Counseling

School counseling is a profession founded in both mental health and education that centers on promoting the academic, career, and personal/social development of students in K–12 schools. Practice varies considerably based on training and particular school needs, although current national models have expanded upon [Page 226]traditional roles of remediation and individual counseling to include systemic functions such as leadership and advocacy to affect the school system. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) indicates that professional school counselors, as members of the educational team, consult and collaborate with teachers, administrators, and families to assist students to be successful. They work on behalf of students and their families to ensure that all school programs facilitate the educational process and offer the opportunity for school success for each student.

School counselors provide direct services to students through individual and group interventions. Individual counseling consists of working with a student in a one-on-one relationship where the school counselor facilitates mutually determined goals. In group counseling, school counselors work with approximately three to eight students at a time to allow students to work together to resolve difficulties or develop skills. Psychoeducational and counseling groups typically focus on a specific topic (e.g., new student orientation, anger management, grief and loss, study skills) and last from six to eight sessions. Largegroup guidance, often called classroom guidance, is planned developmental curriculum delivered in classrooms to teach skills and discuss important topics such as study skills or decision making. Classroom guidance is often delivered in collaboration with teachers. Another collaborative process is consultation, where the school counselor serves as a consultant (e.g., behavioral management) to parents, teachers, or administrators in order to benefit a third party (student/child).

Several systemic functions have gained importance in recent years. Coordination and leadership of programs (e.g., peer mentoring, school improvement committees) and advocacy are used by school counselors to affect and promote student development by influencing and/or manipulating the environment. Advocacy refers to the important role that counselors play in ensuring a voice for the disenfranchised or in breaking down barriers to open access for all students.

In addition to direct services and systemic functions, school counselors often perform a wide range of additional duties. They may include advising students, educational planning and career development, referring students to community-based services, leading or contributing to individual education plan meetings, coordinating course scheduling, collecting and evaluating data about counseling programming, and planning orientation programs or group meetings that promote student adjustment in school transitions. This list is not exhaustive, as school counselors tend to contribute to the school in a variety of ways depending on student and teacher needs, administrator philosophy, caseloads, and environmental circumstances. ASCA advocates a school-counselor-to-student ratio of 1:250, although most states are much higher, and school counselors at times are regulated to noncounseling and administrative duties.

A school counselor is typically trained at the master's level and is licensed or certified by the state (only a few states still require previous teaching experience). Training programs include coursework in professional identity, social and cultural diversity, human growth and development, career development, helping relationships, group work, assessment, and research and program evaluation. In addition, many programs require supervised practicum and internship experiences that total 700 hours of service, 280 of which must be direct service to students, teachers, and/or parents.

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