School Based Counseling

School-Based Counseling vs. Clinical Counseling

School-based counseling is different than clinical counseling and therapy provided mental health professionals in the community. School based counseling is a short-term service delivered to individuals or groups to increase their adaptive functioning. The focus is on helping students function more effectively in the classroom and with their peers. A school counseling staff member might see a student for formal services designated through special education, during times of crisis, to mediate peer conflicts, or process incidents that occur during the school day.

Clinical counseling and therapy tend to be longer-term services with a focus on treatment of underlying issues that affect an individual's socio-emotional and behavioral functioning. The issues or concerns that an individual presents are may reflect a diagnosis (e.g., depression, anxiety, suicidal ideation, eating disorder, etc.) or significant situational stressors (e.g. death of a loved one, divorce, trauma, etc.). Concerns addressed through counseling and therapy outside of the school may or may not not affect a student during the school day. Though counseling and therapy clearly involve a personal relationship with an individual or group with the goal of positive change, they address different presenting problems in different contexts.

While school-based services address those issues that are relevant to the context of a student’s academic or social-emotional functioning within the school, this distinction does not mean that school-based professionals never work with students who have a diagnosable disorder or have situational stressors. It just means that the focus of school based counseling staff is one of support rather than treatment. For example, a student may have a a diagnosis (e.g., generalized anxiety disorder) but still be seen by a school-based professional who works with the student on strategies to manage her anxiety while he or she is at school in order to achieve her academic goals. Ideally, this student and his or her family is also working with a mental health professional outside of the school to address the underlying causes of anxiety.

School counselors and school psychologists play an important role in helping families access community based counseling supports which may include psychotherapy. School based counseling staff have lists of outside agencies and individual counseling practitioners available for parents upon request. Contact information for the school counselors and psychologist at AMSB is provided below.

Counseling Services at AMSB

School Counselors

At AMSB, there are two School Counselors. Each school counselor is assigned to serve one grade and follows that same group for two years. They meet with all students in their assigned grade individually, run groups and work closely with academic teams to promote student success. They also are responsible for scheduling and coordinate 504 Plans for their respective grades. School counselors are the primary contact for parents of regular education students who have any questions or concerns.

Mrs. Danielle Parillo, School Counselor

danielle.parillo@reg5.k12.ct.us

203-392-2073

Mrs. Kara Lanziero, School Counselor

kara.lanziero@reg5.12.ct.us

203-392-2065

School Psychologist

There is one school psychologist at AMSB who primarily works with students receiving special education services or those referred through the Response to Intervention process. Additionally, the school psychologist regularly meets with teachers to develop intervention plans to support students academically, behaviorally and socio-emotionally. Other responsibilities include scheduling Planning and Placement Team meetings, conducting psycho-educational evaluations, and participating in school wide committees and clubs. The school psychologist is a primary contact for parents students receiving special education services.

Mrs. Elisa Laudati, School Psychologist

elisa.laudati@reg5.k12.ct.us

203-392-2064