Comprehensive Wellness Program for Broward County

AFTER THE ADVANCED TRAINING: WHAT IS NEXT?

• Review materials, find a co-facilitator and start recruiting for your group
  • To review the material from the Next Steps Workshop on December 3rd, 2020, please go here (video) and here (Powerpoint)
  • Please review all materials on this website (Framework and Logistics; Organizing Your Group; Checklist; Process note; Resources).
• Conduct a Workshop
  • Co-lead a workshop in your institution or community to bring awareness about the program to your colleagues, students, clients, and your community and to help you recruit members for your upcoming Mind-Body Skills Groups (MBSG)
  • Please submit this form for every workshop you lead
• Co-lead two Mind-Body Skills Groups with Supervision (now – February 2023)
  • The deadline for completing your two 8-week Mind-Body Skills Groups is February 2023.
  • Plan your Mind-Body Skills Group (MBSG) with your trained co-facilitator with guidance and support from an appointed CMBM Supervisor.
  • Recruit 7-9 group members, who can be students, teachers, clients, co-workers or community members.
  • Request supervision at least 2 weeks before your start date here. NOTE: Please also be sure to submit this supervision request for your second group, EVEN IF you are working with your previous supervisor again. You can note you are continuing to work with them on the form.
  • Co-lead two series of 8-week MBSG (in-person or virtual), with 8 sessions of 2 hours each week (shorter if working with children/teens).
  • Both you and your partner will participate in concurrent Supervision with an appointed CMBM Supervisor to receive guidance support in leading your groups.
  • Submit Process Notes for each MBSG session.
  • Please submit this form after your Mind-Body Skills Group is completed.

Questions? Please contact us at BrowardSupervision@cmbm.org.

OVERVIEW

Once you have completed the Advanced Training Program (ATP), you will be prepared to integrate your new skills and knowledge into your work with supervision. Supervision is a wonderful opportunity for deepening your skills and for your growth as a facilitator, as you bring mind-body techniques to your community. This page will help you organize and recruit participants for your group (online or in person) and will provide guidelines for this upcoming Practicum & Supervision phase.

During this Practicum & Supervision Phase, you will co-facilitate a workshop and two 8 week Mind-Body Skills Group (MBSG) using the CMBM model. To help you prepare for this phase, CMBM supervisors will guide and support your efforts each step of the way from how to market and recruit for your groups to handling challenges and issues that may arise.

The groups you will co-facilitate will be similar to the ones you participated in at ATP. One MBSG series consists of eight 2-hour sessions (time may vary for age groups) using many of the same techniques which you experienced in both the small and large group sessions: Drawings, Biofeedback & Autogenics, Meditation, Guided Imagery, Dialogue with a Symptom/Issue/Problem, Genograms, Mindful Eating, Shaking & Dancing, Chaotic Breathing, and Closing Ceremony. You will find several options for how to organize your 8 week group series in your Community Manual.

FRAMEWORK

• We expect you to lead a minimum of two groups and one workshop with those in Broward County.
• The workshop before your Mind-Body Skills Group to help you recruit for your group.
• The deadline for completing your two 8-week Mind-Body Skills Groups is February 2023.
• Please do NOT start a group with fewer than 7 committed group members, without a prep call with your CMBM Supervisor and please run only one group at a time.
• We can credit your groups towards the Center’s Certification Program if you follow the CMBM model and actively participate in weekly supervision and write process notes.
• You may be in a supervision pod with 2 other Broward program participants, or in a pod with just you and your co-facilitator. If you need help finding a co-facilitator, we may be able to help you connect with someone.
• Your weekly supervision call will be held at the same time and day every week and will be dependent on your pod and your supervisor’s availability. You will be given a Zoom line for the supervision meeting. Please reserve this time without interruption (which means not driving in a car, etc) and be prepared to discuss your process notes. NOTE: Supervision cannot be on the same day as your group meets unless absolutely necessary.
• Supervision will resemble the feedback session you experienced during the Advanced Training. You will focus on strengths, challenges, and having the opportunity to reflect on how you managed the group, as well as how you will shape the next session.
• If your group is not scheduled to start for another several weeks, you might not be assigned a supervisor right away, but you can always check-in if you have any urgent questions. You do not need to request supervision for the workshop – please make sure you review sample materials and a recording about organizing the workshop on this website. If you have any additional questions after reviewing those, then definitely be in touch.

SEQUENCE AND TIMING

• Plan and Recruit for your Group: please review the Organizing Your Group page.
• Request Supervision: When you have a co-facilitator and group start date set, please submit this form to request a supervisor, along with BOTH of your availability for supervision session times/days. Please try to submit this at least 2 weeks before your group begins.
• Initial Preparation call: The first call you have with your supervisor will be held BEFORE your first group meets. In this session, your CMBM supervisor will help you organize and review the outline for your 8-session group series as well as prepare you for your first group session. This call, as well as all following calls, will include all members of your supervision pod so that everyone can learn from each other.
• Facilitating Groups: Plan to hold your first group session of the series within one week after the first call with your supervisor. All other supervision calls will follow each group session.
• Closing call: your last supervision session will be used to review what has been learned, look ahead to next steps, and to bring the supervision process to a close.

PROCESS NOTES

• You will need to keep process notes on each group session and email them to your supervisor at least 24 hours before the supervision call. The process notes should describe what happened in the group, including your challenges as a leader, specific situations in the group and how you handled them, emotional reactions you or group members had and how you handled them, and especially your self-reflections of what is going on within you during the group.
• Your supervisor will answer any questions about the process notes and how they are used for your own learning. Each person’s notes will differ, but a couple of examples are attached.
• Each facilitator must write their OWN process notes. Even though you have a co-facilitator, each person views things from a different perspective and what stands out for or triggers one person, may not for another. These process notes should provide enough information to your supervisor to help them understand what is happening in your group.
• For more detailed information on process notes, please visit the Process Notes page.

ABSENCES

• Please inform your supervisor of any absences in advance. Because of the nature of the supervision pod, we might not be able to accommodate a “makeup” call if you miss a meeting.

IMPORTANT FORMS

These forms are a crucial part of the program management and data collection that helps support graduates and inform their community of the great work they are doing.

1. Supervision Request Form: When you have a co-facilitator and group start date set, please submit this form to request a supervisor, along with BOTH of your availability for supervision session times/days. Please try to submit this at least 2 weeks before your group begins.
2. Post-Event Info Form: This is CRITICAL to submit – it is crucial that we are collecting the impact data from the 8-week Mind-Body Skills Groups, workshops, and any informal sharing of mind-body skills (e.g. using the skills in your classroom, with individual students, etc) to report back to our partners.

CREATE AND PROMOTE YOUR GROUP

You will lead a Mind-Body Skills Group with a colleague who has also completed the CMBM Advanced Training Program. Find someone with whom you feel comfortable planning, sharing, facilitating, and learning. Both you and your partner are expected to fully participate in EVERY group session. You will be planning the group, co-leading the group together, and supporting each other throughout.

If you need help locating a co-facilitator, please refer to this google sheet of others searching for a co-facilitator in Broward County.

Remember, your outreach efforts must be focused on serving those in Broward County, and particularly those affected most directly by the February 14th, 2018 shooting if appropriate.

• What populations/individuals do you want to work with?
• Who in your community needs your help?

What’s the best way to reach them? The easiest way is through your existing networks or in your professional setting. But if you have no direct or easy access to these people through your network, consider approaching the following types of organizations and offer the program to their constituents:

• Other service-centered organizations that are working with people
• Churches and other places of worship
• Schools
• Community centers, YMCAs, Boys & Girls Clubs
• Trauma relief agencies
• Local employers who are concerned about their staff’s wellness

Check out our marketing tips video here!

Work with your co-facilitator to see what ideas you can generate together and consider the following logistics while planning your group.

We highly recommend doing a workshop first before running your first Mind-Body Skills Group. This will help gather participants for the group. You can find more workshop materials on the Resources page.

• Where will you hold your group?

• • Is it easily accessible?
  • Is it convenient?
  • Is there a fee or can you use it for free?

• What time and day of the week?

• • Is it convenient for your target audience?
  • Meet at the same day and time every week unless all agree to a change.

• When will you start your group?

• • Make sure to give yourselves ample time to prepare and then complete an 8-week group, accounting for any holidays.

• How will you advertise the group?

• • Design a simple flyer that includes the dates, time, location, or videoconferencing link for your group and provide a summary of what skills will be covered. We recommend using www.canva.com/templates/ for templates or you can create your own. See the Resources page for sample flyers.
  • Promote on social media
  • Word of mouth through your network(s) and colleagues
  • Referrals from other professionals
  • Corporate HR offices
  • Community networking sites/boards/neighborhood apps
  • Conduct a brief educational workshop or brown-bag lunch
  • You can advertise your group as a “Mind-Body Skills Group” and say that you are following the model of the Center for Mind-Body Medicine (www.cmbm.org) in any marketing/recruitment efforts. Use of the CMBM logo is prohibited without express written consent.

• How will you describe what the group is about?

• • Write a description in your own words so it feels true and you are comfortable answering questions about it. Sharing a brief summary of how the group helped you is important for successful recruitment. Are you practicing these skills in your own life? Which of them has helped you? And how? This is your best “marketing” tool!

• How will you “screen” to make sure the composition of the group is a good fit?

• • Pre-group interview form: Please follow these questions when screening your group participants and adjust them as needed according to your participant population/program. We have found this helps all participants understand the group and commitment required ahead of time, leading to a more enriched experience for all.

IN-PERSON GROUPS

As we transition from our online group model from the past year back to in-person groups, please be sure to review this document here for tips and guidance.

ONLINE GROUPS AND WORKSHOPS

If you are running an online group or workshop, please review this folder which includes

1. Video about online groups
2. Video with guidance about workshops
3. Tips for leading a workshop online
4. Documents with main points to keep in mind when conducting an online Mind-Body Skills Group

We encourage you to get your own online software for online groups/workshops (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Canvas, Google Hangouts etc). If you are unable to do so, we have limited times available for a CMBM Zoom line that we can provide for those facilitating free groups or workshops. You can request the use of a Zoom line here.

GROUP STRUCTURE

Group length & timing – 8 sessions, 2 hours each

• The ideal mind-body skills group meets a minimum of 8 times once per week. You can work with your supervisor to customize group length and session length if needed, based on the needs of the people you are working with.
• Each group session should last 2 hours. Specific patient populations (such as inpatient, children, adolescent or homeless populations) may require a 90-minute or less group structure. You should discuss this with your CMBM supervisor.

Group size

• Plan to have 7-9 members in your group (excluding you and your co-facilitator). NOTE: if you have more than 10 group members please reduce the # before beginning. If you have less than 7 members, please review the Small Group Exception Algorithm below. Groups that are too small become individual counseling in a group setting, and groups that are too large become a workshop.
• If you will be working with a population where you might expect a higher level of no-shows or drop-outs, you should plan to begin with a slightly higher number of participants (10-12, or sometimes more) to account for this.

Group format

• Follow one of the three, 8-session small group outlines provided in the Community Manual (note: this is different from the Advanced Training Manual).
• These are closed groups and the series are sequential. No drop-ins. If you believe you need an exception to this due to the population you are working with, please discuss with your CMBM supervisor.
• Please keep to the CMBM model. Do not simply add these skills to an existing group that you are already running.
• If your planned group composition is outside of the standard model (shorter than 2 hours, less than 7 participants, etc.), please read the document, Small Group Exception Algorithm and discuss with your supervisor. It contains guidelines on what group compositions we can be flexible with and what we require an exception for. After reading, if you find you require an exception for your group to begin please fill out the request form linked in the document. After reviewing your request, the CMBM clinical team will get back to you with a decision as soon as possible. Please note that approval of exceptions to this standard is infrequent, as a vital component of how and why the CMBM model has produced evidence comes from the effects/impacts related to the social nature of the small group. We aim to maintain the integrity of the model in the way in which it is deployed at the community level.

Please see the Framework and Logistics section for detailed information about supervision and how to request a supervisor.

Reminder: It’s important to adhere to CMBM’s model for facilitating Mind-Body Skills Groups through this supervision process. Once you’ve mastered the fundamentals, you’re free to bring your other skills and experiences to your future groups while following the CMBM model.

AM I READY TO START MIND-BODY SKILLS GROUPS AND SUPERVISION?

• I have notified The Center for Mind-Body Medicine via the supervision request form and have contacted my CMBM supervisor.
• I have reviewed the group and process notes guidelines, Next Steps Packet and Community Manual. For an online group, I have reviewed materials for leading a virtual group.
• If facilitating with somebody else: I made sure that the other person has completed the Advanced Mind-Body Medicine training, and we have divided the material appropriately.
• I interviewed all members of my group. I explained the group guidelines and what to expect as far as group structure.
• I have 7-9 group members committed to the group. NOTE: if you have more than 10 group members please reduce the # before beginning.
• My group meeting is scheduled once a week.
• My group will be meeting for 8 weeks, in person or online.
• My group sessions will be 2 hours long (unless I work with teens/children – 1-1.5 hours group).
• I am co-facilitating only one group at a time.
• I am following the CMBM model & not including any additional things in the group or adding the skills to an existing group.
• I am clear on the group rules.
• I use mind-body skills myself with regularity.
• I am ready to be part of the group – to be a facilitator as well as group member.
• I thought through the didactic; it is short and clear, and I practiced it aloud & timed it.
• Practical for in-person groups: My room is a safe space, I have music, talking object, biodots, crayons and paper or any other supplies I want to use
• I am ready to keep process notes, get them to my supervisor in a timely-manner (at least 24 hours in advance of supervision), and I am clear on what the process notes should include.
• In addition to leading the group, I have time set aside in my schedule for planning with my cofacilitator, writing the process notes, and for one hour of supervision each week of group.
• I have reviewed the Suicide Prevention Manual and Broward Trauma Services document and discussed with my supervisor if I have questions.
• I have reviewed the Resource Guide for Handling Safety Concerns here and discussed with my supervisor if I have questions.
• I have reviewed the Small Group Exception Algorithm here and if needed, will submit a request for an exception if my group composition is outside of the standard model (shorter than 2 hours, low # of participants, etc.). The CMBM clinical team will get back to you with a decision after reviewing your request as soon as possible.
• I understand I will need to fill out a post-event form so I am keeping notes (including the start date of my group, how many participants are in my group, what setting/population I am working with etc.).

WHAT IS A PROCESS NOTE?

Process note is a very important learning tool and a part of CMBM supervision. It helps you reflect, summarize and be clear about what is going on in you and your group, and what you want to discuss in supervision. It helps the supervisor prepare for your supervision call and it shapes what you cover during the supervision session.

Your supervisor will help guide you on how to write this note and may ask you to focus on particular topics and content. You will write your own process note, even if you are co-facilitating. Please bring any questions you have about writing this note to your supervisor. Please print this document and use it as a reference as you write your process notes for each group session.

The information included and the depth of information shared in the process notes often changes for each of us as we lead groups. Your process note will be unique to your own experience.

Please email your process note to your CMBM supervisor at least 24 hours before the supervision call. (However, if your process note requires translation, please email it 72 hours before supervision.) Please send as an attachment in Word format, (not as a PDF). This schedule is important and allows your supervisor to read the note from each facilitator and plan for the supervision session. For confidentiality, please use only initials and not full names of group members.

PRIOR TO YOUR FIRST GROUP

Write a process note that includes a description of your plans for the group series and your outline for each group session. Include the following essentials:

• A brief introduction to you, your thoughts about leading this group and your goals for supervision
• Logistics about your group (number of people in your group, location, dates of the group sessions)
• Group Outline (the mind-body topic and experiential you will include in each session)
• Questions about leading the first group session
• Planning with your co-facilitator (if applicable)

AFTER EACH GROUP SESSION

Write a 1-2 page process note in narrative style. Please do not answer the questions below as a list or in bullet form.

Everyone’s process note summary is unique and individualized to that person’s style. As you write this descriptive summary note, you will notice that you become more aware of what happened in your group and what you want to focus on during supervision. Incorporate what was most significant for you and your group process into a descriptive summary as indicated in the sample process note below.

Here are the essentials of what to include in your process note following each group session:

• Describe the events of the group and how you worked with (navigated) what happened in the group.
  • Describe the events based on your self-reflections of what was going on within you as you led this group session.
  • What were you seeing, listening to and wondering about?
  • Any emotional or significant responses/behaviors of the group members or yourself?
• The emerging experiential process for:
  • each participant
  • the group as a whole
  • you as the facilitator
  • the relationship with your co-facilitator (if applicable)
• What do you want to discuss in Supervision?

Here are some questions that may help you reflect upon the events of the group:

• What happened before the group? How did you prepare yourself?
• What was going on for you that day that may have impacted how you showed up for group?
• How did you and your co-facilitator work together before the group?
• What happened during the group session?
• How did you establish the safe container for the group?
• How did you establish the guidelines in the first group session?
• What did you do for the opening meditation? How did that go?
• How did the check in go? What themes came up for the group members and yourself?
• How and when did you ask follow-up questions?
• How did you transition to the didactic information?
• What was your didactic information and how did that go? How did you make it your own?
• What did you do for the experiential? How did that go? How did the group members respond? What happened when they shared their experience?
• What did you do for a closing meditation?
• How well did you manage your time?

Consider the following questions as you write about your own self-reflection:

• What came up for me as others were talking about themselves and as I was facilitating?
• What were my reactions and feelings during the group?
• Was there anything (feelings or situations) that I was uncomfortable with?
• What was the impact of the group on me? What challenged me?
• What themes, turning points or shifts in the group did I notice?
• Were there any difficult situations and/or difficult group members? How did I handle this?
• How did I share in the group?
• What did I notice about my relationship and partnership with my co-facilitator? Did we plan well enough? Did we debrief after the group?
• What did I notice after the group ended?
• What did I do WELL?
• What is an area I would like to grow in? What could I have done better?
• What do I want to discuss in supervision?

Helpful hint: If you are in Certification these self-reflection notes will be very helpful for the personal process paper. Once you choose a person for your case study paper, add more details in your process notes about that person.

UPDATE 9/9/22 – we have opened Certification applications again! Please review the new documents and requirements here. Email Certification@cmbm.org with any questions!

We get many questions about becoming Certified in Mind-Body Medicine. This is completely optional. If you are starting your group and want it to count towards Certification, make sure you follow the model as outlined in this document, in the Community Manual & in your Group Checklist, and submit process notes and actively participate in your supervision calls. After your first group is completed, you can apply for Certification if you are interested.