Mr. Dean was a Multisystemic Therapist for nine years prior to joining the school counseling field. He subscribes to using a systemic approach when working with students and helping the student's ecology change in order to support growth and support. Mr. Dean aligns many approaches of therapy when working with students. Choice Therapy is an approach commonly used when dealing with behavior modification. Reality Therapy is commonly used as well when I work with our students here at Swift Creek Elementary School. Though I do have an extensive amount of experience in counseling, school counselors are only allowed to assist a student in counseling for up to eight sessions. If a student requires more, or if the challenge is beyond my scope of practice, outside referrals may be encouraged.
Especially with elementary school counseling, students need objects or activities to help start conversations. I give students choices about what they can have, such as LEGOs, art supplies, stress balls, or my sand tray. These objects give me insights into my students' thoughts and feelings and also make the 1:1 counseling environment less intimidating.
I often have students who request to see me many times throughout a given school week. Since I have an entire school population to serve, I cannot always be there for them face-to-face. So, I decided to start creating counseling journals with these students. We make them out of notebook paper and colored construction paper (for the cover). Students can decorate their journals however they wish. I typically write the first message, reminding students about how the process works, and then, from that point on, students write as often as they need to. This is also a great way to document student progress. Students love it!
As a school counselor, we focus on three domains of the student. They are academic, career, and personal/social domains. I have included a link below that briefly explains what the school counselor's role is in dealing with these domains.
Academic Career Personal/Social
Especially with elementary school counseling, students need objects or activities to help start conversations. I give students choices about what they can have, such as LEGOs, art supplies, stress balls, or my sand tray. These objects give me insights into my students' thoughts and feelings and also make the 1:1 counseling environment less intimidating.
I often have students who request to see me many times throughout a given school week. Since I have an entire school population to serve, I cannot always be there for them face-to-face. So, I decided to start creating counseling journals with these students. We make them out of notebook paper and colored construction paper (for the cover). Students can decorate their journals however they wish. I typically write the first message, reminding students about how the process works, and then, from that point on, students write as often as they need to. This is also a great way to document student progress. Students love it!
As a school counselor, we focus on three domains of the student. They are academic, career, and personal/social domains. I have included a link below that briefly explains what the school counselor's role is in dealing with these domains.
Academic Career Personal/Social