• How do I find out about groups?

    Students interested in meeting with a counselor to talk more about groups can complete this short Google Form while logged into their OHS Google account or they can email their counselor.

     

    Group Counseling
    Excerpt from the American School Counselor Association

    "The School Counselor’s Role The school counselor’s training in group facilitation is unique to the school setting. School counselors provide group services to students and families and may utilize their specialized training to educate and inform school staff and administration on relevant professional issues or topics. Group services offered to students and families are based on individual student, school and community needs, which are assessed through survey data, a referral process or other relevant data. School counselors prioritize group offerings based on analysis of school data. Group counseling should be offered to all students in a PK-12 setting. School counselors have a responsibility to screen potential group members and address informed consent, purpose of the group, goals, limits to confidentiality and voluntary participation. Best practice will include parental consent and student agreement to participate (Falco 2011).

    School counselors provide counseling sessions in individual or small-group settings that:

    • help students overcome issues impeding achievement or success
    • help students identify problems, causes, alternatives and possible consequences so they can make decisions and take appropriate action
    • are planned and goal-focused and are short-termed in nature 

    School counselors do not provide therapy or long-term counseling in schools to address psychological disorders. However, school counselors are prepared to recognize and respond to student mental health crises and needs. School counselors address those barriers to student success by offering education, prevention and crisis and short-term intervention to include group counseling until the student is connected with available community resources. When students require long-term counseling or therapy, school counselors make referrals to appropriate community resources (ASCA, 2012)