This class will provide guided discussion by the teacher.  Open discussion will be encouraged and the focus will be on managing stress and developing coping skills to address concerns regarding current events. 

Each class we will establish and then re-establish the purpose of the class, which is to develop coping skills and manage stress related to the challenges of being a young person in today’s world.  We will review what a coping skill is and the importance of having a practical plan for managing stress.  We will also review how stress impacts our lives, both physically and emotionally.  We will identify some main stressors that are currently present in our modern day lives and how the students are currently handling stressors related to changes in their lives and the unknown nature of the future.  We will brainstorm and identify ideas of positive coping skills and students can offer suggestions of what has helped them.  Some examples of coping skills we will discuss are journaling, talking to a trusted adult, exercise, deep breathing, and mindfulness, or being aware in the moment and focused less on worries and concerns of the future.

The teacher will encourage positive coping skills and we will also address the dangers of using less effective coping skills, such as isolating from family members or sleeping too much.  Students will have the opportunity to bond with each other and discuss their viewpoints regarding current topics and fine tune their self-care management style.