What does an elementary school counselor do?
Counsel, educate, advocate and empower! We work alongside teachers and parents/guardians to help students develop socially and emotionally, and to help remove any barriers they have with learning.
Why would a student see a school counselor?
Children may face difficulties, which can prevent them from doing their best in school. These difficulties can include school adjustment issues, stress/anxiety, self-esteem, family change, grief, fears, or difficulties with relationships. Having support through difficult times can be essential to a child’s educational success.
What counseling related services does a school counselor provide?
All professional school counselors are trained to provide these services in a variety of efficient and effective methods, including:
Guidance Curriculum
Classroom guidance lessons
Responsive Services
Small group counseling
Short-term individual and crisis counseling
Please note that I do NOT provide long-term therapy and typically meet with a student no more than 8 continuous times over a school year. For ongoing and more serious mental health needs, I am happy to work with a student and their families to refer them to outside providers.
Community resource referrals (including longer term therapy services)
What types of things do counselors talk with students about in class lessons and in individual or group counseling?
Character Education
Career exploration
Conflict resolution
Friendship skills
Growth mindset
Listening skills
Mindfulness and coping skills
Positive communication
Responsibility
Self-awareness
Self-esteem
Self-regulation (emotions)
Study skills
How can school counselors support parents/guardians?
Helping with social or emotional concerns you have about your child
Improving communication between you and your child
Discussing family difficulties/concerns that affect your child at school
Making outside referrals to community resources
Helping understand the developmental changes of childhood
Discussing concerns about your child’s academic achievement
Helping establish healthy routines for your child
How does a school counselor manage privacy?
Your family’s privacy is important to me. What you or your child discuss with me is private except in cases required by law (when abuse, neglect or imminent danger is suspected).
How does a school counselor manage confidentiality?
An important part of the counselor and student relationship is trust. One of the ways counselors build a trusting relationship with students is through confidentiality. However, there are certain exceptions that may require a school counselor to break confidentiality when working with a student.
Confidentiality will be broken if a student shares that they are going to hurt themselves, hurt someone else, or someone is hurting them.
Confidentiality can also be broken if the student and school counselor decide it is important to share the information with another adult. I do let students know that problem solving is a collaborative effort and there will be times we will want to include their parents or teachers in our work.
All students are informed of confidentiality exceptions at the beginning of the school year during a classroom guidance lesson. Students are are also reminded at the beginning of every individual or group counseling session.
How does a school counselor manage parent consent?
If I am meeting with a student regularly, I will inform the parent of these meetings if:
it will not break the students trust,
it will not hinder the counseling process, and
the parent/guardian’s assistance is needed, or
an outside referral needs to be made
If I would like to include a student in group counseling, I will notify the parents to get consent to work with the student in the group setting.