Gestalt Theory:
This theory focuses on the present instead of analyzing the past or fixating on what could be in the future. Focus on individuals:
As a school counselor I will use gestalt theory to support students on focusing on the present and discovering self awareness. If a student is using past statements like "I am never good at math tests" I will encourage the student to rephrasing it from a negative past comment to something more positive and about how they feel in that present moment like "I am frustrated because I did poorly on the last math test". This will help the student address the feelings in the current moment, instead of creating an identity around being bad at specific subjects. |
Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT):
This theory involves a counselor supporting client to become aware of cognitive distortions and alter their thinking to make decisions differently in the future. Cognitive Distortions include: Catastrophizing, mental filtering, blame or assigning internal responsibility to others, all-or-nothing thinking, discounting the positive, and overgeneralizing. Counselor will have the student:
CBT will be incredibly useful for me as a school counselor. Helping a student take responsibility over their own actions and reactions is a great opportunity to help empower them in many roles throughout life. For example if a student engages in risky behavior (drug use, self harm, etc.) after they get into a fight with their parents, asking them "what are alternative ways you could cope with that feeling" will help them guide their own changed feelings and behaviors. |
Systems Theory:
This theory focuses on the system of relationships in a student's life and how these relationships interact and effect them. Microsystem: Structures within their immediate surroundings. Such as; family, friends, school, neighborhood, childcare, etc. Mesosystem: Relationship between two microsystem structures. Such as; child's teachers and parents or neighborhood and school. Exosystem: Relationship between two social systems that don't function directly. Such as; the child and their parent's workplace schedule. Macrosystem: Relationship between child and their environment. Such as; cultural values, customs, laws, rules at school, etc. Chronosystem: Relationship between children environment and how it relates to the dimension of time. Such as' each new year at school, a deal int he family, signs of aging. Bronfenbrenner, U., (1994) As a school counselor, understanding the multifaceted systems a student will be living in is useful. If one of my student's has a hard time making it to school on time due to their parents work schedule, understanding that will help me better advocate for that student with their teachers, parents and school administration. |
Person Centered Theory:
This theory focuses on the client's journey for personal growth. The counselor will use congruence, empathy and unconditional positive regard to support this growth instead of teaching or analyzing it. Counselor's view of students:
This theory only works if the counselor provides alliance, empathy, expectations and cultural adaption to the client. Counselor can use statements like "The way I see it..." or "from your perspective..." to foster the client's autonomy. Sommers-Flanagan, J., Sommers-Flanagan, R., (2012). P.153-188 Using empathetic language to repeat things back to students is incredibly helpful for school counselors to better understand and empathize with them. As a school counselor, I would never want to make my student feel like I was putting words into their mouths, so to gain full understanding, stating "from my understanding, this is how you are feeling..." will empower and evoke that student to correct me if I am wrong and advocate for themselves. |