 07:00:55 am

Rebecca,
Wonderful Idea! If you are interested check out Internal Family Sysrems Therapy "parts work" the therapy movie is based on. I am a therapist and it works well to have kids use small plastic animals as "parts"too. More info on model on www.selfleadership.org
Warmly
Maureen

Deborah
2/9/2017 11:56:37 am

Brilliant - so so necessary. Thank you

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
2/9/2017 04:58:10 pm

Thank you!

Reply
Brenda
2/15/2018 05:14:26 pm

How do you purchased "the Inside Feelings Grief Group" lessons?

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
2/15/2018 06:39:41 pm

Hi Brenda, some of the links in the lesson were broken so I took them down to correct. Should be back up in a few days.

Reply
Marissa Steinhoff
2/20/2018 07:15:58 am

Is there anyway to still purchase this? I need for tomorrow! THANKS!

Rebecca Atkins
2/20/2018 10:45:01 am

I will get it fixed and uploaded tonight Marissa!

Rebecca Atkins
2/20/2018 04:25:42 pm

Marissa- the plans are back up :)

Julissa Hernandez
12/18/2022 09:08:43 am

where are the links?

Brenda
2/20/2018 07:11:39 pm

Hi Rebecca!

I love the lessons and I can't wait to start with my kiddos! I just wanted to let you know that the only link not working is the one for the first lesson. Can you send me the link?

Thanks in advance.

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
2/21/2018 08:35:09 am

Hi Brenda, the link is fixed in the post now :)

Reply
Jessica Trautwein
4/9/2018 10:20:51 am

I love the lessons. I was wonder where you get the characteristics of grief cards in the second lesson.

Reply
Rebecca Atkins link
4/9/2018 11:24:27 am

Hi Jessica - You can purchase everything in my lessons on teachers pay teachers. The link is at the bottom of the post.

Reply
Autry Jamison link
10/6/2018 01:04:38 am

I am interested in starting a children's grief group. Can you explain how I can access this material so you may receive compensation and credit? Thank you!

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
10/6/2018 04:07:28 am

Hello, the link to the materials is in the very last paragraph of the post.

Reply
J
10/20/2019 03:26:07 am

I can't find the resources for this group via the link 'the Inside Feelings Grief Group ' i typed it in on the teacher link but nothing comes up help?

Reply
Rebecca Atkins
10/21/2019 07:02:24 am

Hi J,
I am no longer selling this group because the links to the clips kept changing and I can’t keep it up to date. I’ll change this post to reflect that. Thanks for your interest.

Reply
DFK England link
3/30/2021 10:09:52 am

Hello mate great bllog

Reply
Beth
1/3/2022 10:40:39 pm

Hi there! This is a great resource! Thank you for sharing this! One little thing I caught near the end is you mentioned that Riley puts Sadness in a circle, but I think you mean that Joy put her there? :) I'm so looking forward to using this as a resource with my grief class! Thank you!

Reply
Rodney Shapiro link
1/20/2023 12:57:34 am

Such an incredible resources. Perfect for parents like me who have kids who are emotionally inclined. This something that I can apply to lessen emotional stress within the family.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Rebecca Atkins

    Welcome to my blog where I talk about all things school counselor and encourage others to Counselor Up!

     Subscribe in a reader

    This website uses marketing and tracking technologies. Opting out of this will opt you out of all cookies, except for those needed to run the website. Note that some products may not work as well without tracking cookies.

    Opt Out of Cookies
    Picture

    Interrupting Racism: Equity and Social Justice in School Counseling

    Links may be affiliate links. If you link and purchase, I may receive compensation at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support of Counselor Up.

    Categories

    All
    ASCA National Model
    Behavior
    Counseling Career
    Equity
    Freebies
    Groups
    IMO
    Individual Counseling
    Just A Little Thing
    Lessons
    Office
    Organization
    Parent Book Club
    Parent Communication
    Professional Development
    #tbt
    Technology

    Archives

    July 2021
    June 2021
    August 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014