Group Closure (Laser Take-aways)

During a group coaching session there may be different emotions that come up, both positive and
negative. There could be moments of insight or moments of processing information that can be
transformational to a participant’s life. Therefore, it is important to make sure that you end each
session with an activity that will help people leave in a good state and with an idea of what they
will be working on moving forward. This closure process helps them fully integrate the
experience. In all of the following examples, it’s important to use laser-speak to keep the activity
short. We also refer to these as “laser take-aways.”

Closure Circle: Have each participant share with the group one thing that they have learned and
how they will be applying it and integrating it into their life. This will help members reinforce to
each other what they have learned. If in person, sit participants in a circle.

Appreciations: Have the group members share something that they appreciated about the group,
a member in the, or something from session. This activity, if done consistently, will help the
participants unconsciously look for things to be grateful for in future sessions.
Action Plan: One important activity is for them to share with the group their next step, goal, and
what they are committing to before the next meeting. They can also state who they will be
accountable to. Since you do not want them to forget, make sure that they write it down since it
will reinforce their commitment. If it is a large group, you can have them split into smaller
groups or partnerships to share their goals or even share answers to two or three structured
questions.

Nature Walk and Closure: For in person groups, to add a creative twist you can allow
participants 5 to 10 minutes to do a silent walk in the surrounding environment (if venue permits)
and have them select a piece of nature which they bring back into the program (i.e.
stone/flower/leaf). Participants can then close with a discussion of what they have chosen and
also what they are taking away from the group session, which they’ll share in the closure circle
format. A neat thing about it is that participants can take this object home with them as a
reminder of their learning and commitments.

Laughter Session: This is one of our favorite things that we do to close out sessions and to
change participants’ state to one of happiness and joy before our clients leave. You can look up
group laughter activates on YouTube to get some ideas. We also have a full course on this topic,
if you are interested in learning more about implementing it in your practice.
Sample Questions You Can Use:

 What is one thing you learned today and how will you apply it to your life?
 What are you grateful for today when it comes to the group, a member, or the session?
 What is your next step and goal that you are committing to before the next meeting?