School Counselor Resources: Best Techniques & Questions

School counselors play a vital role in the welfare of children and the operation of schools, building effective and impactful practices based on lasting trust and their practical knowledge of counseling theory, techniques, and tools (Coleman & Yeh, 2011).

While there are guidelines, job descriptions, and school policies to follow, school counselors are driven to craft their role in response to their professionalism and the wellbeing of their students (Wright, 2012).

This article introduces techniques to help school counselors perform thapheir valuable role and resources to support their students.

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This Article Contains:

• Counselors’ Toolkit: 5 Valuable Resources
• 10 Counseling Techniques to Use With Students
• Top 8 Ideas & Topics for Counseling Sessions
• Useful Templates, Forms, and Questions to Ask
• Our 3 Favorite Books on the Topic
• A Note on Positive Education
• Tools From PositivePsychology.com
• A Take-Home Message
• References

Counselors’ Toolkit: 5 Valuable Resources

School counselors should be optimists, believing in their own skills and the capacity and ability of their students to grow and develop (Wright, 2012).

Like all mental wellness and mental health professionals, school counselors benefit from practical, well-thought-out resources.

The following websites are beneficial both to those new to the role and more experienced counselors:

• School-Counselor.org
  School-Counselor.org provides a wide range of information for individuals at all stages of their career, from those considering a role as a school counselor to those seeking tools to help them excel in their current position. These tools include anxiety and anger management, career counseling, communication techniques, and worksheets.
• ElementarySchoolCounseling.org
  Elementary School Counseling was created by an elementary school counselor from the United States to provide resources and tools to run effective counseling programs. Along with tips and techniques for individuals, small groups, and classroom counseling, there is a list of blog and website resources that counselors will find invaluable.
• Counseling.org
  The American Counseling Association offers policy, practice and research guidance, and support for school counselors in their role and profession. Topics of particular interest include managing stress, bullying, grief and loss, and LGBTQ issues.
• Teacherspayteachers.com
  Teachers Pay Teachers is a website that provides many helpful tools and downloadable worksheets created by teachers that are valuable for anyone performing a school counseling role.
• Confidentcounselors.com
  The Confident Counselors website contains many downloadable worksheets to help maximize time and budget and support students and their families.

10 Counseling Techniques to Use With Students

School counselors (or teachers filling in for the role) rely on many counseling skills and techniques to enhance the “development of children and youth and in averting maladjustment for individuals at risk of mental disorders or other negative outcomes” (Coleman & Yeh, 2011, p. 381).

Among others, helpful counseling techniques for use with students include (Fagell, n.d.; Coleman & Yeh, 2011):

1. Artful reframing
   Making mistakes in class or being left out by peers can dramatically affect school children’s self-confidence and self-esteem. Reframing the situation can help them see the problem differently – even positively. Asking the child to think about what advice they might give to a friend in a similar position can provide the psychological safety to reframe what has happened more positively.
2. Relaxation techniques
   Students should be encouraged to engage in self-care, mindfulness, and breathing techniques to reduce stress and anxiety.
3. Open-ended questioning
   Showing genuine interest and curiosity, using open-ended questions, and a collaborative approach to problem-solving build trust and a more authentic relationship.
4. Goal setting
   Agreeing on and working toward set goals can be motivating. Bigger goals should be split into smaller ones so that the student experiences an ongoing sense of achievement.
5. Labeling feelings
   Students may feel uncomfortable or ill equipped to label their emotions. They may be helped by learning to name their feelings, accepting the negative emotions, and being encouraged to focus and savor the positive ones.
6. Challenging cognitive distortions
   Catastrophizing, overgeneralizing, and negativity bias can influence how the child sees their situation and their lives. Recognizing faulty thinking can be the first step toward more healthy cognitive processing.
7. Validating
   Even if you’re not in agreement with the student’s thinking, validation shows empathy and understanding, facilitating problem-solving.
8. Active and reflective listening
   Matching body language, concentrating, making eye contact, and aligning verbal and nonverbal communication can improve active listening. Consistency, honesty, and openness build stronger, more reliable bonds that lead to more positive outcomes.
9. Providing psychoeducation
   Psychoeducation group settings can provide the ideal opportunity to spread messages about mental health and share resources that can help.
10. Incremental exposure
    It is not realistic to attempt to remove all stress from a student’s life; however, it is possible to reduce triggers and provide them with more control over the situation. For example, they may be more comfortable at the edge of the exam hall or with access to a quiet room before a test begins.

Top 8 Ideas & Topics for Counseling Sessions

Students’ academic and personal development “occur within the context of a number of interpersonal relationships among peers” and the challenges brought on by the educational setting (Coleman & Yeh, 2011, p. 381).

As a result, there are plenty of ideas and topics for discussion in student counseling sessions. While led by the needs of the client, the situation they find themselves in, and the obstacles they are trying to overcome, the following socio-emotional challenges are important subjects for discussion (modified from Coleman & Yeh, 2011):

• Friendships
  While research has consistently recognized the importance of friendships to overall psychological wellness and happiness, conflicts can arise. However, with experience, it becomes clear that occasional disagreements are less significant than how the disputes are handled.
• Social networks
  Students’ relations go beyond individuals and out into larger cliques and crowds. Students’ social status and identity can be a source of great perceived self-worth or result in a sense of isolation or lack of self-belief and self-acceptance.
• Crowds
  Individuals can be stereotyped by their attitudes, behaviors, style of dress, musical taste, or cultural background. While not always negative, it can leave students feeling marginalized or unfairly judged.
• Rejection
  A sense of rejection can result in students feeling aggressive or withdrawn. Those students experiencing aggressive rejection are more at risk of dropping out and may intentionally hurt others’ feelings, reputations, and relationships. Withdrawn-rejected students are more likely to experience feelings of depression, loneliness, and anxiety.
• Romantic relationships
  “The prominence of dating and romantic relationships in childhood and adolescent life are very important as evidenced by their depictions in popular culture” (Coleman & Yeh, 2011, p. 594). These interpersonal relationships are not trivial and can be the source of great happiness or upset – often impacted by expectations.
• School failure
  The pressure of performing well in front of peers and school staff can place a considerable burden on the student. Perceived failure can be a significant source of anxiety and stress and detrimental to wellbeing. It is vital to avoid placing the responsibility for poor results solely on the shoulders of the child, instead of addressing the system or structure to which they belong.
• Family factors
  Often unseen by school staff, families can have a tremendous impact on what happens to students within schools, including academic performance and relationships. Family cohesion, structure, discipline, and monitoring (academic and otherwise) are all impactful factors.
• Bullying
  All too commonplace, victimization and bullying can profoundly affect students and their time at school. Bullying behaviors must be seen as unacceptable and dealt with swiftly and firmly to provide an environment of psychological and physical safety for the entire student body.

School counselors adopt many roles and must be empathetic in dealing with students’ wide range of issues. While guided by instinct and what they are told when students are referred, counselors should remain open to what the student has to say (Coleman & Yeh, 2011).

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