Empowering Emotional Well-Being: How Step-In Supports Girls' Growth and Resilience
The Step-In curriculum is rooted in four pillars, the first of which is Emotional Well-Being. This pillar forms a core component of the daily activities and lessons taught at Step-In, emphasizing that the ability to process and regulate emotions is essential for children’s development.
Through carefully curated lessons, girls at Step-In practice expressing emotions in a constructive manner and learn to regulate feelings like fear and excitement. This equips them to succeed academically and socially while boosting their confidence and resilience.
A key element of the curriculum is teaching students about ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts), which are negative or upsetting involuntary thoughts. These thoughts often occur frequently and continuously, leading to emotional distress. ANTs are commonly linked to cognitive distortions, which are unproductive and unpleasant mental patterns. Examples of these distortions include catastrophizing, black-and-white thinking, fortune-telling, and jumping to conclusions. Girls at Step-In learn to identify these automatic negative thoughts and develop strategies to combat cognitive distortions. The curriculum incorporates verbal, written, and physical activities to thoroughly explain ANTs, helping the girls recognize and address them effectively.
The curriculum also focuses on addressing negative self-talk. Girls learn how to identify and overcome self-critical thoughts and celebrate their individuality. Through lessons and activities, they are encouraged to recognize and appreciate their own strengths. Group discussions are facilitated with prompts such as: “What makes you unique?”, “What is something you are proud of yourself for?”, and “What do you contribute to the people around you?” This approach helps girls shift their focus to valuing their bodies for what they can do, rather than how they look.
The Step-In Program fosters a welcoming and supportive environment where girls can understand the importance of emotional well-being and develop tools to actively nurture their own mental and emotional health. By doing so, they are empowered to lead fulfilling lives.
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