Rebecca A.

Cronander
EDCEP 823
July 2014

Personal Theory on School Counseling

My theory of school counseling takes many factors into account which include the
complexity of schools, students, and the counseling role in society today. My approach
draws on well-known theories of counseling: cognitive theory, choice theory, solutionfocused brief counseling, behavioral therapy, person-centered theory and Adlerian
theory.
I believe that issues in the past are an important component in understanding the
person as she is presently. An extensive assessment and social history should be
completed in order to obtain as much information about the students experiences as
possible. Recognizing that time is a constraint for most school counselors, I would place
most of my emphasis on the present and the future, while still maintaining that the past
is a key component to realizing a better future.
In terms of encouraging students to visualize what they would like to change in
their lives, my theory also places strong emphasis on the future. Treatment would stress
mindfulness in the present and working toward a future based on the hopes and goals of
the individual. In practice, I would combine techniques from several different theories.
These include: creating trusting relationships, clarifying and achieving goals, helping
students to change, dealing with overwhelming emotions and behaviors, and facilitating
healthy communication with the entire school community.

My Primary Approach
I would use Adlerian theory to guide how I counsel my students. Adler stresses
choice and responsibility, meaning in life and striving for success, completion and
perfection. He believed that human behavior was not determined solely by heredity and
environment. People have the capacity to interpret, influence and create events. In order
to understand people, we must first understand the systems of which they are a part.
Adlers life style assessment is holistic and systemic. I would gather as much
information as possible about the students attitudes and the world in which he/she
lives. This subjective reality is described as phenomenological and includes the
individuals perceptions, thoughts, feelings, values, beliefs, convictions and conclusions.
Adler believes that encouragement is the most powerful method available for changing a
persons beliefs. I appreciate Adlers emphasis on goals for the future. He acknowledges
that poor conditions during childhood may influence a childs beliefs and behaviors; but
through the direct actions of the client, he can choose to make a different life. This is
something I feel is crucial for my students to understand and to know about themselves;
they are capable people who can overcome adversity, change their own lives, and reach
their goals. If they focus on their strengths instead of their inferiorities, gain insight into
their purpose in life, and take responsibility for their behavior, they are in control of
their future.

Creating Caring, Trusting Relationships

Probably the most important aspect of school counseling is creating an authentic

relationship with students. Adler considered a good client- counselor relationship to be
one of equality, cooperation, mutual trust, respect, confidence, collaboration, and
alignment of goals. While I agree with Adlers good relationship attributes, I would also
add that staying positive is important to any counseling relationship. The concept of
staying positive is something in which I take particular interest. Children often have had
negative experiences with adults who tend to focus on everything they are doing wrong.
I feel that staying positive, especially while building a trusting relationship, is very
important to successful outcomes.
Person-Centered theory also plays a key role in my view of the student/counselor
relationship. Rogers believed that one of the main tasks of the therapist is to have
empathy, that is to understand the clients feelings and experiences as if you are the
client- putting yourself in the clients shoes, so to speak. Congruence, or genuineness
and unconditional positive regard, is an attitude Rogers felt therapists must possess in
order to attain a strong, trusting relationship with a client. By being authentic,
accepting my students as they are, and having an empathic understanding of my
students feelings and experiences, I will aid my students in feeling comfortable in my
presence and form a relationship that fosters student growth and change.
Identifying and Clarifying Goals
I plan to use the strategies of two theories to assist clients in identifying and
clarifying goals. Both behavioral theory and solution-focused brief counseling
demonstrate effective strategies for client goal setting.

After establishing an initial level of trust with a student, I will help the student
identify goals they wish to achieve by employing behavioral theory to look at the
students recent behaviors and consequences. I will show the student how to connect the
dots from her actions to the consequences that follow. This ability to make connections
between action/reaction will empower the student; she is in control. If the student does
not like a particular consequence, I will guide him in identifying goals relative to
changing the behavior. For example, if he has been getting home late and getting
grounded, we would develop a strategy for getting home on time and avoid the negative
consequence.
Solution-focused theory offers many concrete examples for eliciting goals from
the student. Some of the questions I plan to use to help clients identify their goals
include: How do you hope your life will be different as a result of coming to see me?
and What would you like to see changed in your life?
Exception to the problem offers another technique to help the student focus on
her strengths and abilities. For example, by asking students questions such as, Can you
tell me about a time in your life when turning in your homework on time was not a
problem?, focuses the students attention on an event in his/her life that was positive;
it is a concrete example of a time she was able to accomplish such tasks. When students
are able to think about what it took to get homework done in the past, they may be able
to take those skills and apply them to the present and future. I will also use the miracle
question to help clients get specific about their goals. By asking the miracle question and
follow up questions, (What is the first thing that would make you know a miracle
happened? and Who would be the first to notice this miracle?), clients will be able to
clearly articulate their goals and start the planning process for achieving those goals.

Dealing with Overwhelming Emotions and Behaviors

Helping students deal with overwhelming emotions and behaviors requires some
knowledge of the clients background, patience, and empathy on the part of the
counselor. The complex nature of emotions and behaviors requires knowledge of a
variety of techniques that can be useful in helping the client identify and process these
feelings and behaviors.
In exploring difficult emotions and behaviors, it is crucial to maintain the trusting
relationship developed at the beginning of the therapeutic process. I would use
cognitive-behavioral approaches with the client to encourage him in exploring what
issues are of concern for him. For example, I would want the client to identify personal
beliefs and self-talk messages that may be impacting emotions and actions. I would
guide the student to explore the origin of his beliefs and self-talk with the goal of
changing negative self-talk messages to positive ones.
As a counselor, I will keep in mind some of the principles of family systems
theory. I believe that family is a key factor in human development. Dysfunction that
exists within a family can manifest itself in an individuals behavior and emotions.
Therefore, I would explore issues such as power, subsystems and alliances, family rules,
and family roles. If possible and if time permitted, I would invite the students family in
for counseling sessions. If I was working with a student who was feeling sad and lonely
and demonstrating aggressive behaviors, I would explore what his role is within his
family. By working with students and their families, I aid them in gaining an
understanding of the significance of family roles and alliances, and work to create
healthier roles and clearer boundaries.

Regular meetings and check-ins with students once they are in counseling is
essential. They allow for frequent evaluation of the interventions being implemented
and for monitoring progress toward change. Again, a variety of theories may be used
during this process. The approaches particularly helpful when working with students on
change and goal attainment are solution-focused therapy and motivational interviewing
(MI).
Solution-focused therapy offers many steps a counselor may use when working
with students to achieve their goals. Scaling questions would be used frequently to
monitor client progress. By answering scaling questions, clients will be able to articulate
progress they have made and to get specific about what the next step in goal attainment
would look like.
Motivational interviewing is more directive than its roots in person-centered
theory. MI promotes an increase in internal motivation; it is cooperative; it stresses
student self-responsibility. I believe these qualities are very important to long-term
change. MI carries over the empathy important for relationship building. In order to
promote change, I would strive to match the specific intervention to the stage of change
in which the student is involved. This would help eliminate reluctant behaviors and
attitudes that many students exhibit when change is needed.
I would recommend that school counselors not only work with students, but also
with the school community to provide a healthy environment. A school counselor could
teach school staff about the caring and deadly habits found in choice theory. By having
school staff trained to understand the power of their language and their approach, a
more caring and supportive environment is promoted.

It would also be helpful for school counselors to teach other staff about the stages
of change. A school counselor could teach staff the various approaches that are effective
at various stages in the change process. Teachers and others may appreciate these
suggestions and students could feel that their teachers have a better understanding of
where they are and what they need in order to succeed. Healthy communication, better
overall relationships and student success are possible results.
As a school counselor, I would also like to discuss or teach empathy to the staff
members at my school. Empathy is such an important quality for educators and support
staff. Learning and practicing empathy will help the school staff to better relate to
students. If conflict between students arises, empathy can assist the staff in deescalating
the situation and let the students know that there are adults in the building who
understand them and are willing to listen to them. Empathy is a must have skill/quality
for school staff members.
Over time, many theorists have developed useful approaches for helping people
deal with their problems and become as happy and fulfilled as possible. Because there
are no typical students, and due to the fact that all students have different school and
home experiences and perceptions, there is no one size fits all theory that will be
effective in all of the various situations occurring in any one students life. By
understanding a variety of theories, counselors can personalize treatment and use the
strategies they believe would be most effective for a client. To me, this personalization of
treatment is the ultimate respect a counselor can show for a student. My overall goal as
a school counselor, is to limit learning barriers for all students. In order to accomplish
this, I hope to teach and guide students to understand that their thoughts, feelings and

actions are all interrelated. My goal is for students to become independent, responsible
students who are in control of their behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.