Engaging disinterested students in the counseling process can be a challenging feat. Insights from a School Counselor and a Licensed Psychotherapist shed light on effective strategies to tackle this issue. Discover how incorporating fun activities can build trust with students, while empathetic communication keeps them engaged. This article presents five expert insights to transform the counseling approach.
5 in this session: Kelly Lee · Lacey Cherniss · Dr. Jameca Woody Cooper · Kristin Calvert · Christina Harrington-Stutzmann, LCSW-R, LMFT, LMHC
Kelly LeeSchool Counselor, OCASA College Prep
Sometimes, you need a touch of fun to get things started. For students that are disengaged, I often have icebreaker cards handy and I'll switch off on asking questions with my student. Board games are also another easy way to get a conversation going. My students love Uno, Guess Who, and puzzles. Students love being given a choice, so I have multiple options they can choose from. Having fun with kids also is a good representation of how adults have inner children in them. It helps to build trust and breaks walls down when they need to approach you for harder conversations.
Lacey ChernissSchool Counselor, Indianola Middle School
Know your Students Before they Come to the Counseling Office.
School counselors have the opportunity to connect with students in various environments within the school building. Engaging with students before a counseling need arises helps build trust, making them more at ease with the counseling process.
While visibility in hallways, cafeterias, and classrooms is a wonderful way to connect with students, I have also found that offering leadership groups has been another effective way of engaging with them. My leadership groups are open to any student, as I believe everyone has the potential to be a leader. Students are eager to participate, and a large number of them are interested in these opportunities. Many students in my leadership groups have, at some point, developed a need for counselor intervention. These students are much more willing to participate and are often more goal-oriented leading towards positive outcomes.
Dr. Jameca Woody CooperBoard certified Counseling Psychologist and Criminal Psychology consultant, Emergence Psychological Services/Dr. Jameca/
I have embraced using open-ended questions to empower students to share their stories and express their expectations for counseling. This approach reveals what has worked or not worked for them in the past and inspires me to develop and modify strategies that resonate with them as individuals. By uncovering their values and interests, I can weave these vital elements into treatment planning objectives and interventions, ensuring that the support provided is meaningful and transformative for each student.
Kristin CalvertSchool Counselor, Carrollwood Day School
Disinterested, by definition, means to not have the mind or feelings engaged. As a school counselor, it's important to find ways to engage a student to uncover what's happening in their mind and how it's affecting their feelings. I have found that having students draw, write, build, or do something else creative will help them connect and become more engaged. It helps them feel more relaxed and comfortable, it engages them in a way that verbal communication alone cannot accomplish, and it can have a positive impact on the student's mood very quickly.
Christina Harrington-Stutzmann, LCSW-R, LMFT, LMHCLicensed Psychotherapist, Christina Harrington-Stutzmann
Communication is key to any therapeutic relationship. Students need to feel like they are a part of any decision making process in their mental health care. Be empathetic, if students appear disengaged or disinterested in counseling. We need to take the time to meet the student where they are at and to keep in mind that how they are behaving with you may be completely unrelated to your appointment with them. Stay curious, give them space compassionately. Focus more on solutions for comfort and interest in counseling. Therefore, engagement will increase naturally. Some students need to feel like they are control, use that energy differently. Remaining therapeutically aligned is important.
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