Counseling

I support students and families in need by connecting them to community resources.  Please use this page as a reference for resources available in Washington County.  Contact me for assistance with backpacks, school supplies, clothing vouchers, food boxes and other resources. 

District Resources:

• School Counseling
• Mental Health & Wellness

Food Resources:

• Tans Treats / English Form  –  Spanish Form
• Free & Reduced Lunch
• Utah Food Bank

Housing:

• Switchpoint 
• Dove Center
• St. George Housing Authority

Medical / Mental Health Resources:

• Safe UT
• The Sharing Place 
• National Suicide Prevention
• Southwest Behavioral Center
• Fourpoints Health
• Life Launch Centers
• Kids Health
• Doctor’s Volunteer Clinic

Individual counseling services are provided to students who may need additional support because of a crisis, a concern, or who simply who need to talk.   Individual sessions are short-term and solution focused.  The student typically meets with me 6-8 times for about 15 minutes each session.  Individual counseling services must be scheduled with parent permission.

• Many times, students will request a visit with the counselor regarding a situation at school and we will meet briefly to try to resolve the situation, particularly if there has been a problem on the playground/hallway/lunchroom with another student(s).  These types of visits do not require prior permission from a parent, however I encourage students to go home and share with parents and guardians that we spoke and explain why we met.

• If the problem/situation resulted in some type of consequence, the student will meet with the principal.  The counselor does not see students for discipline, but rather to assist in conflict resolution so that the student may return to class and learning.  If a student requires on-going counseling, the counselor will contact the parent to discuss the issues.  Serious behavior problems or certain family issues may require more in-depth counseling with a licensed professional counselor at an outside agency.  I can assist you with more information about resources in the community for counseling, including a Mental Health Assistance Program through WCSD.

Small group counseling can help children learn valuable cooperation and friendship skills, teach empathy, offer anger management strategies, support coping with grief and loss, help adjustment to divorce, and many other life experiences.  Parent permission is required before a student participates in small group counseling sessions.

• Small group counseling is a service provided to kindergarten through fifth grade students.  Students may be invited to join a small group during the course of the school year.  These groups usually last from 8-15 sessions. 
• Some of the groups I hold are: friendship groups, divorce support groups, emotional regulation groups, Kindergarten skills, teamwork groups, and growth mindset groups.
• Each year is a bit different and the needs of the current groups usually dictate what types of groups are offered.  I will always ask for written parent permission before including a student in a small counseling group.  Confidentiality is an important part of small group work, but it can be a difficult concept for kids.  In order to avoid the problems that arise when students go home and tell their parents they can’t share anything about group because “it’s a secret,” I usually explain it like this: each student can feel free to share what the topic was in group or what he or she said in group but not what other students have shared.  Students who break the confidentiality of group and discuss things outside of group with others may be asked to leave the group.  Small groups are for sharing and problem-solving and all students should feel safe in their group.

The “Discovering the Leader in Me” curriculum helps students develop their potential, influence others positively, and practice self-care.
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See your child’s leadership shine!
Have your student open a family discussion about what they learn in “Wellness Class”!

7 Habits for Happy Kids
Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin With the End in Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw