Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program 

Trainer’s Toolkit 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips 

Rev. 3/2013 
Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program 

Trainer’s Toolkit—Exercises and Trainer’s Tips 

Table of Contents 

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Introduction 3 

Trainer’s Tips 4 

Icebreakers 6 

Exercise Suggestions 8 

Module 1: Core Content Training 8 

Module 2: Transition to Regular Services Program (RSP) Training 26 

Module 3: Midprogram Training 31 

Module 4: Disaster Anniversary Training 32 

Module 5: RSP Phasedown Training 33 

Knowledge Building 36 

Games 36 

Talk-a-Thons 38 

Debates 40 

Participant-Centered Review Strategies 41 

Skill Building 46 

Simulation Events and Skills Practice 46 

Case Studies 47 

Team Building 48 

Additional Training Resources 53 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 2 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 3 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction 

The Exercises and Trainer’s Tips booklet is designed to give trainers the tools they 

need to deliver the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program (CCP) 

training modules using interactive, adult-centered learning. In addition to training 

tips and icebreakers, this booklet contains exercises that have been developed to 

correspond directly to the content of each module. Also included are exercises 

designed to build knowledge, skills, and teamwork. It is the goal of the exercises to 

ensure that the participants leave the training with the knowledge and skills they 

need to provide crisis counseling services in accordance with the CCP model. 

The notes section of the PowerPoint slides contains two subsections, Supplemental 

Content and Instructor’s Notes. The Supplemental Content gives trainers more 

information on the content of the slides. This information can be shared with the 

participants, as needed. The Instructor’s Notes contain guidance for the trainer as 

well as instructions for the use of handouts and exercises. When an exercise is 

referenced in the Instructor’s Notes, it will be listed in order, by module, in the 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips. Many exercises are repeated from module to module. 

If an exercise does not appear to be listed, check the Core Content Training section 

for the exercise and instructions. 

The time needed for each exercise will be determined by a variety of factors 

including the relevance of the material to a particular disaster and the size and 

composition of the group to be trained. To cover the material in the time allotted, it is 

important for trainers to be familiar with each exercise and gauge the time needed in 

relation to these variables. 

Introduction 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 4 of 53 

Trainer’s Tips

 General Guidelines: 

o Have a training schedule and agenda ready prior to the training 

session, and adhere to the schedule as closely as possible. 

o	 Arrive early, and check on the setup of the room and the technology. 

o	 Test the equipment, and designate a member of the onsite staff to 

assist you. 

o	 Use microphones to ensure that all participants can hear and take part. 

o	 Maintain eye contact with the group, and avoid reading directly from 

the slides. 

o	 When a participant asks a question, repeat it to the group before 

answering to make sure everyone has heard it. 

o Emphasize interactive learning. Have the participants get up and 

move around often, and facilitate their own learning of the material. 

o	 Circulate through the room during group exercises to ensure all 

participants are taking part. 

o Have each participant complete the evaluation form provided with the 

module. 

o	 Designate a member of the onsite team to collect a completed 

evaluation from everyone. 

o	 As the trainer, complete the provided evaluation form regarding the 

training content and overall training experience. 

o	 Stay late, if possible, to answer any last-minute questions, address 

issues staff may have, and ensure evaluations are completed and 

collected. 

o Set up the room with tables and chairs to facilitate groups of four to six 

people. 

o	 Set up the presentation at the front of the room, so it is visible to all 

groups. 

	 Work with the participants to set up the ground rules of the training session: 

o	 Ask for suggestions from the group. 

o	 Set aside time for breaks. 

o	 Have one person record the ground rules on a tear sheet. 

o	 Post the ground rules in a prominent place. 

Trainer’s Tips 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 5 of 53 

	 Traditional ground rules: 

o	 Put mobile phones on vibrate or silent ring. 

o	 No idea is a bad idea. 

o	 It is important for everyone to participate, but not over-participate at the 

expense of others. 

o	 Ask for clarification of instructions or content. 

o	 Participants may take a break if they need one. 

	 Useful tools: 

o	 Easel chart with notepad of tear sheets 

o	 Various colored markers 

o	 Colored paper 

o	 Tape 

o	 Stress ball or some other small toss-able toy 

o	 Nametags 

o	 Post-it notes 

o	 Index cards 

o	 Pads of paper for each team 

o	 Pens for each participant 

	 Techniques for dividing into groups: 

o	 Place different colored dots on nametags, and ask participants to 

divide into groups based on the color of the dot. 

o	 Divide participants into two groups; those with less than 5 years’ 

experience and those with more than 5 years’ experience. Take two 

from each side to form teams of four. 

o	 Divide the participants by profession or affiliation. Either keep them in 

“like” groups or mix and match participants, depending on the learning 

activity. 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 6 of 53 

 

 

 

 

Icebreakers 

Trainers should use an icebreaker at the beginning of training so that participants 

can begin to get to know each other. Icebreakers are also useful when participants 

need to acquaint themselves with new team members or when they need a quick 

and easy exercise to reenergize the learning process. 

Icebreakers 

I Expect 

 After distributing paper and pencils to all of the group members, ask each 

participant to write down the following statements: 

 From the leader of this session, I expect _______________________. 

 From the other participants in this session, I expect ______________. 

 Then, give group members 5 minutes to complete the statements. 

 When the allotted time has elapsed, collect the papers. 

 Then, without revealing the participants' identities, read all of the completed 

statements out loud. 

	 The trainer may then initiate a brief discussion of the participants' 

expectations and how these expectations are to be met during their time 

together. 

Things in Common 

	 Divide the meeting participants into groups of four or five people by having 

them number off. 

	 Tell the newly formed groups that their assignment is to find 10 things they 

have in common with every other person in the group. (No body parts or 

clothing similarities are allowed.) 

	 Tell the groups that one person must take notes and be ready to read the 

group’s list to the whole room upon completing the assignment. 

 Share lists with the whole group. Reading the lists always generates laughter 

and discussion. 

 Allow 10–15 minutes, depending on the number of groups. 

Two Truths and a Lie 

 Give everyone in the group 5 minutes to come up with three statements about 

themselves. 

 Make sure that two of the statements are true and one is a lie. 

 As each person introduces himself or herself, ask the others to guess which 

statement is a lie. 

 Have the person reveal which is the lie and why he or she thought it up. 

Interview a Fellow Participant 

	 Ask participants to pair up with someone they don’t know very well. 

	 Make sure they each have a pen and piece of paper. 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 7 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Have them interview each other using some or all of the questions provided. 

 Have each participant introduce his or her partner to the group using the 

answers to the questions. 

 Possible questions: 

o	 What do you like most about crisis counseling? 

o	 What do you like least about crisis counseling? 

o	 What crisis counseling activity is most challenging for you? 

o	 What is your favorite crisis counseling activity? 

o	 When you have a bad day, what is usually the reason? 

o	 When you have leisure time, what do you like to do? 

o	 Do you take outside lessons or classes of any kind? 

o	 Do you have any pets? 

o	 What is your favorite: 

 Food? 

 Place? 

 Sport? 

 Indoor activity? 

o	 Who is your favorite: 

 Friend? 

 Relative? 

 Movie star? 

 Hero or heroine? 

Interesting Participant Introduction 

 Ask each participant to write down and complete the following statements: 

o	 My name is _____________________________________________. 

o	 My nickname is _______________________________________. 

o	 I work for ____________________________________________. 

o	 I wish I could sing like __________________________________. 

o	 My favorite saying is __________________________________. 

o	 People would describe me as ____________________________. 

	 Depending on the number of participants, have each person introduce himself 

or herself using these statements. 

	 If the number of participants is too large given the time constraints, ask 

participants to give their names and choose two other answers to share with 

the larger group. 

	 Other answers can be used during team-building or team-centered activities. 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 8 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Suggestions 

Module 1: Core Content Training 

Exercise Suggestion: Characteristics and Repercussions of a Disaster 

Objective: To have participants discuss and generate their own lists of 

characteristics and repercussions associated with disaster. 

	 Ask each participant to generate a list of characteristics and repercussions 

(disruptions and changes) associated with a disaster. 

	 Give participants 2–3 minutes to brainstorm and list their ideas. 

	 Ask participants to share their ideas with the whole group. 

	 As each characteristic and repercussion is shared, have participants check 

them off if they have the same ones on their list. 

	 Have the participants share their responses until no one has an idea on their 

list without a checkmark next to it. 

	 Once all ideas are shared, highlight the characteristics and repercussions (if 

any) below that were not identified by the attendees. 

o	 Characteristics of a disaster: 

–		 Natural vs. human caused 

–		 Degree of personal effect 

–		 Size and scope 

–		 Visible effect 

–		 Probability of recurrence 

–		 Occurrence of disaster in recent past 

o	 Repercussions of a disaster: 

–		 Loss of life or property 

–		 Injury or illness 

–		 Disruption of community support systems or infrastructure 

–		 Disruption to family or relocation 

–		 Unemployment 

–		 Changes in school configurations 

–		 Interaction with large bureaucracies 

–		 Influx of outsiders into the community 

–		 Increase in substance use or abuse 

Suggested Exercises 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Suggestion: Disaster Sequence Flowchart 

Objective: To have participants create a flowchart that reflects the sequence of the 

disaster response. 

	 Review the disaster response sequence with the participants, and explain 

each step. 

	 Have the participants divide into groups of six to eight people. 

	 Ask the participants to depict the disaster response sequence using a 

flowchart format. Examples of flowcharts are listed below. 

	 Select a spokesperson from one or two groups to share his or her group’s 

flowchart with all the participants. 

	 As flowcharts are reviewed, deal with any questions and concerns that arise. 

	 Trainer’s may modify this exercise and create a flowchart for the participants 

to fix or fill in correctly (see Fix the Flowchart exercise in the ParticipantCentered Review Strategies section of this document). 

Exercise Suggestion: Risk Factors-Population Exposure Model 

Objective: To assist participants in conceptualizing the Risk Factors-Population 

Exposure Model and its importance in understanding the goals of the CCP. 

	 Divide the participants into the following groups: 

o	 A—Injured victims, bereaved family members 

o	 B—Victims with high exposure to disaster trauma or evacuated from 

disaster zone 

o	 C—Bereaved extended family or friends, first responders 

o	 D—People who lost homes, jobs, or possessions; people with preexisting 

trauma or dysfunction; at-risk groups; and other disaster responders 

o	 E—Affected people from community at large 

	 Have the participants visualize an imaginary line that stretches across part of 

the room. One end of the line represents those with the highest level of 

disaster effect, and the other end of the line represents those with the lowest 

level of disaster effect. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 9 of 53 
 Instruct participants to line themselves up individually, not as a group,

according to the level of effect they think their group represents (i.e., if

someone in group D feels those who lost homes or jobs are among the most

affected groups, then he or she would stand near the highest effect end of the

line).

 Allow time for participants to find their place in the Risk Factors-Population

Exposure Model line.

 Elicit some discussion of how participants placed themselves across the risk

continuum, and note how groups may overlap.

 Have participants return to their seats, and explain the Risk FactorsPopulation Exposure Model graphic.

Exercise Suggestion: Talk at Tables—Types of Reactions 

Objective: To elicit a list of types of reactions and foster team thinking. 

 First, present the slide that lists the four types of reactions to a disaster—

physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral.

 Ask participants to break into groups of four to five people (or work at their

tables). The groups should discuss and write down two or three examples for

each reaction type.

 Present the slides listing the types of reactions. While going through the

examples on each slide, ask participants if they were able to identify the same

types of reactions within their groups.

 Also ask if there were any reactions identified by the groups that were not

listed on the slides. Share and discuss.

 Handout 3 contains a detailed list of disaster reactions and interventions.

Exercise Suggestion: Forehead—Guess the Answer 

Objective: To review the types of reactions to disaster in an interactive way. 

 Divide participants into groups of four to five people each.

 Give four index cards to each group with a type of reaction listed on each

card (physical, behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual, if there are five

in a group).

 Without looking at the card, one group member will place the card on his or

her forehead.

 The other group members will act out examples of the type of reaction listed

(for “physical,” members might rub their stomachs or pretend to have chills.)

 The cardholder will try to guess the type of reaction.

 Once he or she has guessed correctly, another team member will hold a card.

 Repeat this sequence for all four or five cards.

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 10 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Suggestion: What Interventions Are Useful in Each Phase? 

Objective: To allow participants to connect useful interventions with the phases of 

disaster and disaster reactions. 

 Make sure the participants have a copy of Handout 3 Disaster Reactions and 

Interventions. 

 Divide the participants into groups of five or six people each. 

 Assign one phase of disaster to each group. 

 Have the groups discuss the most appropriate interventions for the phases of 

disaster they were assigned. 

 Have a spokesperson from each group share the group’s findings with 

everyone in the room. 

 Make sure the findings are recorded on tear sheets according to phase of 

disaster. 

 Review the findings for accuracy, and discuss them as the groups report out. 

 Post the tear sheets around the room for later review. 

Exercise Suggestion: Pictograph—Draw a Picture Expressing the Main Idea of 

Each Phase 

Objective: To allow participants to think about the phases of disaster and express 

their ideas in creative and interactive ways. 

 After reviewing the phases of disaster, have participants draw a chart similar 

to this one on a sheet of paper. 

 Pre-disaster Phase  Impact Phase  Heroic Phase 

 Honeymoon Phase  Disillusionment 

Phase 

 Reconstruction 

Phase 

 Have each participant draw a simple picture or symbol that captures his or 

her interpretation of each phase. (Allow approximately 5 minutes for this part 

of the exercise.) 

 Have participants share their pictograph with their groups. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 11 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

	 This exercise allows participants to process the written description of the 

phases of disaster into symbolic representations that will be more memorable 

and personal to them. 

Exercise Suggestion: Talk at Tables—Resilience 

Objective: To help participants understand the importance of resilience in disaster 

behavioral health and their role in fostering it. 

 Divide participants into groups of four or five. 

 Ask the group members to discuss what the phrase “resilience is a state, not 

a trait” means to them. Ask them to consider the following: 

o	 

	 

	 

What would make one person’s resilience stronger than another’s at a 

given time? 

o What could be done to strengthen resilience in a person or group? 

o What outreach methods would be most effective in boosting resilience? 

 Have one person in each team keep track of the ideas. Time the discussion 

at 10–15 minutes. Have the scribe or another team member report the key 

ideas of each group. 

 Note the key ideas of each group on a tear sheet. Use a different color 

marker for each group. Tape the tear sheets on the wall under a group 

heading “resilience.” 

Skills Practice or Simulation Events—Crisis Counseling Skills 

Objective: To practice and improve crisis counseling skills. 

 Using one of the following provided case studies, one of your own, or one 

developed by the group, have the group take part in a skills practice or 

simulation event exercise that focuses on the counseling skill set you want to 

practice. 

 Break up the group into triads. One person will be the giver; one will be the 

receiver; and one will be the observer. 

 If there are people left over, it is possible to have more than one observer in a 

group. 

 The giver will be the crisis counselor; the receiver will be the person seeking 

help; and the observer will watch the interaction and take notes. 

 Using the supplemental content from the slide, present the information on the 

counseling skill in question. 

 Ask participants to practice a crisis counseling session while focusing on the 

important aspects of the skill in question. 

 Give each group 3–5 minutes to complete the session. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 12 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Once the skills practice or simulation event session is over, ask each triad to 

report its findings to the larger group. 

 Have each person report what went well, what could have gone better, and 

how he or she felt. 

 Make sure to emphasize honoring the risks taken in the skills practice. 

 Once all the reports are submitted, discuss some of the themes that emerge 

and how to implement the skills in crisis counseling sessions. 

Case Studies for Skills Practice or Simulation Events 

Common reaction: 

Craig is a crisis counselor in a local shelter where many residents of Georgia 

are living temporarily due to displacement from their homes damaged by 

flooding. Craig is asked to meet with Peter, one of the evacuees who 

suffered significant damage to his house and minimal damage to the 

convenience store he owns. During their meeting, Peter conveys sadness 

over the loss of his property, as well as anxiety over when he will be able to 

return home, but he expresses relief that neither he nor his family members 

were hurt. He also tells Craig that he is not sure how to access financial help 

and requests his assistance in linking him to the appropriate resources. 

How should Craig proceed? 

Substance abuse: 

James, a 43-year-old man in recovery for 10 years from cocaine addiction, 

suffered injuries as he and his family took shelter from a series of tornados 

that devastated their home and community. Three months later, he is 

unemployed and stressed, but still a proud man as he tries to care for his 

family. James has been going to the local recovery center for assistance and 

often for one-on-one support with Susan, a young crisis counselor he has 

grown to trust. He tells Susan he is proud of his time in recovery, yet jokes to 

her that he isn’t doing too badly because of the pain pills a doctor put him on 

after receiving his injuries. Increasingly, Susan observes him becoming 

withdrawn. A week later, he discloses to her that he had a few drinks but it 

isn’t a big deal because “I never had a problem with alcohol before.” 

What should Susan do? 

Suicide: 

Rachel has been assigned as a crisis counselor in the Galveston, TX, area, 

where extreme flooding has destroyed more than 2,000 homes and a 

Presidential disaster declaration has been made. Tom, a local business 

owner, lost his home. In addition, his mother, who lived with him, lost her life 

in the disaster. Rachel’s first encounter with Tom is to discuss arrangements 

for shelter and financial assistance; however, during their conversation, Tom 

begins to cry and confides to Rachel that he doesn’t really feel that “life is 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 13 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

worth living.” In a very direct but sensitive way, Rachel asks Tom if he intends 

to kill himself. Tom tells Rachel he has access to a gun that he frequently 

uses for hunting, and he states that he “wants to join his mother.” 

What are the first steps Rachel should take as a crisis counselor? 

Working with children: 

Sofia Hernandez, a 14-year-old student, has been back in school for a week 

since an earthquake struck her hometown of Altamonte, California. The 

Hernandez family suffered substantial damages to their home, and they are 

now living in a shelter. Bill has been assigned as a group crisis counselor at 

the school. One of his duties is to provide outreach to the students who have 

been affected by the earthquake. During her second group session, Sofia 

shares that she’s been experiencing a lot anxiety during her classes and feels 

the need to leave the room. 

What is Bill’s first responsibility as a crisis counselor? 

Working with adults: 

Paula is a retired 64-year-old African-American woman who was born and 

raised in coastal Mississippi. She lived alone in the house where she grew 

up, until she was forced to evacuate during a hurricane last month. Paula’s 

house sustained extensive damage, and she has decided to sell the house 

rather than repair it. A crisis counselor named Stephanie meets with Paula 

just after the hurricane. Paula tells Stephanie how upsetting it is to leave her 

childhood home and how she can’t understand why God would put her 

through this trial. On her second visit to the crisis center, Paula talks about 

how lonely she feels now that she lives in a neighboring town, and she says 

that the people in her apartment building are not friendly. On her third visit to 

the center, she continues to talk about her loneliness but comments that she 

thinks the hurricane may have been God’s way of telling her she is getting too 

old to handle the upkeep of a house alone. She also admits that she is 

beginning to like her apartment. Stephanie can tell that the recent weeks 

have been hard on Paula, but she feels that Paula is handling the situation 

well. 

What might Stephanie suggest to Paula? 

Exercise Suggestion: Small Group Discussion and Report Out—Needs 

Assessment and Outreach 

Objective: To identify important points in outreach and needs assessment, and 

shape a strategy to guide the CCP. 

 Divide the participants into three groups. 

 Review needs assessment points to consider (listed below). 

 Have the teams discuss their roles in needs assessment. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 14 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Review outreach strategy points to consider (listed below). 

 Have teams discuss suggestions for outreach strategy and identify at least 

three groups to target. 

	 Have one person from each group report the findings. 

	 Record the findings on tear sheets labeled “needs assessment and outreach.” 

	 Point out the suggestions that seem especially helpful. 

	 Tape the tear sheets on the wall, and add to them as the training continues. 

 Use suggestions to shape needs assessment and outreach strategy that will 

guide the CCP. 

	 Review the results often, as needed. 

	 Outreach points to consider: 

o	 Outreach is a service provided by the CCP and a way to identify at-risk 

groups. 

o	 Outreach strategy can be mapped along the Risk Factors-Population 

Exposure Model from the Transition to RSP Training. 

	 Questions to stimulate discussion: 

o	 How many people are you going to reach in 1 day? 

o	 How many teams will you have? 

o	 How spread out are the key populations? 

o	 How will you gain access and work with community gatekeepers? 

o	 How will you use public education and outreach materials to reach target 

populations? 

o	 Going door-to-door—how do you prioritize areas? 

o	 How will the crisis counselors learn about and participate in community 

events? 

o	 Are there sites (e.g., shelters, disaster centers) where people affected by 

the disaster gather? 

o	 How will natural support systems (e.g., schools, faith-based organizations) 

be contacted? 

	 Needs assessment points to consider: 

o	 It is an ongoing process. 

o	 It has formal and informal components: 

–		 Formal components include analysis of CCP data or use of tools, such 

as surveys. 

–		 Informal components include reports from crisis counselors in team 

meetings or feedback from other relief providers. 

o	 It informs the outreach process. 

o	 It informs the service and staffing processes. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 15 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 16 of 53 

 

Exercise Suggestion: Where Do I Fit?—Traditional Mental Health vs. Crisis 

Counseling 

Objective: To review and retain content from the Traditional Mental Health vs. Crisis 

Counseling chart. 

 Present the content in the chart to the participants. 

 Spend time discussing each category and the differences between the two. 

 Take time to highlight the skills of any mental health professionals present; 

explain how those skills will be used differently in crisis counseling. 

 Write “traditional mental health” on one tear sheet and “crisis counseling” on 

another. 

 Tape them on different sections of the same wall. 

 Have 12 volunteers write one facet each on an index card or small piece of 

paper without identifying the category. 

 You can add facets if the discussion elicited more important differences that 

you want to include. 

 Collect the cards or pieces of paper, and mix them up. 

 Redistribute the cards to the participants, and ask them to place them on the 

correct tear sheet. 



t

Check the tear sheets for accuracy, and discuss any questions that arise from 

his content review exercise. 

Exercise Suggestion: Develop a Media Plan 

Objective: To develop a comprehensive media plan to promote the services of and 

accurately reflect the goals of the CCP. 

 Have participants discuss the elements of a good media plan and identify 

possible media partners and spokespeople for the CCP. 

 As for volunteers to give their suggestion to the larger group. 

 Have a facilitator record the ideas on tear sheets for the entire group to see. 

 Once the list of elements is complete, divide participants into teams of two or 

three, and ask them to brainstorm about strategies to address each element. 

 Have one spokesperson from each team report to the entire group. 

 As a group, work to develop an action plan and task list to address the 

elements of the plan. 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 17 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Suggestion: Develop Talking Points 

Objective: To develop a list of talking points that will allow the CCP to project a 

consistent message that is in keeping with the CCP model. 

	 Ask participants to brainstorm about talking points for the existing CCP. 

Remember to emphasize the following: 

o	 Simplicity and clarity—The message should be helpful and easy to 

communicate. 

o	 Importance—Identify the most important ideas you want to convey. 

o	 Supporting data—Once your talking points have been identified, support 

them with background materials. 

	 After the brainstorming session, narrow down the list to three or four talking 

points about the CCP. 

	 Post the agreed upon talking points in a prominent location. 

Exercise Suggestion: Facilitated Group Discussion—Identify Partners 

Objective: To have the group identify potential partners specific to this disaster 

situation. 

 Using the diagram on the slide as a guide, write the types of partners on a 

post-it note or an index card (one type of partner per note or card). 

 Have the group identify other possible partners and write them on a post-it 

note or an index card (one per note or card). 

 Use a tear sheet to represent the center of the chart (crisis counselors). 

 Ask participants to think about how critical the support is for each partner. 

	 

i

Have participants place the partner near the center in relation to that 

mportance. The more critical the partner’s support is, the closer they are to 

the center. 

	 Once all the partners have been placed, discuss the outcome of the exercise: 

o	 Why are certain partners closer to the circle? 

o	 What services and support can each provide? 

Exercise Suggestion: Stress Management—Deep Breathing with Guided 

Visual Imagery 

Objective: To show participants a common stress management technique to use 

with themselves or disaster survivors. 

	 Before exercise begins: 

o	 Provide a comfortable, relaxing environment. This can include soft 

lighting, a comfortable flow of air, or attempting to minimize outside noise. 

Quiet, relaxing music may also be played but should not contain lyrics. 
 

 

 

 

o	 For this exercise, encourage participants to choose a seated position. 

Have participants get comfortable. They may want to sit on the floor or 

take their shoes off. 

o	 Briefly explain the goals of the exercise. Encourage participants to close 

their eyes during the exercise. If someone is not comfortable with their 

eyes closed, they may choose to keep their eyes fixed on a particular 

spot. Ask participants to be quiet during the exercise. 

o	 Use the following script as a guide. Speak with a clear, clam, soothing 

voice. The group leader may want to adapt it or repeat sections, as 

needed. Use observations of the group as a guide to gauge the pace of 

the exercise. 

	 Script: 

o “Once you are comfortable and your eyes are closed, try to clear your 

mind of any external thoughts or distractions. Begin by focusing on your 

breathing. Notice the sound your breath makes as it enters and leaves 

your body. Notice the feel of your breath as it fills your nose, throat, lungs, 

and mouth. How does your body move, expand, or experience your 

breathing as you breathe in and out?” 

o	 “Now, slowly inhale by drawing in a full breath through your nose. As you 

slowly breathe in, draw your breath deep into your lungs, fully expanding 

your lungs.” 

o	 “When your lungs are fully expanded and full of your breath, hold your 

breath in your lungs for 3 seconds.” <Pause> “One, two, three.” 

o “Now slowly exhale your breath from the bottom of your lungs, through 

your throat, and out of your mouth. Continue exhaling until all of your 

breath has been released. Briefly hold before you inhale again.” 

o “Again, slowly inhale through your nose, fully expanding your lungs. Feel 

your breath deepen as you draw it into the bottom of your lungs. Continue 

to slowly and fully inhale, and then hold.” <Pause> “One, two, three.” 

o	 “Again, slowly exhale your breath from the bottom of your lungs. Feel 

your lungs grow smaller as you push your breath out through your mouth. 

Continue exhaling until all of your breath is released, then briefly hold.” 

o	 Repeat several cycles of breath work, as needed, to help participants 

deepen and relax breathing. 

o	 “Now, as you continue to breathe in and out, fully and deeply, notice a 

location on or in your body where you feel any kind of stress or discomfort. 

How does this feel? How is your body holding this stress?” 

o “As you slowly and deeply inhale, imagine you are inhaling a bright warm 

light in with your breath. You are drawing this bright warm light in through 

your nose, through your throat, into your lungs, and into the spot where 

you identified feeling stress or discomfort.” 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 18 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 19 of 53 

 

 

 

 

o	 “Imagine this bright, warm light filling this area of your body and briefly 

hold it there at the point you have fully inhaled.” <Pause> “One, two, 

three.” 

o “Now, as you slowly and deeply exhale, imagine this bright, warm light 

being released with your breath, flowing away from your area of 

discomfort, out of your lungs, through your throat, and out of your mouth. 

Imagine your stress or discomfort being released with this light, leaving 

your body as you slowly release it with your breath.” 

o	 “Again, breathe the bright, warm light into your lungs and into your stress. 

Hold it there.” <Pause> “One, two, three.” 

o	 “Then release it as you fully and deeply exhale, gradually releasing your 

stress and discomfort, letting the bright, warm light carry the stress out of 

your body.” 

o	 Continue for several cycles of guided imagery as needed. You can then 

ask participants to choose another area of bodily stress and repeat the six 

steps above. 

o To draw the exercise to a close: “Your breathing has deepened and your 

stress has been released, replaced with warmth and light. Now, when you 

are ready, open your eyes, and remain quiet as others finish.” 

	 Discussion: 

o	 Ask participants to report how they are feeling after the exercise. Do they 

notice any changes, like slowed, deepened breathing, decreased heart 

rate, or mental calmness? 

o	 Ask participants what they liked about the exercise. 

o	 L

u

ike any tool, relaxation exercises become more effective with regular 

se. 

o	 Ask participants how they could use this exercise. How could it be 

adapted for different audiences or needs? 

Exercise Suggestion: Planning for Community Engagement—Cultural 

Competence in Disaster Crisis Counseling 

Objective: To identify effective cultural brokers and develop culturally competent 

strategies for working with the community. 

	 First, gauge the audience’s familiarity with or knowledge of cultural brokers. 

Provide an overview of how cultural brokers can be instrumental in disaster 

crisis counseling, including assisting counselors to do the following: 

o	 Learn about the culturally defined beliefs and practices of individuals, 

families, and groups; 

o	 Understand the cultural contexts of communities and their residents; 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

o	 Acquire local knowledge or street-level information on patterns of in and 

out-migration within neighborhoods and communities; and 

o	 Link with natural networks of support within culturally and linguistically 

diverse communities. 

	 Engage the participants in a quick brainstorming activity to identify cultural 

brokers. If none are known, use the following activity to help the audience 

develop a plan for outreach to key contacts and cultural brokers. 

	 For each population that you want to reach, consider the following questions: 

o	 Who are your current individual and organizational contacts within the 

community? 

o	 Whom do you know that might know contacts in the community? 

o	 What do you know about the credibility of those contacts? How can you 

assess them? 

o	 What is your plan for the following: 

–		 Expanding your contacts in the community? 

–		 Learning more about organizations and individuals? 

–		 Gaining an understanding of any issues the community may have 

about your organization that might affect effective engagement? 

–		 The information and issues you will share that will interest the 

community in working together on a particular health promotion issue? 

	 NOTE: A good strategy for identifying contacts is to start with locally based 

community organizations and groups; advocacy organizations and agencies; 

culture-, ethnic-, or race-specific organizations; community service 

organizations; faith-based or spiritual organizations; or even political 

organizations. 

	 Each group should then create a brief plan that includes long-term goals and 

immediate next steps, and assign responsibility for proposed actions. 

Source: A Guide to Infusing Cultural & Linguistic Competence in Health Promotion 

Training. National Center for Cultural Competence. Georgetown University Center 

for Child and Human Development. 

Exercise Suggestion: A Personal Cultural History—Cultural Competence 

Objective: To promote awareness of issues related to cultural competence. 

	 Have participants complete at least two questions of the following 

questionnaire: 

o	 Describe the earliest memory you have of an experience with a person of 

a cultural or ethnic group different from your own. 

o	 Who or what has had the most influence in the formation of your attitudes 

and opinions about people of different cultural groups? In what way? 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 20 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 21 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

o	 In your experience, what influences have led to the development of 

positive feelings about your own cultural heritage or background? 

o	 In your experience, what influences have led to the development of 

negative feelings, if any, about your own cultural heritage or background? 

o	 What changes, if any, would you like to make in your own attitudes or 

experiences in relation to people of other ethnic or cultural groups? 

o	 Describe an experience in your life when you felt you were discriminated 

against for any reason, not necessarily because of your culture. 

o	 How do you feel people should deal with (or not deal with) issues of 

cultural diversity in American society? 

	 The trainer does not have to ask participants to share their answers to these 

questions. However, discussing the issues around cultural competence will 

enhance the relevance of this exercise. 

Exercise Suggestion: Talk at Tables—Outreach and Needs Assessment for 

People with Disabilities 

Objective: To identify disabled communities affected by the current disaster and 

develop outreach strategies to reach them. 

 Divide the participants into small groups of four or five at a series of tables. 

 Ask the group members to brainstorm about the disabled communities and 

cultures that exist in the disaster-affected area. 

 Stress the use of cultural competence when identifying these groups. 

 Ask the participants to do the following: 

o	 Consider how to get in touch with the communities. 

o	 Identify cultural brokers within each community. 

o Identify special considerations would be necessary in outreach? 

 Have one person on each team keep track of the ideas. 

 Time the discussion at about 10 minutes. 

 Have the one person report the key ideas from their group. 

 Keep track of the ideas on a tear sheet at the front of the room. 

 Wrap up the discussion with action items and a task list for contacting cultural 

brokers in disabled communities. 

Exercise Suggestion: Active Listening Skills Practice—Exercise 1 

Objective: To practice listening skills while helping another person find solutions to a 

problem or challenge. 

 Active listening is an important skill to have when providing any type of 

human service. People will trust your ability to provide assistance if they feel 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

you are listening and understanding their needs or concerns. Active listening 

is especially important when providing counseling services of any kind. 

	 Communication: 

o	 Divide participants into teams of three or four, and assign the following 

roles: speaker, listener, and one or two observers. 

o	 The speaker spends approximately 5 minutes talking to the listener about 

a problem that is common in crisis counseling. The speaker should tell 

the listener the story as if it was his or her own. 

o	 The speaker can use a case study from the exercises and trainer’s tips, 

one that was developed in training, or a case from personal experience. 

The story should be related to recovery from disaster. 

o	 The listener helps the speaker by listening actively and empathetically. 

o	 Active listening involves: 

–		 Putting your values, needs, and preferences aside. 

–		 Trying to sense what the speaker thinks, feels, and needs without 

imposing judgment. 

–		 Summarizing the speaker’s message in a few words while maintaining 

eye contact. 

–		 Avoiding stock responses such as “this too shall pass” or “time heals 

all wounds,” as these may discount the speaker’s emotions. 

o	 The listener should ask questions that will allow the speaker to clarify his 

or her thoughts and begin putting together a plan for solving problems and 

challenges. 

o	 The observer carefully observes the listener, taking notes on the Observer 

Checklist. 

	 Feedback: 

o	 After 5 minutes, the speaker stops. The group offers feedback to the 

listener for 5 minutes. 

o	 Feedback should proceed as follows: 

–		 Speaker to listener: How did you feel about the listener? Was the 

listener encouraging? Did he or she seem interested? Did he or she 

help clarify your thoughts on the problem? 

–		 Observer to listener: Share response to issues noted on the checklist. 

–		 Listener to group: Did you suppress your own reactions? Did you try 

and listen empathetically from the speaker’s perspective? Did you use 

reflective and responses? Was this difficult? 

o	 The listener practices active listening while receiving feedback. He or she 

should try to understand the feedback initially, eliciting clarification as 

necessary, and withhold responses until the listener is finished. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 22 of 53 
 

 

Observer Checklist 

LISTENER OBSERVED 

Maintained eye contact with speaker 

Seemed attentive, yet relaxed 

Did not interrupt 

Asked open, relevant questions 

Appeared interested 

Seemed empathetic 

Asked for clarification when necessary 

Did not appear critical, impatient or bored 

Used appropriate body language 

Did not dominate the exchange 

Reflected back the speaker’s ideas 

Summarized the speaker’s thoughts 

Offered suggestions for referral of services 

 

 

 

o	 Roles should be reassigned so each member has a chance to play each 

role. 

o	 Discuss how it felt to be the speaker versus the listener. Leave time after 

the exercise to discuss what was learned and what was most interesting in 

this process of active listening. 

Active Listening Skills Practice—Exercise 2 

Objective: To realize the skills involved in active listening by removing the ability to 

use them. (This exercise may be used at discretion of trainer.) 

 Divide participants into groups of three people each. 

 One group member is the listener and sits between the other two. 

 The two other members tell a story to the listener at the same time. 

 The listener tries to respond to both speakers. 

 Participants then return to the larger group for discussion. 

 Discussion questions: 

o	 How did it feel to be the speakers? 

o	 How did it feel to be the listener? 

o	 Why was it difficult? 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 23 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 24 of 53 

 

 

 

 

o What were the obstacles in communication? 

Active Listening Skills Practice—Exercise 3 

Objective: To improve listening skills by experiencing behaviors that may obstruct 

clear communication. 

 Divide the participants into pairs. 

 Have participants decide who will be “A” and who will be “B”. 

 Ask A to tell B about his or her journey to training today. 

 After 2 minutes, ask B to tell A about his or her journey to training today. 

 Return to the larger group for discussion. 

 Discussion questions: 

o How did you feel to be the speaker? 

o How did it feel to be the listener? 

o What did you learn about communication? 

Inventory of Stress Management Techniques 

This list of ways to manage stress can be used by crisis counselors for their own 

purposes or be recommended to individuals seeking crisis counseling services. 

 Acupuncture—insertion of needles at certain spots under the skin for the 

purpose of attaining a balance of the body’s energy. 

 Aromatherapy—massage with essential oils, claimed to produce a sense of 

well-being. 

 Art therapy—creating something allows free expression and results in feelings 

of achievement and mood change. 

 Ask for help and advice from family or friends. 

 Behavioral therapy—a variety of psychotherapies based on changing 

ourselves by retraining. 

 Biofeedback—monitoring rates of body functions and using results to 

increase relaxation. 

 Breathing for relaxation—stylized breathing technique to control and lower 

body functions. 

 Dance movement therapy—freedom of expression through movement. 

 Eat a balanced diet. 

 Exercise at least three times a week. 

 Get a hobby—do something just for the fun of it. 

 Get enough sleep. 

 Go for a walk. 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 25 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Guided imagery—creating a mental picture of what is desired (creative 

imagery, visualization). 

 Homeopathy—small doses of plant, animal, or mineral substances to 

stimulate body’s natural healing. 

 Learn to say no—don’t take on more than you can reasonably do. 

 Laugh! And don’t take yourself too seriously. 

 Listen to your favorite type of music. 

 Massage—use of touch or deep tissue manipulation to soothe. 

 Meditation—deep, relaxed, focused concentration on a single word, object, or 

sound. 

	 Psychotherapy—talking-based therapy with a mental health professional to 

get at the root of a conflict and modify behavior and disruptive negative 

thought patterns. 

 Reduce your intake of caffeine. 

 Stop smoking. 

 Tai Chi Chuan—system of slow, continuous exercises based on rhythm and 

equilibrium. 

 Take a break. 

 Yoga—system of exercises combining certain positions with deep breathing 

and meditation. 

Stress Management—Personal Stress Management Plan 

Objective: To develop a personal plan to manage the stress of disaster behavioral 

health counseling. 

 Have each participant write down the answer to the following questions: 

o	 What do you value most about doing disaster mental health work? 

o	 What are (or do you expect to be) the most stressful and most rewarding 

aspects of disaster work? 

o	 How do you know when you are stressed? 

o	 How might your coworkers know when you are stressed? 

o	 What can others do for you when you are stressed? 

o	 What can you do for yourself? 

	 Have participants keep the answers to these questions as their personal 

stress management plans. 

	 Remind participants to practice self-assessment and self-care throughout the 

CCP in order to manage stress. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Module 2: Transition to Regular Services Program (RSP) Training 

Many exercises are repeated from module to module. If an exercise does not 

appear to be listed, check the Core Content Training section for the exercise and 

instructions. When an exercise is repeated in a subsequent module, the content of 

the discussion should be modified to deal with the issues related to that particular 

training session and disaster. 

Descriptions of specific exercise suggestions can also be found in the Knowledge 

Building, Skill Building, and Team Building sections of this document. 

Exercise Suggestion: Identifying Immediate and Long-Term Reactions 

Objective: To have the group generate and report the immediate and long-term 

reactions to disaster. 

	 Separate participants into groups based on their teams, providers, or regional 

affiliations in the CCP. 

	 Provide each group with an easel chart, tear-sheet paper, and markers. 

	 At the top of the paper, have one person in each group write “immediate” in 

the upper left corner, followed by an arrow, and then, “over time” in the upper 

right corner. 

	 Explain that the Immediate Services Program and RSP are relatively arbitrary 

dates. 

	 

i

What they are really after is how immediate reactions might evolve into 

ntermediate and, then, long-term reactions. 

	 The arrow at the top of the page represents the expected lifespan of the CCP. 

	 Have group members select a recorder and list the reactions they anticipate 

over time. 

	 Have them focus on listing individual and community reactions, not 

interventions. 

	 Have each group report out their findings to the larger group. 

Exercise Suggestion: Identify the Three Most Common Key Concepts 

Objective: To have the groups review the key concepts in relation to their 

experiences with the disaster and disaster survivors. 

	 Review the key concepts with the group as a whole. 

	 Have the group divide into teams. 

	 Give three post-it notes to each team member. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 26 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

	 Have team members write down the three most common key concepts they 

have encountered during the CCP. 

	 Have each person in the group bring their key concepts to main easel chart 

with a blank tear sheet. 

	 Have participants explain to their groups why they chose those three 

concepts. 

	 As participants share their three concepts, they should acknowledge when 

their choices are the same as someone else’s. 

Exercise Suggestion: Talk at Tables—What Survivors Have Been Targeted? 

Who Still Needs Service? 

Objective: To reassess the survivors who have been reached and those that still 

need help. 

 What survivors have been successfully targeted through outreach and needs 

assessment? 

 What survivor groups still need service and to what degree? 

 How can the CCP use outreach and needs assessment to reach these 

populations? 

 What are some steps in an action plan for moving forward? 

Exercise Suggestion: Service Needs for At-Risk Populations 

Objective: To have participants identify important at-risk populations associated with 

their disaster response. 

 Divide participants into three groups. 

 Assign each groups one of the following questions: 

o	 What services have been most effective with specific at-risk populations? 

o	 What service needs remain? 

o How will the program deliver needed services? 

 Allow the groups to discuss their questions for about 5 minutes. 

 Have each group appoint a facilitator to record the ideas. 

 Have a spokesperson report the results to the larger group. 

 Record the results on a tear sheet, and post it in the room for later reference. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 27 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 28 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Suggestion: Facilitated Group Discussion—Identify New and Existing 

Partners 

Objective: To remind participants of existing partners and identify new ones. 

	 Use the Facilitated Group Discussion—Identity Partners exercise from the 

Core Content Training, and modify it for use with the Transition to RSP 

Training. 

	 Focus the exercise on new and existing partners and how to engage them. 

	 Have the groups determine what partners still need to be engaged, as well as 

the success of existing partnerships. 

Exercise Suggestion: Identify the Top Three Stressors 

Objective: To assist participants in the self-assessment of the stressors they face. 

	 Using post-it notes or the worksheet on the next page, have each participant 

identify the top three stressors that he or she has encountered while on the 

job. 

	 Have the participants rejoin their groups and compare stressors. 

	 As the groups report out the top stressors, have a facilitator record them. 

	 Have participants reach consensus about the top three stressors that have 

affected them so far. 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 29 of 53 

Note Your Top Three Here Notes and Observations 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 30 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Suggestion: Alphabet Chart to Generate Ideas 

Objective: To get input from crisis counselors on what they need from management 

to assist with stress management. 

 This exercise can be done with large groups since the entire alphabet is used. 

 Have a group leader write the alphabet vertically down a tear sheet. 

 Group members can choose any letter in the alphabet, but each letter may be 

used only once. 

 Each person writes a word or phrase that relates to stress management at the 

organizational level. 

 Once the person has written the word, he or she will go to the end of the line 

and it will be the next person’s turn to write in a word. 

	 The team that comes up with the most words, using different letters for each 

word, wins. 

	 Have the winning team read aloud its list of words. 

	 If there are any letters of the alphabet without words, ask other teams to 

share their words. 

	 If other teams came up with different words for a particular letter, they may 

share those words as well. 

	 Once the report out is over, wrap up the exercise by pointing out some of the 

more important concepts of organizational stress management mentioned in 

the exercise. 

Exercise Suggestion: Stress Management—Update Your Personal Stress 

Management Plan 

Objective: To have each participant think about and update his or her personal 

stress management plan. 

	 Using the Stress Management—Personal Stress Management Plan exercise 

from the Core Content Training section, have participants update their plans 

making sure they focus on the following: 

o	 Self-awareness 

o	 Management of workload 

o	 Balanced lifestyle 

o	 Stress-reduction techniques 

o	 Effective supervision and training 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Module 3: Midprogram Training 

Many exercises are repeated from module to module. If an exercise does not 

appear to be listed, check the Core Content Training section for the exercise and 

instructions. When an exercise is repeated in a subsequent module, the content of 

the discussion should be modified to deal with the issues related to that particular 

training session and disaster. 

Descriptions of specific exercise suggestions can also be found in the Knowledge 

Building, Skill Building, and Team Building sections of this document. 

Exercise Suggestion: Develop a Revised Outreach Plan 

Objective: To have participants take an active part in the revision and redirection of 

the outreach plan. 

	 Make sure participants are aware of the basic components of outreach and 

needs assessment. 

	 Have them think about the original outreach plan created at the beginning of 

the CCP. 

	 Now that participants are at midprogram and considering phasedown, have 

them create a revised outreach plan that includes, but is not limited to: 

o	 Individual and community needs. 

o	 Additional populations in need of outreach. 

o	 New outreach strategies. 

o	 New referral resources. 

o	 New cultural brokers. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 31 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Module 4: Disaster Anniversary Training 

Many exercises are repeated from module to module. If an exercise does not 

appear to be listed, check the Core Content Training section for the exercise and 

instructions. When an exercise is repeated in a subsequent module, the content of 

the discussion should be modified to deal with the issues related to that particular 

training session and disaster. 

Descriptions of specific exercise suggestions can also be found in the Knowledge 

Building, Skill Building, and Team Building sections of this document. 

Exercise Suggestion: Community Strategies for the Disaster Anniversary 

Objective: To have participants generate a list of strategies for taking part in 

community commemorations of the disaster. 

 Divide the group into teams of four to six people each. 

 Have each team discuss what community functions have been planned or are 

likely to be planned to commemorate the anniversary. 

 Have teams discuss how CCP team members can take part and assist. 

 Once the strategies have been identified, divide the strategies among the 

teams. 

 Have each team develop an action plan and tasks for addressing each 

strategy. 

 Have a spokesperson from each team report the team’s action plan to the 

larger group. 

 Once the teams have reported, brainstorm with the entire group about how 

the strategies can be integrated into a comprehensive plan. 

Exercise Suggestion: Small Group Discussion and Report Out on Anniversary 

Events 

Objective: To begin to develop a calendar of disaster anniversary events the CCP 

can participate in and publicize. 

 Divide the group into teams of four to six people each. 

 Have each team identify known anniversary events and potential events. 

 Have teams plan to contact key partners identified in previous exercises or 

discussions. 

 Once the strategies have been identified, divide the strategies among the 

teams. 

 Have each team develop an action plan and tasks for addressing each 

strategy. 

	 Have a spokesperson from each team report the team’s findings to the larger 

group. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 32 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Module 5: RSP Phasedown Training 

Many exercises are repeated from module to module. If an exercise does not 

appear to be listed, check the Core Content Training section for the exercise and 

instructions. When an exercise is repeated in a subsequent module, the content of 

the discussion should be modified to deal with the issues related to that particular 

training session and disaster. 

Descriptions of specific exercise suggestions can also be found in the Knowledge 

Building, Skill Building, and Team Building sections of this document. 

Exercise Suggestion: Survivors’ Needs at Phasedown 

Objective: To generate a list of survivor’s needs specific to phasedown. 

 Divide the participants into groups of four to six people each. 

 Have them discuss ideas and strategies for addressing the concerns and 

needs of survivors as the program phases down. 

 Have a facilitator for each group note the ideas on tear sheet or take notes. 

 Select a spokesperson from each group to report out the group’s findings to 

everyone in the room. 

 Encourage the groups to focus on the process to identify individuals, 

transition them to other supports, and handle new people requesting services. 

 The exercise is meant to raise consciousness of these issues, not to provide 

all the solutions. 

 Staff will need to continue to plan to address in the issues raised in this 

exercise in the days and weeks following RSP Phasedown Training. 

Exercise Suggestion: Typical Partners During Phasedown 

Objective: To identify community partners that will help during the phasedown of 

services. 

 Divide the participants into groups by regions and communities served. 

 Have each team discuss ideas and strategies for strengthening or creating 

new partnerships with community organizations as the program phases down. 

 Have the groups identify the services needed in the community and what new 

or existing partner organizations could provide those services. 

 Designate a facilitator for each group to note the ideas on a tear sheet or take 

notes. 

 Have each group select a spokesperson to report the group’s findings to 

everyone in the room. 

 Have a facilitator write down the best ideas on a tear sheet and post them in 

the training room. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 33 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 34 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Suggestion: Facilitated Group Discussion for Phasedown 

Objective: To ensure that the entire group is aware of the issues related to CCP 

phasedown. 

Engage the entire group on the issues related to phasedown, including the following: 

 Informing the community about the project phasedown: 

o What mechanisms will be used to inform community partner organizations 

and natural community leaders about the impending program phasedown? 

o Why will it be important to carefully craft messaging? 

o What will the consistent, positive talking points be concerning the CCP 

phasedown? 

 Informing area providers of the transitioning of services: 

o What community service providers (traditional community health, mental 

health, substance abuse services, faith-based, and voluntary 

organizations) are there? 

o What services do they have to offer survivors? 

 Enhancing community-resilience activities and distribution of educational 

materials: 

o Messaging earlier in the CCP may have focused on promoting CCP 

services. How will messaging and educational materials need to change 

in the phasedown period? 

o Are there specific community-resilience or remembrance activities in 

which the CCP can participate to provide closure and promote resilience 

and reliance on natural familial and community supports? 

Exercise Suggestion: Talk at Tables—Staff Concerns at Phasedown 

Objective: To make sure staff members have a chance to voice their concerns. 

 Divide participants into groups of four or five. 

 Have them discuss the concerns of CCP staff as the program phases down. 

 Have a designated facilitator list the concerns on a tear sheet or take notes 

for the group. 

 Have each group select a spokesperson to report the group’s findings to 

everyone in the room. 

 Make sure CCP management staff are present to address the concerns 

mentioned during the discussion and comment on a plan of action for 

addressing them further. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exercise Suggestion: Leaving a Legacy 

Objective: To have participants discuss the various components of the CCP legacy, 

paying special attention to individual survivors, community, and staff. 

 Have participants divide into three groups. 

 Assign one group “individual survivors,” one group “the community at large,” 

and one group “CCP staff.” 

 Have the groups brainstorm answers to the following questions in relation to 

their assigned groups: 

o What does “legacy” mean? 

o Who is the legacy for? 

o What are some tangible expressions of the legacy (e.g., educational 

materials, rituals and artifacts, best practices)? 

 Have each group select a spokesperson to report the group’s findings to 

everyone in the room. 

 Make sure a facilitator records the ideas for the entire group. 

Exercise Suggestion: Begin a Draft of the Written Phasedown Plan 

Objective: To begin the process of creating a written phasedown plan for the RSP. 

 The written phasedown plan should address remaining survivor needs, 

remaining community needs, remaining needs of the staff and staffing issues, 

strategies to address these needs, final messaging, and final reporting 

activities. 

 Have the participants break into three groups. 

 Assign one group “individual survivors,” one group “the community at large,” 

and one group “CCP staff.” 

 NOTE: Make sure each group is assigned a category different from the one it 

had in the legacy exercise earlier in the training. 

 Have groups brainstorm about the issues related to their assigned categories. 

 Remind participants they may have covered some of these issues during the 

legacy exercise. 

 Refer to findings from that exercise, if possible. 

 Have each group select a spokesperson to read aloud the issues identified. 

 As a larger group, strategize about how to address the issues that were 

identified. 

 Narrow the list of issues to the most important, and start a draft of the 

phasedown plan that will be completed after a meeting with the community 

partners. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 35 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knowledge Building 

Games 

Games are powerful way to integrate learning and core content into activities that 

build skill and retention, create synergy in the room, and allow for a short break from 

structured learning. It is imperative in whatever game is used embraces the content 

and is not just fun for the sake of fun alone. Here are some variations of games: 

Human Scavenger Hunt 

	 Create a scavenger hunt that allows participants to look for others who can 

explain the answers they need and, once they do, initialize or sign the items. 

	 Create scavenger hunts that are “What? hunts” (What would you do if [X]?) or 

“How? hunts” (How would you respond if [Y]?). 

	 These can be expanded into additional hunts: “Where? hunts,” “Why? hunts,” 

“explain hunts,” etc. 

o	 For example, find someone who can explain the following: 

–		 One of the factors affecting resilience is _____________. 

–		 Data collection is important because _____________. 

–		 Two services provided by crisis counseling are _____________. 

–		 Stress management is important because _____________. 

Human Bingo 

	 Create a human-bingo card participants can sign or initial if the items are true 

about them. 

	 Have participants mix and mingle until someone has a signature or initial in 

each row, at which point the person will shout, “Bingo!” 

	 Encourage multiple bingos to extend the learning. 

	 Here’s a miniature example: 

o	 Can explain the Risk Factors-Population Exposure Model __________ 

o	 Knows at least three phases of disaster __________ 

o	 Can name the Federal Emergency Management 

Agency’s three types of available disaster assistance __________ 

o	 Has worked with a CCP before __________ 

o	 Can name three differences between traditional 

treatment and crisis counseling __________ 

o	 Can name at least three ways survivors can build 

resilience __________ 

o	 Can name two behavioral reactions to disaster __________ 

Knowledge Building 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 36 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 37 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family Feud 

	 Ask participants to record one question from the content on an index card 

along with the answer. Questions can be true-false, multiple choice, or fill-inthe-blank. 

	 The length of time for this game can be adjusted by adding or subtracting to 

the number of questions, as necessary. 

	 Each participant should record two to three questions and answers on index 

cards. 

	 Place these questions in a hat or paper bag. 

	 Ask participants to divide into two teams. 

	 Establish a “buzzer,” such as a stress ball (the first to throw it in the air gets to 

answer) or a bell (the first to ring gets to answer). 

	 Provide the buzzer tool to the member from each team who will be answering 

the question. 

	 Ask the question and award points to the appropriate team for each correct 

answer. 

	 Answers that are incorrect will default to the other team. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Talk-a-Thons 

Whenever participants to talk with others, data reflect that the retention rate is 80 

percent. The following are some ideas to set the stage for these discussions. 

Facilitated Group Discussion 

 Before presenting information, ask participants to take a few minutes to 

contemplate a particular issue or set of circumstances. 

 Give participants 2–3 minutes to write down ideas about the issue under 

discussion. 

 Call on participants, one at time, and allow them to share their ideas and 

findings with the larger group. 

 Have a facilitator capture the major points on a tear sheet. 

 Compare the results of the discussion with the content of the training and 

your own experience with the situation or set of facts. 

 Post the results of the discussions around the room, so participants can 

access them during the course of the training. 

Talk at Tables 

 After presenting information, periodically stop and have participants talk with 

their tablemates about what the content means to them and how they can 

adapt, adopt, and apply it. 

 Ask a team leader and scribe to lead the group discussion and record key 

ideas to report back to the large group. 

 Keep groups of five to seven people. 

 Listen to the total room voice volume, and have the groups report back to the 

large group while there is still energy in the room. 

Stress-Ball Toss at the Town Meeting 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

Select an interesting topic or content item. 

 Briefly present the topic and an overview of different applications. 

 Ask participants to take a moment to reflect upon things to consider while 

regarding the topic. 

 Once they have had a chance to reflect, have participants share their 

thoughts on this content with the large group. Have participants raise their 

hands if they’d like to share, and the stress ball will be tossed to them. 

 This gives them the floor to share their ideas on the topic before they pass the 

ball to someone else. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 38 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

	 

Meet Three and Share 

 Ask participants to hop up out of their chairs and find someone in the room 

with whom to share their content, ideas, or data; after sharing, they should 

hear the other participant’s content, idea, or data 

 Select and demonstrate a sound to make (bells, whistle, buzzer, etc.) for 

when they should switch and find a new person. 

 They will share and, then, hear again. 

 Then, the sound will be heard and they will do a final switch. 

 Once the third round has occurred, report back to the whole group about the 

common things shared or heard. 

Virtual Chat Room 

 Ask participants to reflect upon the content shared, and record their key 

discoveries. 

 Then, explain the concept of a chat room on the Web and what it looks like 

online. 

 Explain that they will be creating a chat room with the participants in the 

room. 

 Invite them to take their discoveries around the room and share them with 

others. 

 They will also be hearing other participants’ discoveries.
	

 Have participants record others’ discoveries on a piece of paper.
	

 They may tally any discoveries that duplicate theirs. 

 Tell them that if they have exhausted their discussions in one group, they can 

visit another group. 

 Participants can leave and join multiple chat rooms until time is up. 

 Reconvene the larger group to go over discoveries. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 39 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Debates 

Debates are effective when participants are going through change, when content 

can be viewed from many perspectives, or to debate advantages of a new way of 

doing something. It is a fun way to look at things from a different perspective and 

can raise some important issues and encourage a deeper level of understanding of 

the change. Below are some ways to create successful debate situations. 

Revolving Room 

 Hang a large piece of paper on each wall of the room. 

 Each piece of paper represents a position on any given subject. 

 Ask participants to go to the wall that represents their position. 

 Once there, ask them to create an argument as to why they feel strongly 

about this and present it to the large group. 

 Have each group rotate one piece of paper clockwise (whether they agree or 

disagree) and repeat the exercise. 

 Rotations can occur until each of the positions has been represented by each 

group or until ideas have been exhausted. 

Panel 

 Ask for participants to get in groups based on provider or region. 

 Allow them some time to discuss the issue at hand. 

 Then, allow each group to place a subgroup representing their team (or the 

entire group) on a panel in the front of the room. 

 Facilitate a series of questions from other participants in the room to allow the 

panel to answer. 

 Switch groups until each group has been represented in a panel discussion. 

Mock Trial 

	 Create a mock trial with defendants, defense attorneys, prosecuting 

attorneys, witnesses for each side, technical experts, a judge, a jury 

(observers), etc. 

	 This is a scalable activity that may include a segment of a trial (15 minutes) to 

a full-blown trial. 

	 Activities to consider are opening statements, presentations, interviews, 

closing arguments, etc. 

	 Consider conducting the jury deliberations publicly, as this will serve as the 

report to the larger group. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 40 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 41of53

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Participant-Centered Review Strategies 

These strategies allow participants to review content in an interactive way. The 

interaction aids in retention and helps participants take responsibility and ownership 

for their own learning. 

Find and Fix 

	 Using content that has been covered, place in the middle of the table, on the 

wall, or in a workbook, content that is somewhat accurate and somewhat 

inaccurate. 

	 This content can be a diagram, map, model, table, spreadsheet, etc. 

	 Ask participants to find and fix everything that is wrong or inaccurate. 

Question Cards 

	 Have each participant take an index card and write a question on it from 

content that has been covered. 

	 Once participants have completed them, shuffle the cards and allow each 

participant to draw one and ask a question to other participants or tablemates. 

	 This activity is scalable, as each participant can record more than one 

question per card. 

Where Do I Fit? 

	 Record the individual steps in a process, one step per index card. 

	 Shuffle the cards. Pass these cards out to participants, and ask them to get 

in a human lineup reflecting the actual steps in a process. 

	 Then, have them explain the role or functions that each individual step 

performs. 

	 This is scalable, as it can be done in front of the room with one set of cards or 

a set of cards can be handed to each table. 

Stress-Ball Toss 

	 Ask participants to get in a circle with one participant holding a stress ball. 

	 Ask participants to raise their hands when are willing to share, and the stress 

ball will be passed to them. 

	 This is the participant’s opportunity to share one key discovery or learning 

moment from the session. 

Hot Potato Stress-Ball Toss 

	 Get participants in teams of five to seven with one stress ball per team. 

	 Have participants toss the ball as if it were a hot potato. 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 42 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

	 When a sign is given, the participant holding the potato will share a key 

discovery or learning moment from the day. 

	 Some ideas for how to cue participants include playing music and stopping it, 

or sounding a noisemaker to indicate a turn. 

Forehead—Guess the Answer 

	 Using content that has been covered during the session, pass out index cards 

with content on them, one chunk of content per index card. 

	 Place cards facedown in front of participants, and ask them to hold it up to 

their foreheads with the words facing outward. 

	 Participants are allowed to ask open- and closed-ended questions to other 

participants to guess the words on their cards. 

Who or What Am I? 

	 Give each participant a card with a person, a process, or a fact on the front of 

the card. 

	 Ask each participant to find another person and place the card on the back of 

that participant using a pin or a piece of tape, without allowing him or her to 

see what is on the card. 

	 Then, have participants mingle around the room to discover what is written on 

each of their own backs by asking (and answering) only one question of 

another participant. 

Object Lessons 

	 Ask each participant to pick up one item at random from anywhere in the 

room or at his or her table. 

	 Then, ask each participant to reflect on how this item is like the content 

covered during the session and be prepared to tell others about how it is like 

the content. 

Keyword Zap 

	 Examine the training content, and choose several keywords or acronyms that 

should be reinforced and remembered. 

	 Assign selected tables or participants to make different noises or sounds 

when that keyword is said aloud to the group. 

	 Read or share the content with participants actively listening for the keyword. 

	 This is a scalable activity, in that each table can be assigned a separate 

sound and keyword. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Crossword Puzzle 

	 At an easel chart, record several keywords that frame the theme of the 

session. 

	 Ask participants to create additional words horizontally or vertically from the 

listed words that represent content covered. 

	 This exercise is scalable, in that once a person records the word, he or she 

can share what it means with the larger group. 

Roll the Dice 

 Write on each side of the dice a question or an acronym to be explained. 

 Ask participants to roll the dice and answer the questions. 

 This activity is scalable with minimal work by posting the numbers of the dice 

with corresponding questions on tear sheets. 

 Each participant can roll the dice and answer the question assigned to the 

number he or she rolled. 

Trivial Pursuit 

	 Using content covered in the session, record one content section per index 

card. 

	 Play trivial pursuit with the pre-recorded cards. 

	 This activity can be scaled by asking participants to create their own cards, 

then shuffling them for the game. 

Let’s Play Ball 

	 Turn the training room into a baseball diamond and group participants into 

teams. 

	 When a participant is at bat, he or she selects a card from one of four piles: 

single, double, triple, or home run. 

	 Each set of cards has questions that correlate in complexity to the bases. 

	 Each time a team misses a correct answer, it is considered an out. 

	 After three outs, the other team steps up to bat. This is scalable, in that the 

“field” can encompass the entire room or it can be represented through an 

image of a ball field recorded on an easel chart and used by tablemates. 

	 This can be modified to represent a football field with each card representing 

a certain number of yards; missed questions result in lost yardage. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 43 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fix the Flowchart 

 Create a flowchart that outlines a process covered in the session’s content. 

 Include parts that are accurate and parts that are inaccurate. 

 Ask participants to fix or change the flowchart to make it accurate. 

Woven Pathways 

	 Cut off a long piece of string, rope, or twine. 

	 Ask tablemates or all participants to stand in a circle and, with their 

nondominant hands, place their index fingers and thumbs together to form 

circles. 

	 Ask them to use their other hands to take the end of the string when it is 

handed to them and to each share one key learning moment or discovery. 

	 After sharing, a participant can place the end of the string through the circle 

formed with his or her nondominant hand and pass the end to someone else 

across the circle. 

	 Give everyone the opportunity to do this, forming a large woven pathway of 

learning shared in the group. 

Quilted Ideas 

 Hand out one or two pieces of 81⁄2- by 11-inch paper to each participant. 

 Ask each participant to picture a completed quilt. 

 Each participant should design one or two blocks that represent a key 

learning or action idea from the training. 

 Once the blocks are completed, ask participants to design a quilt on a wall, 

placing the blocks on easel-chart paper to design and communicate a 

completed quilt. 

 Encourage participants to do a gallery walk and record key ideas. 

 This is scalable, in that participants can create one quilt per table or one quilt 

for the entire room. 

 This activity can be adapted to appeal to different audiences by creating a 

giant window pane, billboard, or graffiti wall using the same process. 

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Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 45 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

Stump Your Tablemates 

	 Ask each participant to write down two or three questions with answers on 

index cards from content covered in the session. 

	 Have participants quiz the others at their tables, either open book or closed 

book, to determine if they know the answers. 

Discussion Partners 

	 This simple technique can be used as a way of starting any discussion. 

	 After posing a question to a large group, ask everyone to find a partner and 

discuss the question for a few minutes. 

	 Have people report on what they talked about. This technique can be used 

with three people as well. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Skill Building 

Simulation Events and Skills Practice 

Simulation events are a great way to allow participants to practice the behaviors and 

skills required to do the job. Avoid the words “role play” as adults may resist the 

words and the activity. Instead, use “simulation events” or “skills practice” to 

describe it. Whatever process is used for this, be sure to set it up so activities go 

from safe to unsafe. The following are sequential steps to create that safety: 

	 First, create triads throughout the room. 

	 Each triad will contain a giver, a receiver, and an observer. 

	 Ask participants in each triad to practice the skill in question and, then, report 

back to the larger group. 

	 Reports will honor the giver’s risks if the reporting goes as follows: 

o	 First, the giver: What went well? What might you change to make it better? 

o	 Then, the receiver: How did you feel? What went well? What might you 

change? 

o	 Then, the observer: In addition to what has been shared, what went well? 

How might it be done differently? 

	 Ask for volunteers to come to the front of the room and recreate the 

simulation now that they have had a chance to practice it within their triads. 

Below are some variations for simulations in front of the room that can be scaled to a 

table simulation. 

Stress-Ball Toss 

	 The giver and receiver each have a stress ball. 

	 When either one gets stuck or prefers to step out, he or she will offer the 

stress ball to the large group and ask for a volunteer to catch it and take over 

as giver or receiver. 

	 This allows multiple people to be involved in one scenario. 

What’s My Line? 

	 Ask participants, throughout the room or in smaller groups, to form two lines, 

one behind the giver and one behind the receiver. 

	 The simulation begins, and whenever one of the participants gets stuck or 

wants to change, he or she goes to the end of the line and a new participant 

is “on.” 

 Another variation is for the facilitator to create a noise to indicate a switch. 

Skill Building 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 46 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Case Studies 

Case studies help replicate specific, real-world scenarios similar to what a 

participant might encounter on the job. These can be written prior to training and 

distributed in the session, or developed in the session and applied to learning a 

process, a tool, what to do next, or problem solving. They also set the stage for 

simulation events and skills practice. 

Be sure to create an environment for feedback after the cases are administered so 

participants can gain feedback on how they handled the cases and gain insight 

about other ways they might handle the problems. The following are various ways to 

write and implement case studies: 

One-Page Scenario 

	 Prior to the session, work with key stakeholders, participants, or real-world 

users to develop a one-page scenario of common problems or challenges 

participants might face on the job that apply to what they will be learning. 

	 Keep scenarios realistic enough for participants to be able to relate to them, 

and leave some vague areas where participants can make assumptions and 

add their own experiences. 

Take One 

	 Select a movie or video clip that creates a metaphor or a case for what 

participants will need to react to. 

	 These can be short, in part or in whole, or used as pre-work. 

	 Once participants view the clip, ask them to determine a solution to the 

problem, next steps, or some metaphors for the content covered. 

Newspaper Clip 

	 Clips can help set the stage for discussion or create “what if” scenarios. 

	 They are particularly useful for discussing ethics, problem solving, and 

leadership. 

Progressive Case Studies 

	 Ask participants to help build a progressive case study. 

	 They could build a scenario on the fly verbally, each table adding another 

component or part to the case after hearing the previous. 

	 They can also build this in a structured format by having each table create a 

three- to four-sentence scenario on a piece of paper, which is then passed 

clockwise to a new table; that table adds another paragraph, and so on. 

	 After several rounds, the large group has designed a case per table. These 

can then be shared and used for the content. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 47 of 53 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Building 

Team Building Activity 1—Boundary Breaking 

Objective: To break down some of the boundaries within the group and build trust 

and team dynamics. 

Group size: 10 to 15 

 Ask participants to sit in a circle with everyone facing each other. 

 Explain the rules to the entire group so everyone is aware of them. 

 Each person should be encouraged to answer the question, with the option of 

passing to allow for more to think. 

 If people pass, make sure to come back to them after the others have 

answered the question. 

 Discourage people from simply repeating what others have said. 

 Start with a different person for each question, and then, move around the 

group. 

 Make sure everyone speaks loudly enough for everyone to hear. 

 Make sure everyone is encouraged to be honest. 

 People do not need to explain their answers, but they can if they choose to. 

 Do not allow anyone to comment on someone else’s answer. Group 

members are there to listen to the answers of each member and answer the 

questions for themselves when it is their turn. 

 Do not overdo it. Choose the questions most appropriate for the group. 

	 It is probably a good idea to start with some easy questions to get everyone 

warmed up and willing to answer before moving on to more boundarybreaking questions. 

	 Questions: 

o	 What is the best movie you have ever seen? 

o	 What is the most beautiful thing about people? 

o	 What is the ugliest thing you know? 

o	 What do you like to do most with a free afternoon? 

o	 On what basis do you select your acquaintances? 

o What is the greatest problem in the country? The region? The city? 

o If you had one talent to choose, what would it be? 

o	 What is the greatest value that guides your life? 

o	 What quality do you look for in a really good friend? Teacher? 

Team Building 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 48 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 49 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

o What one person has greatly influenced your life? Other than a relative? 

o What gives you the most security? 

o What is the biggest waste you know of? 

o What is your greatest fear? 

o What word do you feel describes people of your age? 

o If you could give your employer one piece of advice, what would you say? 

o What is the most unreasonable thing you know? 

o If you could be a book, what book would you choose to be? 

o If you were to paint a picture, what would you paint a picture of? 

o What do people like best about you? 

o What do you consider to be your biggest fault? 

o When do you feel most lonely? 

o What television commercial bothers you the most? 

o What one thing would you change in your life? 

o What are your feelings about fast food? 

o What future discovery are you looking forward to the most? 

o What subject is the most frequent topic of discussion among your peers? 

o If you could be a song, what song would you choose to be? 

o What is the very last thing that you would be willing to give up? 

o What is the best advice you have ever received? 

o When you are depressed, what cheers you up the most? 

o What is your least favorite food? 

o What is the ideal family? 

o What is your favorite holiday? 

o What scares you the most about next year? 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Building Activity 2—Stress Balls 

Objective: To foster teamwork and problem-solving ability. 

	 Divide participants into groups of five to eight people, and have them arrange 

themselves in a circle. Give a stress ball to one person, and explain the rules 

of the game. 

	 Rules: 

o	 Each group is in competition with the other groups. The group who can 

complete the most "circuits" in a given time will be the winner. 

o	 A completed circuit occurs when every person in the group has touched 

the stress ball. 

o	 Only one person in the group can touch the stress ball at one time 

(therefore the ball must be tossed rather than passed). 

o	 If the ball ever touches the floor, then circuits must stop for 1 minute. 

	 Have the teams complete a few circuits to get comfortable. 

	 The facilitator may want to stop the groups and get feedback as to how they 

are becoming more efficient and help them understand that this is a natural 

progression with any system. 

	 Have the groups continue the circuits, but add rules to make the process 

more difficult: 

o	 A coworker calls in sick—remove one of the group members, and tell the 

group that someone called in sick. After they complete a few circuits, 

remind them that just because someone calls in sick, it doesn't mean that 

the work doesn't need to be completed. (They will probably have 

continued to complete the circuits, just as they had before the person left.) 

Remind them that each of their last few circuits has had one less touch 

than before, so they these circuits do not count. Someone will have to 

pick up the slack for the absent person. After a new pattern is 

established, have the person return. 

o	 Double production—throw a second ball into the mix, and tell the group 

that twice the expected number of people will be coming in for counseling. 

Only one ball can be held by any one person at a time. You can add a 

third, or even fourth, ball later. 

o	 New federal regulations—explain to the group that a new federal 

regulation stipulates that they can’t throw the ball to the people on their 

immediate right or left. Have them establish a new pattern to complete a 

circuit. 

o	 Use your imagination to come up with other rules, and be sure to 

acknowledge the work of all the teams. At the end of the game, ask the 

group how the game related to issues they may face in crisis counseling. 

Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 50 of 53 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 51 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Building Activity 3—Building a Bridge 

Objective: To encourage each person to contribute his or her strengths to the group. 

Group size: Four or more. 

Materials: Paper plates or pieces of paper, and black markers or pens. 

	 Give the entire participant group a stack of paper plates and a few black 

markers. The group should have enough paper plates to make a “stepping 

stone bridge” across the room. 

	 Don’t tell the group that they will be making a bridge. Simply ask them to 

each take a paper plate and write down one of their own strengths. Tell them 

that they can do this on more than one plate if they feel they have more than 

one strength. 

	 After the group members feel that they have written down as many strengths 

as they have, tell them they must use the paper plates to make a bridge 

across the room. 

	 When building the bridge and when crossing the room, the only plates that 

the group can use are those with strengths written down on them. 

	 At no time may anyone’s feet touch the floor. If the group needs to add more 

plates to the bridge, people must write down more strengths on more plates 

and add them to the bridge. 

	 Discussion prompts to use as the group completes the task: 

o	 Could one person build a bridge by themselves? Why or why not? 

o	 How is a group enhanced when there are many different people working 

on the same team? 

o	 What strengths did group members not write down that you felt they 

should have? 

o	 Each individual on the team has many strengths, as we can see. What 

strengths do you think this group has as a whole? 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 52 of 53 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Building Activity 4—Bridge of Life 

Objective: To encourage team members to work cooperatively in decision making 

and planning. 

Group size: Four or more. 

Materials: None. 

 Break the group into teams of 4–10. (This game may be played as a race or 

as a one-team challenge.) 

 Mark off an area that is wider than all the team members standing side-byside. The challenge is for each team to get one member from one side of the 

area to the other without touching the ground or being carried. 

 Possible solutions: 

o	 Team members lie down, forming a human bridge for the person to crawl 

across. 

o	 The team passes the person down the line in a prone position, with team 

members shifting position in line, as necessary. 

o The person walks on the feet of his or her team members. 

 Discussion prompts to use as the group completes the task: 

o	 How did you decide who would be the person who had to try to get 

across? 

o	 How did you decide on a method for getting this person across? 

o	 Did everyone contribute to the decision process? Why or why not? 

o	 What role do you usually take when part of a decision making process? 

o Do you wish you had a different role? Why or why not? 

 Variations: 

o	 Tell the group they have to get half of the team across rather than just one 

person. 

o	 Challenge the entire group to get one person across a large open area. 

o	 Put obstacles in the area that the group must get one person around when 

moving them from one side to another. 
Exercises and Trainer’s Tips, Page 53 of 53

Additional Training Resources

The following websites contain valuable training tips, icebreakers, group activities, 

and team building activities. Trainers are encouraged to check out these sites and 

incorporate the techniques into their training.

These sites contain a variety of activities for trainers and facilitators including: 

energizers, fun ideas, icebreakers, team building, and trainer’s tips.

• http://www.lionsclubs.org/EN/common/pdfs/icebreakers.pdf

• http://cchealth.org/tobacco/pdf/activities.pdf

• http://www.ehow.com/list_6884548_icebreakers-energizers-team-buildingactivities.html

• http://www.businessballs.com/teambuildinggames.htm

Make sure to check out the Free Icebreakers (Train the Trainer) document on this 

site. It has imaginative ways to engage any group. The other free resources will 

help trainers with many of the challenges they face.

http://www.businesstrainingworks.com/training-resources/free-articles-and-handouts 

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This workbook reviews the basics of training design, the differences between adult 

and child learners, and ideas for making presentations memorable. Topics include 

coordination, learning styles, presentation techniques, facilitation skills, lesson 

development, and session evaluation. Includes sample forms and worksheets. 

https://www.ncjrs.gov/ovc_archives/educator/welcome.html

The team building exercises came from the following websites:

Neill, James. Wilderdom: A Project in Natural Living & Transformation. 

http://www.wilderdom.com 

Games for Groups. http://www.gamesforgroups.com/openupgames.html

Leader’s Institute. http://www.leadersinstitute.com/resources-tennis-ball-game/

A light-hearted approach to stress management can be found at

http://www.franciscanalliance.org/hospitals/indianapolis/Documents/A%20stress%20

management%20story.pdf