How Counseling Works In the School Setting:

The goal of school counseling is to address minor issues which impact the student’s academic and/or functioning at school. If issues continue to impact the student after intervention of school counseling, a referral to an outside resource will be suggested to the parent/guardian.

Referrals can be made by either the parent/guardian, teacher, or administration. After 2-3 sessions, a Notification of Counseling Services form is sent home if long-term support may be needed.

Counseling in the school setting can take many forms, such as:

• Classroom Guidance: I currently teach in the K-5 classrooms weekly on topics such as friendship, social skills, conflict resolution, decision making, safety, stress reduction, and careers. This curriculum is designed to focus around social/emotional development.

• Individual Counseling: This counseling occurs on a one-to-one basis. This allows the student to share their feelings, resolve issues, and explore ideas in a smaller setting.

• Group Counseling: Small groups may cover many topics, such as anger management strategies, friendship skills, and social skills, designed to best fit the groups’ needs.