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The guidance/curriculum component of the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model is designed to promote mental health and to enhance academic achievement. The role of school counselors is to deliver short-term individual and group services. The large ratio of students to school counselors necessitates the use of approaches that can provide effective interventions for students within a short period of time. The Reality Therapy process helps students move from a problem focus to choosing more effective behaviors. This article provides a brief example and discussion of how Reality Therapy and Choice Theory can be successfully employed in a school counseling scenario.
School Counselors play an important role in helping all students in their academic, personal/social and career needs and challenges. School counselors are certified and/or licensed educators who hold, at minimum, a master's degree in school counseling. They address the academic, career, and personal/social/emotional development of all students through implementing a comprehensive school counseling program which consists of the following components: define, manage, deliver, and assess (ASCA, 2019). Throughout the day, school counselors meet with students individually and in group settings that focus on the current needs of the students. These meetings can involve coping with academic challenges, helping students through difficult personal/social situations, or possibly discussing future career options. Additionally, professional school counselors collaborate with teachers, administrators, and parents in order to maximize student achievement and ensure students reach their highest potential. Throughout the school year, professional school counselors step into the classroom to deliver guidance lessons that further promote student development. School counselors use data to make informed decisions on what the student body needs for support, and spend time advocating for their students in individual education plan meetings and other student-focused meetings.
School closures and the need for alternative delivery of services from school systems due to COVID-19 has created a challenge for educators and support personnel, including school counselors. The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model Executive Summary defines an appropriate activity for school counselors as providing students with short-term individual and small-group counseling services. (https://www.schoolcounselor.org) Students who need long-term counseling, however, should be referred to outside sources.
Even with this directive, the need to provide short-term, brief therapeutic services can be a daunting task, given the...