Counseling Theories and Techniques
(4) Counseling Theories and Techniques: Candidates who complete the program are accomplished school counselors and educational leaders who have the knowledge, ability, and cultural competence to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of established and emerging counseling theories. They possess a thorough knowledge of techniques and processes that form the foundation for effective school counseling with a diverse population. Candidates:
As a school counseling intern, I was able to work in two schools with diverse populations. In working with students, I needed to be able to call upon a variety of counseling theories. Some of the theories I have utilized are art therapy, brief solutions, family systems, genograms, structural family therapy, motivational interviewing, as well as the understanding of addictions I gained in both the Foundation of Substance Abuse and Pharmacology of Addictions courses I took.
(4) Counseling Theories and Techniques: Candidates who complete the program are accomplished school counselors and educational leaders who have the knowledge, ability, and cultural competence to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of established and emerging counseling theories. They possess a thorough knowledge of techniques and processes that form the foundation for effective school counseling with a diverse population. Candidates:
As a school counseling intern, I was able to work in two schools with diverse populations. In working with students, I needed to be able to call upon a variety of counseling theories. Some of the theories I have utilized are art therapy, brief solutions, family systems, genograms, structural family therapy, motivational interviewing, as well as the understanding of addictions I gained in both the Foundation of Substance Abuse and Pharmacology of Addictions courses I took.
(a) Have knowledge of prevention and crisis intervention strategies;
Prevention and Crisis Intervention
Participated in Crisis team meetings at both Maple Elementary and Hamlin Middle School.
Attended the following training's:
Prevention and Crisis Intervention
Participated in Crisis team meetings at both Maple Elementary and Hamlin Middle School.
Attended the following training's:
- Children and Youth Exposed to Violence: Trauma Informed Practices for Schools Training
- Tragedy Response Team refresher training
(b) Develop individual and small-group counseling approaches that promote school success, through academic, career and personal/social development for all;Individual Counseling
(c) Develop individual, group and classroom guidance approaches systematically designed to assist all students with academic, career and personal/social development.
Worked individually with students:
1st grader dealing with a new living situation and divorce of parents
Three kindergartners on classroom behavior, social relationships, and academic achievement
5th graders on social skills, the importance of honesty, dealing with homelessness, a parent sent to prison, parents in rehab, and foster placement, anxiety over leaving Maple
3rd grade students on body image, friendships, new baby in the house, stealing and honesty issues.
As needed provided individual responsive counseling to various students throughout the year who had left class or were visibly having issues, or as conflicts arose.
8th graders: anger management, sexual identity, relationships, friendships, conflict with authority -at home and at school, pregnancy, planning for the future, academic achievement/struggles, self-esteem, anxiety, depression, bullying, homelessness, abuse, drug use, parents substance abuse, foster placement, sexual assault, bullying, body image issues, eating disorders, self-perception and transitioning to high school.
7th graders: cutting, bullying, self-esteem, sexual relationships, peer relationships, academic achievement/struggles, drug use, divorce, sexual trauma, foster placement, and suicidal ideation.
6th graders: self-esteem, sexual relationships, peer relationships, academic achievement/struggles, drug use, divorce, sexual trauma, foster placement, physical abuse at home, parents in recovery and parents with substance abuse issues, social skills, body image, eating disorders, adjusting to middle school, and running away from home.
Small Group Counseling
At Hamlin Middle School:
Created and ran a small counseling group for 7th grade girls designed to foster positive self-esteem in support of my Action Research project.
At Maple Elementary School:
Ran a 5th grade boys friendship group designed to facilitate better peer relations.
At Hamlin Middle School:
Created and ran a small counseling group for 7th grade girls designed to foster positive self-esteem in support of my Action Research project.
At Maple Elementary School:
Ran a 5th grade boys friendship group designed to facilitate better peer relations.
(c) Develop individual, group and classroom guidance approaches systematically designed to assist all students with academic, career and personal/social development.
Classroom Guidance Lessons
Throughout my internship at Hamlin Middle school I collaborated with my supervisor Jennifer Mays and co-taught the 6th grade Life Skills class. Mrs. Mays and I worked together to implement the lessons she created and we utilized several lesson plans that I created in support of her curriculum.
One of the lesson plans I created was a lesson on manners, another was a career guidance lesson, an a third was a lesson developed to support personal/social growth. For other classes, I utilized some resources I found on the internet regarding bullying and gossip to foster discussion.
Teaching the 6th grade class with Mrs. Mays, was one of my favorite internship experiences.
My internship at Hamlin also provided me the opportunity to establish and lead a 7th grade girls group, designed to increase self-esteem. The group was comprised of 8 girls randomly picked from the 7th grade class. In the group, we discussed a wide variety of topics - body image, sex, dating, social media, academics, goals - establishing pursuit of goals
At Maple Elementary, I was able to utilize the career guidance lesson I created with the 4th and 5th graders during their library time. Library time was another time I was able to read to classes and utilize the book chosen to highlight a topic regarding personal/social growth.
Please take time to peruse some of the artifacts from the classroom lessons below.
Classroom Guidance Lessons
Throughout my internship at Hamlin Middle school I collaborated with my supervisor Jennifer Mays and co-taught the 6th grade Life Skills class. Mrs. Mays and I worked together to implement the lessons she created and we utilized several lesson plans that I created in support of her curriculum.
One of the lesson plans I created was a lesson on manners, another was a career guidance lesson, an a third was a lesson developed to support personal/social growth. For other classes, I utilized some resources I found on the internet regarding bullying and gossip to foster discussion.
Teaching the 6th grade class with Mrs. Mays, was one of my favorite internship experiences.
My internship at Hamlin also provided me the opportunity to establish and lead a 7th grade girls group, designed to increase self-esteem. The group was comprised of 8 girls randomly picked from the 7th grade class. In the group, we discussed a wide variety of topics - body image, sex, dating, social media, academics, goals - establishing pursuit of goals
At Maple Elementary, I was able to utilize the career guidance lesson I created with the 4th and 5th graders during their library time. Library time was another time I was able to read to classes and utilize the book chosen to highlight a topic regarding personal/social growth.
Please take time to peruse some of the artifacts from the classroom lessons below.
(d) Develop approaches to peer facilitation, including peer helper, peer tutor and peer mediation programs.
Peer Faciliatation
I utilized students to facilitate peer to peer assistance in a variety of ways at both of my internship sites, by:
e) Understand the issues that may affect the development and functional of students (e.g., abuse, violence, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, childhood depression and suicide.)
Understand Developmental Issues
The students I worked with on a daily basis at both of my internships sites were affected by many issues the influenced their ability to achieve academic and personal success. In each experience I had as a counselor with a student being affected by the myriad issues that students face, from abuse, violence, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, childhood depression, to suicidal ideation, I ensured that I met them where they were developmentally, used theories such as motivational interviewing, brief solutions focus, genograms, or family structural theories to help them abuse, violence, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, childhood depression and suicide their perspective as possible to alter their lens of perception to facilitate positive growth.
As it was necessary to report these issues, I did so. I ensured that the student knew I was their to advocate for them and as an ally, but that I was a mandatory reporter as well and that should the need arise for me to act in support of them and report an issue then I would.
Peer Faciliatation
I utilized students to facilitate peer to peer assistance in a variety of ways at both of my internship sites, by:
- Creating a classroom environment where peers were seen as and encouraged to be utilized at appropriate times as resources for assistance in class.
- Established peer tutor relationships for students struggling in certain subjects.
- Worked with leadership students at Hamlin Middle School to create inclusion and assist peers during "Game of Life" activity for 5th graders in the spring as they transition to middle school.
- Utilized students in groups and in conflict resolution situations as appropriate to mediate conflicts and promote positive behaviors among their peers.
e) Understand the issues that may affect the development and functional of students (e.g., abuse, violence, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, childhood depression and suicide.)
Understand Developmental Issues
The students I worked with on a daily basis at both of my internships sites were affected by many issues the influenced their ability to achieve academic and personal success. In each experience I had as a counselor with a student being affected by the myriad issues that students face, from abuse, violence, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, childhood depression, to suicidal ideation, I ensured that I met them where they were developmentally, used theories such as motivational interviewing, brief solutions focus, genograms, or family structural theories to help them abuse, violence, eating disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, childhood depression and suicide their perspective as possible to alter their lens of perception to facilitate positive growth.
As it was necessary to report these issues, I did so. I ensured that the student knew I was their to advocate for them and as an ally, but that I was a mandatory reporter as well and that should the need arise for me to act in support of them and report an issue then I would.
(f) Develop approaches to recognizing and assisting children and adolescents who may use alcohol or other drugs or who may reside in a home where substance abuse occurs.
Subtance Abuse
At both placements I encountered students whose daily reality involved substance abuse use and addictions issues with parents - alcoholism, illegal drug abuse, and prescription drug abuse.
At Hamlin Middle School, I worked with students who used drugs themselves and who grew up in homes where parents abused drugs as well. In one instance, I worked with a family at the school who had come in because their student had been caught with drugs on campus. I spent time with the family as an advocate for their student, fostering open dialogue among the family, and then putting the parents in touch with resources available in the district to help support the student and the family.
I also formed a good collaborative relationship with a parent who was recovering from long term substance abuse issues and working very hard to ensure they didn't relapse so that they could support their child. Part of the parents’ willingness to work so collaboratively was that I had expressed to them that I understood how much courage it took to go through rehabilitation and recognized their effort. I met with the student of this parent weekly to address any areas they were struggling with related to school, behavior, and personal social issues, as well as to celebrate their success in these areas.
Subtance Abuse
At both placements I encountered students whose daily reality involved substance abuse use and addictions issues with parents - alcoholism, illegal drug abuse, and prescription drug abuse.
At Hamlin Middle School, I worked with students who used drugs themselves and who grew up in homes where parents abused drugs as well. In one instance, I worked with a family at the school who had come in because their student had been caught with drugs on campus. I spent time with the family as an advocate for their student, fostering open dialogue among the family, and then putting the parents in touch with resources available in the district to help support the student and the family.
I also formed a good collaborative relationship with a parent who was recovering from long term substance abuse issues and working very hard to ensure they didn't relapse so that they could support their child. Part of the parents’ willingness to work so collaboratively was that I had expressed to them that I understood how much courage it took to go through rehabilitation and recognized their effort. I met with the student of this parent weekly to address any areas they were struggling with related to school, behavior, and personal social issues, as well as to celebrate their success in these areas.
(g) Apply theories, models and processes of consultation and change with teachers, administrators, other school personnel, parents, community groups, agencies and students as appropriate.
Application of Counseling Theories:
Working in support of students I often consulted with staff to help them better understand the criteria for students with diagnosis to understand how that impacted the students’ academic or behavioral abilities in the classroom. I shared informational handouts like the Motivational Interviewing, and Cognitive Behavioral Theory hand outs that I have included below to provide teachers with another way of approaching difficult students in their classrooms.
At a community level, I consulted with community resources like the Child Center and Ophelia’s place to help further support positive change in students outside of the classroom.
Application of Counseling Theories:
Working in support of students I often consulted with staff to help them better understand the criteria for students with diagnosis to understand how that impacted the students’ academic or behavioral abilities in the classroom. I shared informational handouts like the Motivational Interviewing, and Cognitive Behavioral Theory hand outs that I have included below to provide teachers with another way of approaching difficult students in their classrooms.
At a community level, I consulted with community resources like the Child Center and Ophelia’s place to help further support positive change in students outside of the classroom.