Individual Counseling
Students are able to see the counselor on a one-to-one basis. Typically students are referred for individual counseling by a teacher, parent, or other staff member. Children themselves can also request to speak to the counselor.
Individual Counseling in the school setting is meant to be brief, solution-focused, and child-centered. It is not an alternative to in-depth therapy; outside services should be utilized if the child displays a need. School Counseling is designed to help children remove barriers to their learning and overall school success.
Individual sessions last anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes. Typically the children will have a discussion with the counselor, or they will work from various activity books. Examples of individual counseling session topics are: family changes and divorce, grief and loss, school behavior, school motivation, sadness, and anxiety and worry. Some kids may only talk with the school counselor one time, and others may need to see the counselor for short ongoing sessions.
Group Counseling
Counseling Groups are run throughout the school year, and are based on grade level. The group sessions typically happen once a week for six to eight week sessions. Session times are determined time by the teacher's suggestions for best time of day and counselor availability. Students are referred to these counseling groups by their teachers. Typically, two to six students participate in a group. Groups are designed to target various skills and issues so that some students are gaining strength in that skill area, and some are acting as the role model.
Examples of group topics include self-esteem, conflict management, behavior, friendship, manners, etc.
A permission slip will be sent home if your child has been recommended for group participation.
The group sessions are activity based and include stories, games, worksheets, and discussions.