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Counseling and Groups

Small Group Counseling

Small group counseling is a unique educational experience in which students work together to explore their ideas, attitudes, feelings and behaviors. Groups help students develop and strengthen necessary skills and strategies that enhance their ability to succeed academically and socially as well as cope with stressful situations. 

Group counseling services are based on individual needs, which are assessed by referrals and/or school data. Students are referred to me by teachers, administrators, and/or parents/guardians.

Each group counseling session is 30 minutes in length and occurs once every six days for 6-8 weeks (e.g. September 14-November 16, we will meet every Day 6 from 8:00-8:30 a.m.). I rotate to new groups every trimester. Groups are offered during downtime in the classroom to ensure students are not missing any core instruction. In each group counseling session, we will complete worksheets, activities, games, role plays, crafts and much more. The time goes fast!

Students who begin the program are expected to attend each meeting. Additionally, you may hear your child say “what is said in our group, stays in the group." In order to preserve confidentiality, we do not share the particulars of other people’s lives outside of the group. 

Please note: Parent/guardian permission must be obtained in order for students to participate in group counseling. Small group counseling should never be seen as a punishment. We have fun and students typically want to be in groups! School counseling services are short-term services and should not be used in place of therapy. Referrals to outside counseling services are available.

 

Individual Counseling

The purpose of individual sessions is to teach students skills on how to manage situations on their own. I use solution-focused brief counseling (SFBC), which is temporary/short-term support to help students overcome issues that are causing an impact on their school performance. The support provided can be therapeutic. However, the role of the school counselor is not to diagnose or provide therapy. For individual counseling, students are referred to me by a school-based intervention team which includes input from teachers, administrators and/or parents/guardians. Always remember, confidentiality is respected unless a child plans on hurting themselves, hurting someone else, or someone is hurting them.

The following are some common issues school counselors may discuss with students: stress, anxiety, peer relationships, academic challenges, self-esteem/body image, grief/loss, etc.

Please note: Parent/guardian permission must be obtained in order for students to receive individual counseling (crisis situations do not pertain to this). School counseling services are short-term services and should not be used in place of therapy. Licensed mental health counselors are the appropriate resource to provide ongoing therapy sometimes needed by families and children. Referrals to outside counseling services are available. 

 

Groups

Anger Management

Anger Management (grades 3-6) is a support group to help students explore feelings of anger and learn coping strategies.

Divorce

Banana Splits (pre-K-6) is a support group to help students who live with a single parent, or have experienced divorce, separation or the death of a parent. It provides an opportunity to see that there are others who have a similar type of home life and deal with similar challenges. Banana Splits provides a chance to get ideas from peers on how to solve problems that others have already dealt with or are currently facing. 

Self-Regulation

  1. Blurt-Control (pre-K-2) is a support group that allows students to identify and share their feelings, learn criteria to use when deciding whether or not they should blurt and look at real life scenarios. The purpose of this group is to help students control their urges to interrupt and blurt out. 
     
  2. Self-Control Wiggle Worms (pre-K-2) is a support group that allows students to identify and share their feelings, develop self-control through participation and practice empathy while hearing others' experiences. The purpose of this group is to understand choices and consequences and to help students control their words and body when they are upset.
     
  3. Self-Control (grades 3-6) is a support group that allows students to identify and share their feelings, develop self-control through participation and practice empathy while hearing others' experiences. The purpose of this group is to understand choices and consequences and to help students control their words and body when they are upset. 
     
  4. Conflict Resolution (grades 3-6) is a support group to teach students how to understand their own feelings, remain calm in the face of conflict, compromise and positively resolve conflicts with peers. The purpose of this group is to build positive conflict resolution skills and emotional understanding!
     

Friendship

  1. Circle of Friends (pre-K-6) is a support group to teach students how to keep and maintain healthy friendships and how to interact with peers in a positive manner. The purpose of this group is to build connections and develop an appreciation for who they are as an individual.
     
  2. Lunch Bunch (pre-K-6) is a support group that meets only during students' lunch time. It is a fun way to meet new friends, reconnect with old friends, engage in exciting conversations, play games, learn something new and share stories. This is a positive experience for students to connect with their peers.
     
  3. Kindness Mission (grades 3-6) is a support group to provide an opportunity for students to promote kindness in their school and communities while also increasing their leadership abilities, fostering an attitude of teamwork and problem solving by working cooperatively in a respectful manner. The overall goal is for students to foster leadership skills while promoting kindness.
     

Self-Esteem

  1. Self-Esteem (pre-K-2) is a support group to help students build confidence and positive self-esteem by becoming more proud of who they are and more confident in what they can accomplish. 
     
  2. Self-Esteem Wonderfully Me (grades 3-6) is a support group to help students focus on improving their self-image and self-esteem, explore their unique strengths and abilities, look beyond stereotypes, and reframe negative thoughts. 


Social Skills

Social Skills (pre-K-2) is a support group to help students learn and practice valuable social skills that contribute to school success. This group is for students that need to work on sharing, taking turns, transitioning from activities, sharing their feelings and needs and following directions and rules.

Anxiety

  1. Worry Superheroes (pre-K-2) is a support group to help students who may have negative thoughts and worries. Students will learn and practice the following skills: identifying physical signs of worry, utilizing body calming strategies (i.e. controlled breathing and grounding exercises), accessing social support and identifying and utilizing strengths.
     
  2. Worry Warrior (grades 3-6) is a support group to help students who may have negative thoughts and worries. The purpose of this group is to build coping skills to deal with worry. Students will learn more about deep breathing, muscle relaxation and more!