The GSCA Beacon: Fall 2023-Winter 2024

The Beacon Georgia School Counselor Association Official Magazine FALL 2023 – WINTER 2024

Letter From the President: School Counselors and the Youth Mental Health Crisis School counselors do not need to be told that we are experiencing a youth mental health crisis across the United States. We are swimming in it every day. The numbers of students suffering from anxiety, depression, suicidality and more are climbing, and we are seeing them in our offices in increasing numbers. After the Covid pandemic, it seems that Jennifer Diaz, Ph.D., LPC the doors to our offices have truly just become revolving ones.

In October 2021, the U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona stated in his address to the country that 80% of school aged youth have experienced some mental health challenge. A 2021 Centers for Disease Control (CDC) survey on youth risk behavior found that one in ten high school students attempted suicide and that more than four in ten experienced depressive symptoms during the previous year. According to a 2022 survey from the Institute of Education Sciences, 69 percent of public schools reported an increase in students seeking mental health supports. Though many of those statistics center around high school students, middle and elementary school counselors know that these numbers translate to younger students as well.

However, it is nice for us to know that it is being acknowledged among all levels of government with promises of funding for more mental health support. President Biden’s Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was signed into law in 2022 and the mental health strategies promise to dedicate one billion dollars to mental health supports in schools and to double the amount of school counselors, school social workers, and other mental health professionals across the country over the following five years.

At this time, there are three Georgia districts receiving some of these funds (Dekalb - $677k, Calhoun - $399k, & Dougherty County - $2,975, 400). In 2023, the U.S. Department of Education announced more than $188 million to support mental health and student wellness.

Our own Governor has acknowledged the need for mental health funding for our students. Last year, school counselors in Georgia were finally fully funded in the State’s QBE budget according to the 1:450 ratio which was set in 2013.

An increasing number of legislative discussions and bills on both the House and Senate sides in Georgia are centering on youth mental health and the need to increase that focus for the success of our youngest citizens. This means that school counselors need to understand how the legislative process works, keep up with what bills are making progress through the Senate and the House, and to support fellow school counselors through answering ‘Calls to Action’ that GSCA advertises. More often than not, our legislators have little experience or knowledge about the role of the school counselor and how we fill critical roles serving Georgia’s children. School counselors building relationships with their local legislators helps them to understand who we are and what we do. Most importantly, it gives them a resource to reach out to when bills come across their desk relating to youth mental health.

The Apex grant in Georgia provides for school based mental health professionals (LPC, LMFT, LSW, etc.) in hopes to increase mental health access for all students, but currently it is not serving all schools in Georgia. It will be multiple years before every school has an Apex counselor. When the original grant was written by our legislators, the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities did not have the infrastructure to be able to manage that amount of employees.

However, it is growing steadily and expanding into districts that do not have the support. Katrina Wilson’s article in this issue explains how to partner with a school based mental health practitioner in order to be a more effective school counselor.

Recently, the Centers for Disease Control released a youth mental health guide that suggested six strategies schools could take to improve mental health in schools.

Interestingly, all six strategies are things that school counselors actually do as part of comprehensive counseling programs. The six strategies are: increase students’ mental health literacy, promote mindfulness, promote social emotional and behavioral learning, enhance connectedness between students, staff, and families, provide psycho-social skills training and cognitive behavioral interventions, and support school staff well-being. Gabrielle Brundidges’ article in this issue covers a fantastic curriculum to use specifically with female students that covers all of these strategies.

Students need to know anxiety-reducing strategies, like the ones that Robin Zorn describes, and have an understanding of stress similarly to what Sarah Steitmatter describes in her article.

We know that our students learn better and retain more when they feel safe, develop trusting relationships with peers and adults in the building, and have their social and emotional needs met. Research suggests that school connectedness is a key to addressing youth adversities. We are the experts on building relationships with students and have specific training on helping to increase school connectedness. We, school counselors serve critical roles in meeting the mental and behavioral health needs of our students. One could argue we are the only professionals in schools trained to do that work. Through a comprehensive counseling program and offering tiered systems of support we work in the areas of prevention, wellness, and intervention.

When our students’ families are not able to access mental health care in their communities, whether it is because of a lack of access, availability, or financial ability, we are the ones that are best able to support our students. School counselors tool belts to assist our students are heavy, whether it is through solution focused counseling as described in Baugh and Cakmakci’s article or understanding self-harm and suicidality, most importantly because we are often the first ones to address it for families as outlined in Taylor and Cakmakci’s article. Dr. Erin Kilpatrick’s article on psychogenic nonepileptic seizures describes how school counselors can be on the frontline of changing lives and outcomes for students with this often-undiagnosed condition that is easily overlooked yet causes significant challenges. Dr. Bobby Gueh’s article on racial trauma and Natalie Song’s article on supporting LGBTQ+ students expertly covers critical knowledge and interventions school counselors must utilize to help some of our most vulnerable students.

This issue of the Beacon covers a vast array of how school counselors make differences in students’ lives on a daily basis. Our jobs are callings. I believe school counseling is one of the toughest, most impactful professions one can choose. We are making sure that students are equitably served in our buildings through the work we do.

The demand can often take a toll on us, so please make sure to pay attention to Teshia Dula’s article on embracing time. Everyone knows that we must put our own oxygen masks on first. So please make sure that you take care of yourself as you continue to build your own toolkit while making a difference in students’ lives.

2024 Annual Conference:

Call for Proposals Open now through May 1, 2024: https://proposalspace.com/calls/d/1683

2023 Annual Conference Augusta, GA

School Counselors and the Youth Mental Health Crisis ………………..…..2 Anxiety: Simple supports for students……………………………………...8 Ruling Our Experience………………...................………………………...10 Embracing Time: A Personal Reflection for Teachers and Staff ……….13 3 Essential Elements to School Counselors Making a Difference in the Youth Mental Health Crisis Through Collaborating with Clinical Mental Health Professionals…………………………………………………………15 Educating our Students on the Impacts of Stress………………………..19 Beyond the Binary: Nurturing Inclusivity – The Counselors' Toolkit for LGBTQ+ Empowerment in Youth Mental Health Crisis ……………..24 School Counselors Supporting Mental Health Wellness for Students with Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures …………………………….……29 Hidden in plain sight: Racial trauma and the effects of social and emotional injustices of 2020 pandemic on Black students and staff ………………………………………………………………………………...32 Strengths Unleashed: Implementing Positive Change with Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in Middle Schools and Exploring School Counselors Roles ………………………………………………………….39 Behind the Scars: Understanding the Complexities of Self-harm for Adolescents and Teens ………………………………………………………..46

Anxiety: Simple supports for students By: Robin Zorn As an elementary school counselor, I have seen a number of mental health issues continuously increase over the past 30 years. The rise in Attention Deficit Disorder (with our without hyperactivity), depression in younger children, stress due to academic performance, and of course trauma. But one area that I endlessly see, is anxiety.

Students are in the school setting longer than they are with their family throughout the school year. Therefore, it puts school counselors at the forefront to help provide the coping skills needed to support students who are experiencing anxiety.

School counselors often hear from a teacher that a student constantly leaves for the bathroom; often during a certain subject. Or the school nurse shares that a student frequents the clinic complaining of a stomachache or headache, but there is nothing outwardly wrong with him or her. Students who are habitually tardy or absent, could also be showing signs of anxiety. If these underlying issues are not addressed, we know all too well that it can get worse. And we see it all too often how anxiety affects the social emotional development in children as well as academics.

Coping skills are often a key approach for handling anxiety. These are some of the ways I have addressed it with individual students who are experiencing anxiety.

#1 Various deep breathing techniques: My favorites are

the five fingered breathing, ocean breathing, and mountain breathing. For the five fingered breathing technique, you hold your hand up with your fingers outstretched. Then you take your finger from your other hand and trace your hand as you breathe you go up your thumb and out as you go down the other side of your thumb. Continue through all the other fingers and back again if needed. I also love ocean breathing because it truly sounds like the ocean. Put your hands over your ears and then breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. It really sounds like the ocean and can be very calming. Mountain breathing is similar to the five fingered breathing technique, but you are picturing a mountain and going up when you breathe in and out when you go down the other side of the mountain. This is done by drawing it in the air or on the desk. All of these can be done anytime and anywhere.

#2 Sensory Rooms: If you school has a sensory room, this is very helpful. Ours has a swing, a Bobo doll for hitting, and a sand tray. Students will gravitate to what feels best for him or her. You can also have weighted blankets and scented lotions in there as well.

#3 Fidgets or sensory items for the Classroom: Bouncy Bands are very helpful

for some students. These are placed on legs of the chair or desk and they allow students to put their feet on them. This really helps with the wiggles. I have also put Velcro under a student’s desk for them to feel with their fingers as needed. Brain Break Bags are helpful too. Each of our classrooms have one for students to take a “Break” as needed. Items included in the bag: a stretchy rubber band, bendy sticks, calm down wands, mash marbles, and more.

Besides supporting individual students, I have also taught classroom lessons on worry, anxiety, and frustration. Often, there is that quiet student who looks fine on the outside, but is struggling on the inside. Bringing these coping skills to ALL students may help the ones we may never know about.

With high caseloads, school counselors are not able to touch the life of every student. But like the Starfish Story says, we make a difference to that one. And to as many as we can each and every day.

Ruling Our Experience By: Gabrielle Brundidge Last Fall, I became a ‘Dr. Patty Fellow’ with the organization Ruling Our Experiences (ROX). Before last Fall, I had never heard of ROX. I was looking into ROX because I was looking for a curriculum that could help me mentor my students but was also was aligned with ASCA standards.

You may be wondering what ROX is. ROX is a national organization that helps girls use their voice, rule their experiences, and embrace their confidence in relationships, academics, careers and life.

Ruling Our Experiences studies the unique experiences of girls, capturing the opinions, behaviors and aspirations of over 17,000 girls across the country.

ROX trains women who are licensed school counselors, social workers and educators to deliver a 20-week evidence-based program in schools to girls in grades 5-12. ROX supports the adult influencers in girls’ lives, providing training and professional development, as well as practical tools and support for everyday use. ROX began in 2006 as a research study at The Ohio State University where Founder and CEO, Dr. Lisa Hinkelman, spent her career training graduate students in counselor education. As a licensed counselor working with adults and students in school settings, Dr. Hinkelman recognized that the issues facing female students mirrored the experiences of the adult women she was working with in counseling. This connection sparked a research agenda that sought to understand the challenges facing girls and what interventions existed to help them navigate these challenges.

Since then, ROX has scaled nationally to grow programming across 30 states with more than 6,500 girls annually and launched The ROX Institute for Research & Training to provide innovative, data-driven resources for the adults who support girls. Serving nearly 6,000 adult influencers each year, the ROX Institute conducts large-scale national studies of girls’ lived experiences and uses that data to provide engaging, evidence-based resources for parents, educators, counselors, mentors, and coaches.

Who Can use ROX? School Counselors, Social Workers & Teachers, School Leaders and Parent, Caregivers and Mentors.

The uses of ROX: Improve school connection and enhance parent engagement with research, professional development, and curriculum. Strengthen your relationships and cultivate confidence with engaging resources, tools, and workshops.

Since becoming a Dr. Patty Fellow, I have been able to help my female students find their voice.

Since starting the program, I have worked with 40 girls on their self-confidence, academics, and college/career readiness. The curriculum is spread out over 20 weeks and sessions are flexible and can be done in one sitting if you have a time block of 45 minutes or more.

Lessons range from team building, conflict resolution, self-defense, dating and college/career readiness.

Last year, I administered the ROX Girl’s Index to all 200 girls in my building, and I found some numbers to be alarming. I learned the sleeping habits of my students, their social media usage, and most importantly how they view themselves. With all the data I collected, I was able to go back to my building administrators and help find programs/initiatives that could help our female students become more confident young women. I was also able to convey this data to teachers helping them to better understand the students they teach. Since starting the program, I have seen a change in my students, and how they view themselves. My female students have gained confidence in themselves and have become leaders in the building.

Embracing Time: A Personal Reflection for Teachers and Staff By: Teshia Dula

Last week, as Dr. Ray, the principal of the school where I work, shared that the theme for the year at our school is Time, I pondered its significance in my life.

Time is an elusive

concept, sometimes slipping through our fingers and, at other times, lingering like a precious gift. In this personal reflection, I want to share my thoughts on Time, mindfulness, the importance of selfcompassion, and the challenge I have set for myself and each of you.

Time is a peculiar thing. It

passes differently depending on our perspective. Looking back, it feels like just yesterday when my parents used to tell me, "I'll be glad when you can drive yourself to theater practice and cheerleading practice," and "You're almost 18, and you'll be off at college soon." Back then, those words felt like an impatient rush toward the future, and to be honest, it bothered me and helped me to appreciate the value of the present moment. I don't want to wish Time away, and I don't want to miss the small joys and fleeting moments that make life beautiful.

Being mindful of the present is a powerful practice. It helps us savor the here and now, cherishing every interaction, every smile, and every opportunity for growth.

As a parent, I've made a conscious effort to be mindful and present with my children, ensuring they feel loved and valued in every moment. It's a mindset I carry into my role as a school counselor as well. Being fully present with my students creates a nurturing and inclusive environment where they feel a genuine sense of belonging and connection.

While I am proud of my ability to manage Time effectively, I admit that the demands of my career can sometimes become overwhelming and can lead to burnout if not appropriately handled.

Recognizing this, I understand the need for a more balanced life. Dr. Laurie Santos' podcast, "The Happiness Lab," has inspired me, reminding me that caring for our physical and mental health is one way we find happiness.

A personal challenge I have identified for myself is to address my perfectionist tendencies. The pursuit of perfection often interferes with my relationship with Time, as I may become excessively focused on details and less forgiving of mistakes or setbacks. However, I've learned from Brené Brown, my favorite author, the importance of self-compassion. It is about treating ourselves with kindness and understanding when we stumble or fall short. We shouldn't be cold and judgmental but offer ourselves the same support and encouragement we readily give to others.

In my commitment as a school counselor at Gwinnett Online Campus, I have pledged to spend Time fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment for all students. To

achieve this, I recognize that I need to make Time for myself and engage in activities . bring joy and playfulness into my life. As Brené Brown poignantly stated in "The that Gifts of Imperfection," the opposite of play is not work; it's depression. Hence, I firmly believe that incorporating play and joy into our lives is vital for improved mental and physical well-being, ultimately making us more effective in our professional roles.

And now, my challenge to you is Embrace Time with mindfulness and gratitude.

Take a moment each day to appreciate the present, acknowledging the small moments that make life meaningful. Prioritize self-compassion, be kind to yourself, and allow room for imperfections. Moreover, make Time for play and joy in your life.

Engage in activities that bring you happiness and make you mentally and physically rejuvenated.

Let us embark on this journey of embracing Time, nurturing our well-being, and finding joy in the present. May we cultivate an environment where our students thrive, supported by school counselors who have embraced the art of balancing Time and self-compassion?

3 Essential Elements to School Counselors Making a Difference in the Youth Mental Health Crisis Through Collaborating with Clinical Mental Health Professionals By: Katrina Wilson School counselors have delivered services to students to promote career, academic, and social-emotional needs in an educational setting for many years (ASCA, 2021). However, in recent years, the need for mental health services in schools and the emergence of additional mental health staff in academic environments to accommodate this demand has become a growing necessity (Appling et al., 2019).

In addition, with the recognition of the need for services by both state and local school and government professionals, including funding in some states for programs like the Georgia Apex program, school-based mental health (SBMH) collaboration is a necessary partnership needed to appropriately deliver services to students in an academic setting (Georgia Apex Program, 2022). To ensure an appropriate continuum of care for students, school counselors and Clinical Mental Health Clinicians (CMHC), specifically SchoolBased Mental Health (SBMH) housed in schools, need collaborative models to define the roles and responsibilities of each professional both individually and collaboratively (Appling et al., 2019). Several essential elements can contribute to a healthy working relationship between these two important entities. As a clinician working with a SBMH professional in the school setting for the past eight years, here are three key elements that have contributed to developing a successful relationship with this partnership during that time.

#1-Clear Definition of Roles and Responsibilities Having clear roles and responsibilities for the counselor and the SBMH clinician can help the execution of services to be delivered smoothly. School counselors focus on individual, small group, and classroom counseling in personal/social, career, and academic counseling (ASCA, 2021). Although school counselors are qualified to provide various counseling services to students, SBMH professionals are a more appropriate fit to execute therapeutic services. Long-term processing of trauma, abuse, or severe anger, anxiety, or depression usually requires an uninterrupted series of therapy sessions handled in a private one-to-one meeting, included in the training of mental health clinicians (Appling et al., 2019).

Understanding and operating in cocounseling activities such as small groups, faculty/staff social-emotional learning (SEL) themed meetings, and crisis interventions can describe the collaborative overlapping services between the school counselor and the SBMH. In partnering with SBMH, we have shared the responsibility of delivering services to Tier II students with social and behavioral challenges through small group meetings across various grade levels in an elementary setting.

In addition, the SBMH clinician attends Response to Intervention (RTI) meetings for students on her caseload, where she provides updates and receives feedback on supporting the students' behavior goals during therapy. Co-presenting with the counseling department at Title I Parent Meetings with an SEL theme has also been a helpful collaboration in building both exposure of services to the school and increasing caseload referrals.

#2-Administrative and Faculty Agreement/Buy-in Our administrative staff has welcomed our SBMH professional to the school by providing appropriate office space and materials to accommodate her role with students. In addition, an initial meeting with both her director and the school counselor to discuss her role in the building occurred to ensure all parties were unified. Next, an initial introduction to our school occurred, and subsequently continues to happen during the annual orientation of the student support staff during the first part of our school year. The SBMH clinician (School Social Worker, Prevention & Intervention Specialist, etc.) accompanies me in grade-level meetings to facilitate further exposure to our distinct roles in the building. A brochure with a picture and personal introduction is also distributed to the school faculty and parents to further educate the school on the role of student support. The support of the admin and faculty has made the incorporation of the SBMH professional occur smoothly.

#3-Clear Referral Policy The school staff and parents understand how to appropriately refer students for services to the SBMH professional through the orientation and student support brochure provided during parent events. In turn, the school counselor has a clear process for completing the referral process with the agency to start the intake process.

Once the agency receives the referral, the parent is contacted for the intake appointment. It is easier if the parent is introduced to the SBMH professional while being present at the school. We take advantage of opportunities to introduce the parent to the service and the clinician when a student is in crisis, and the parent is onsite. Furthermore, we also encourage signing up for services and directions on completing the paperwork at that time. After completing initial paperwork at the nearby agency center, parents can do the initial intake at the school, eliminating an appointment at an additional site.

References:

Appling, B. M., Tuttle, M., & May, V. S. (2019). The experiences of school counselors who collaborate with Clinical Mental Health Counselors. Professional School Counseling, 23(1). htt doi.org/10.1177/2156759x19882660 American School Counselor Association (2021). ASCA Student Standards; Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success. Alexandria, VA: Author Georgia Apex Program.

(2022). Georgia Apex Program: About. Georgia Health Policy Center. Retrieved from: https://ghpc.gsu.edu /download/georgia -apex-program-about/

Educating our Students on the Impacts of Stress By: Sarah Streitmatter, MA, M.Ed.

When you think back to your own high school experience, the college admissions process, and making the big college and career trajectory decision… What comes to mind?

For some, it may bring back feelings of excitement or anticipation, or for others, worry and self-doubt. It is quite a roller-coaster of a journey, to say the least. My experience as a school counselor has predominantly resided in high school land, with special emphasis in the world of college and career counseling. In my years of working in the realm of essays and test scores and financial aid, there is one experience that unfortunately feels universal for every student:

Stress.

The more I’ve worked with students on sifting through, managing, and processing stress…

The more I’ve wondered if we’ve missed the mark on educating our students about stress itself. What do I mean by this?

Well, most of our students are encountering stress on a daily basis. No argument there. Yet, this truth begs the question: Are our students equipped and prepared to encounter this stress? Even further, are we educating our students on the various responses to stress and their impact? From toxic to tolerable to positive stress, to the impact it has on our executive functioning and overall well-being, do our students have this knowledge in their toolbelt?

For our students to truly combat the phenomenon of stress, they first must understand its essence, and its impact.

Below are five topics I like to walk through with my students to help them better understand and grasp the impact of stress and the power of executive functioning. My absolute favorite resource on these topics is Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child (https:// developingchild.harvard.edu/). Whether through an afternoon workshop, individual sessions, or bi-weekly group meetings, these topics are fantastic tools to better equip our students to recognize, understand, and combat stress.

1. Understanding our Executive Functions Harvard University’s Center on the Developing Child does a fantastic job of breaking down our executive functioning, especially for students. The Center makes a clever comparison by describing our executive functioning like an air traffic control system. Just like an air traffic controller helps prioritize, plan, and work towards a goal… so does our executive functioning. For many students, once they begin learning about executive functioning and their brain’s development, it’s like a light-bulb goes off. You mean THIS is what my brain is doing!? In this part of my workshop, I like to walk students through the different processes made up in executive functioning, like response inhibition, working memory, emotional regulation, and so forth. It’s as though they feel empowered when given a better understanding of how their brain works… and how to strengthen it, too. One of my favorite quotes from a student after learning the ins and outs of their executive functioning… “So is executive functioning what most people call “Adulting”?”

YES!

2. Back to the Basics… Nature V. Nurture Nature versus Nurture is always a debate students love to engage in. Where do our personalities come from? How influenced are we by our own environment? These conversations get students’ minds racing, thinking both from a personal and objective standpoint. Drawing again from Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child, it’s important to clearly lay-out the “blueprint” of the brain for our students. Walking them through the comparison of nature (the hereditary passing down of characteristics, traits and behaviors through our genes) versus nurture (the influences of our environment that shape us) is incredibly important in understanding our development. In this part of my work with students, I like to remind them that our brain is a social organ… that so much of it develops through relationships and face to face social interactions, especially during those first few years of life. As Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child underlines, something as simple as playing a game of peekaboo and anticipating the surprise can help build early foundations of working memory and self-control.

3. Different Responses to Stress As the Center on the Developing Child also reminds us, it’s critical for our students to distinguish among the three kinds of responses to stress and their impact. Positive stress response is a brief increase in heart rate where our body can quickly recover.

Often when explaining this level to students, we will talk about how we feel about an upcoming test, the anticipation of meeting new people, getting a shot at the doctor’s office, or even the feeling we get on the first day of school. The next level we reach is tolerable. This can feel more significant, which activates our body’s stress response for longer, and in turn takes longer to recover, too. Many students share examples such as losing a pet, a loved one, experiencing a car accident, or an injury. Toxic stress, as students quickly guess, is a prolonged event or period of time experiencing adversity.

After working through these descriptions with students, we move into what it looks like to manage or buffer these responses, and understand the power of context.

4. The Power of Community As Dr. Bruce D. Perry shares in his video “Stress, Trauma, and the Brain - Insights for Educators”, we must help our students understand that the functioning of our brain is state-dependent. What this means is that when we are in a state of calm, the systems in our brain (like executive functioning) are opened and able to be used. Yet, when we start to get overwhelmed or feel pressure, we begin to lose access to some of these systems.

An important piece Dr. Perry highlights that I intentionally underline with students is context, and even more specifically, community. As Dr. Perry shares, “When a student feels safe, nurtured, valued and that they belong… it quite literally calms their nervous system and opens their cortex for business.” This creates a conversation with students about how and who we spend our time with. We discuss the importance of safe relationships, and how our bodies and minds feel when we are with loving friends or family members. What does it look like to feel supported… and why do you think this impacts your brain?

5. Last but not least… How to Combat Stress To continue building feelings of self-resilience and empowerment when it comes to controlling ones’ stress, I’ll often start these sessions with mindfulness activities or breathing exercises. Students begin building their “stress toolbelt,” which is a go-to list of techniques, reminders, and strategies for how to recognize and manage stress arising.

We’ll work through various mindfulness activities, priority setting skills, time tracking exercises, and even things as simple as breath work. Students are often floored by the power of their breath, both from a personal and research-shown standpoint. Towards the end of these skill-building activities, I try to tie them back to our executive functioning to help them understand how it’s all related. It’s incredible to see students develop a greater understanding for their own mind and its functioning. You see students move from feeling overwhelmed and without answers, to empowered with a plan.

Now, if you take anything away from this brief piece on educating our students on stress and our brains, I’d like you to take Dr. Perry’s quote with you: When a student feels safe, nurtured, valued and that they belong… it quite literally calms their nervous system and opens their cortex for business. The power of belonging is real. How our students feel impacts how our students learn.

More resources: https://developingchild.harvard.edu/ https://www.bdperry.com/about

Beyond the Binary: Nurturing Inclusivity – The Counselors' Toolkit for LGBTQ+ Empowerment in Youth Mental Health Crisis By: Natalie Song In the constantly changing foundation of education, the role of school counselors extends far beyond traditional academic guidance. As we strive for inclusivity and celebrating diversity, it is crucial to recognize the unique challenges faced by LGBTQ+ students. Particularly in the realm of mental health. Go beyond just placing a sign with a rainbow in your office. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) stands at the forefront of advocating for equal opportunities and respect for students of diverse gender identities, sexual orientations, and/or gender expressions. ASCA takes a proactive stance in promoting equal opportunity, and respect for all students. The association recognizes that the school experience can be significantly more challenging for students with marginalized identities. School counselors are called upon to promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity and advocate for conditions that protect the mental health of these students. This is a call to action. How can we, as school counselors, recognize the mental health crisis in our LGBTQ+ students? What can we do to make a change?

The School Counselors' Toolkit: Understand the Challenges: Put yourself in the shoes of an LGBTQ+ student. This journey towards an inclusive school begins with acknowledging the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ students from the perspective that you are the student.

Despite advancements in LGBTQ+ rights, a 2020 study by Kosciw et al. reveals that students often feel unsafe in schools due to their sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression. This is commonly observed in the Southern Regions of the United States. Harassment and bullying that may consist of homophobic remarks will create an environment that hinders academic and social/emotional development. As school counselors, our main goal is to advocate for each student to receive adequate academic care with healthy social/emotional development. LGBTQ+ individuals face heightened risks of suicidal behavior, emphasizing the urgency to acknowledge mental health concerns for this community.

Counseling with an Empathetic Approach and Providing Safe Spaces: School counselors play a major role in students' lives who are exploring their orientation and identities. This involves creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where students can express themselves freely. An impactful way to foster this environment is by 'planting safe seeds in your office.' This metaphor encourages counselors to be mindful of the books and resources displayed in their office. What might be triggering for students who are part of the LGBTQ+ community?

By curating a collection that reflects diverse perspectives and experiences, counselors can signal their commitment to inclusivity and understanding. Create a welcoming space where students can not only find support, but a sense of belonging. Although some counselors may not have experience from being a part of the community, they can educate themselves. Your students will recognize that. Students worry about where the allies are in the school, bullying, being outed, receiving disrespect towards their pronouns, and that they are the only voice in their school. A hands-on- approach to creating a safe space is establishing a "Genders and Sexualities Alliance Club." Go beyond reading the books; begin to create this environment. Identify potential allies within your school building from teachers, staff, and administrators. Gauge your students’ interest and begin recruiting members. For your meetings: plan activities, educational workshops and bring in guest speakers for visibility. Be open, adaptable, and ready to accept feedback. This club serves as a source of LGBTQ+ representation and community for students who may not have had access to such support before.

Understanding Intersections and Family Impact: Acknowledging the intersections of students' sexuality, gender and racial identities is crucial.

School counselors must be culturally competent. An example can include cultures that have a strong emphasis on familial expectations, arranged marriages, and preserving their family's honor. These students are struggling with feeling torn between two lives: creating a mental health crisis within our youth.

The impact of family acceptance is heavy on a student's well-being. Support your students and families whose children are coming out. Always prioritize their safety and avoid disclosing the student's identity. Recognition is celebratory. You are helping your students navigate through developmental milestones.

Considerate organizations are available to counselors for families during this transition.

PFLAG (Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) is a national organization that provides support, education, and advocacy across the nation. Reconciling Gwinnett is located in Gwinnett County, Georgia. This is a group of local Christians who are working towards inclusion, affirmation, and equality for friends, families, advocates, spiritual seekers, and social justice warriors. There is a plethora of organizations for family impact.

Counselors need to provide programs that educate and support families of LGBTQ+ youth that foster an accepting home environment, and positively influence the mental health of these individuals.

Continuous Education and Staff Training: Engaging in continuous training on supporting LGBTQ+ students IS advocating. This includes staying informed on legislation impacting the LGBTQ+ community (understanding secondhand trauma), having accurate information, and knowing the risk factors for LGBTQ+ students. Then, conduct staff training. Key components to include in trainings, but not limited to, are teaching staff to use and respect students' pronouns, acknowledging LGBTQ+ identities and mental health challenges, addressing bullying, and fostering allyship. Counselors can teach how to leverage technology to create online support platforms for LGBTQ+ youth to access information, counseling, and peer support. This is beneficial in regions with limited local resources. The Trevor Project provides online support from licensed counselors, community/representation, and resources for students.

Advocating for Policy Change: Advocate for policies that protect the rights and well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals. This includes antidiscrimination policies, access to genderaffirming care, and the integration of LGBTQ+ issues into mental health initiatives. Engage with school boards by attending meetings with data and evidence supporting the need for change at your school.

Participate in committees that are focused on equity, diversity, and inclusion. Advocating for policy change at the state level requires a strategic approach and typically is a collaborative effort. Research state policies, build a coalition, and begin outreach.

Teach your Students’ to use Diversity to their Advantage: There are scholarships for our LGBTQ+ students. Identify those students and inform them on scholarships. Walk your students through the application process. Our diversity is our strength when applying to colleges. Georgia Equality Scholarships is an advocacy organization that offers scholarships and information for students in our state.

This school counselor's toolkit is a useful guide to empowering our LGBTQ+ students, especially during times of mental health crises. School counselors have the responsibility to contribute to the creation of safe, inclusive, and affirming school environments. Understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ in this youth mental health crisis can make a big difference for students. This read should serve as a rallying call for educators to actively engage in creating a more equitable and compassionate educational landscape for all our students, including our LGBTQ+ students.

Resources: Reconciling Gwinnett: https://www.reconcilinggwinnett.com/ PFLAG (Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays: https://pflag.org/ Georgia Safe School Coalition: https://gasafeschools.org/ The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/ Advising LGBTQ students through the college admissions process. Campus Pride.

(2015, July 9). https://www.campuspride.org/advising-admissions/ Kosciw, J. G., Clark, C. M., Truong, N. L., & Zongrone, A. D. (2020). The 2019 National School Climate Survey: The experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer youth in our nation’s schools. GLSEN The school counselor and LGBTQ+ Youth. The School Counselor and LGBTQ+ Youth - American School Counselor Association (ASCA). (n.d.). https:// www.schoolcounselor.org /Standards-Positions/Position-Statements/ASCA-Position-Statements/The-School-Cou nselor-and-LGBTQ-Youth

School Counselors Supporting Mental Health Wellness for Students with Psychogenic Nonepileptic Seizures By: Erin Kilpatrick School counseling, as those of us in the field know, is an incredibly fast-paced, rewarding, and unique profession. When we provide safe spaces to encourage and validate students, teach coping skills, and facilitate psychoeducational-themed small groups, our wisdom, empathy, and social justice advocacy perspective shines bright and models new paths of solutions and opportunities for our students. School counselors excel in promoting mental health wellness for students according to the American School Counseling Association’s (ASCA) National Model in the domain of delivery (ASCA, 2019).

Under the area of delivery system, school counselors provide direct and indirect services to students. Students have unpredictable and often urgent mental health needs during the school day which necessitate that school counselors engage in responsive services. Urgent mental health needs show up in the school setting regardless of if a student already has regularly occurring sessions with an outside mental health therapist or not. Therefore, school counselors assist students with these needs both directly (short-term counseling; crisis response) and indirectly (collaboration and consultation with school personnel, families, and outside mental health providers) (ASCA, 2019). But what if school counselors encounter undiagnosed behavioral/psychological needs of students that camouflage as a neurological issue?

A complex mental health challenge that is becoming more prominent in medical literature, called psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES), occurs in school-aged youth (Agarwal et al., 2021). The symptoms of PNES may present as an epileptic seizure and are something that youth are unable to control. Hence, the accurate diagnosis and treatment of this disorder is lengthy and difficult. While in the school setting, not only do youth with PNES struggle with the possibility of the involuntary PNES symptoms occurring at any time, youth with PNES are often stigmatized and misjudged by their peers and educators and perceived as “faking” their symptoms and more likely to be bullied by their peers (Tanner et al., 2022).

School counselors are natural advocates and supportive educators for students with PNES. If PNES has not yet been diagnosed, school counselors ought to collaborate with their school nurse, teachers, and administration to document the observed symptoms and regularly report them to the student’s parent/guardian to update their doctor. Each student with PNES has different needs while in the school. It is beneficial for the school counselor to consult with the student’s family and student to determine what possible barriers and triggers occur within the school environment and/or personally for the student and how to mitigate those (Tanner et al., 2022). School counselors are skilled problem solvers and communicators who can advocate for students with PNES on how to cope with their symptoms at school and eventually minimize their time away from instructional settings during the PNES episodes.

Due to the concerns for student health and safety due to possible falls and disruptions to the classroom, outside clinicians often recommend environmental and academic accommodations in schools. Creating and implementing a 504 Plan is one of many possible interventions in the school (Tanner et al., 2022). School counselors only provide short-term counseling to students with PNES. Through implementing the afore mentioned supports, students with PNES have the potential to improve their mental health wellness and feel safe and validated in the school setting.

References Agarwal, R., Gathers-Hutchins, L., & Stephanou, H. (2021). Psychogenic non-epileptic seizures in children. Current Problems in Pediatric and Adolescent Health Care, 51(7), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cppeds.2021.101036 American School Counseling Association (2019). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). Author.

Tanner, A. L., von Gaudecker, J. R., Buelow, J. M., Oruche, U. M., & Miller, W. R. (2022).

“It’s hard!”: Adolescents’ experience attending school with psychogenic nonepileptic seizures, Epilepsy & Behavior, 132, 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yebeh.2022.10872

Hidden in plain sight: Racial trauma and the effects of social and emotional injustices of 2020 pandemic on Black students and staff By: Bobby Gueh The Research and History A new study by the Black Education Research Collective (BERC) at Teachers College is the first of its kind to offer evidence to quantify the devastating repercussions of COVID-19 and police killings on the education of Black children in schools across the country, with a focus on six major metropolitan areas (News Room, 2021). During a five-month period beginning in January, BERC collected data from an online survey of 440 Black Americans in communities across the U.S and through 19 focus groups conducted via Zoom, with 82 Black high school students, parents, school administrators, and community leaders ranging in age from 14 to over 70 residing in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Las Vegas, New York, Detroit and Boston (News Room, 2021). Participants expressed concern over the fact that schools are ill-equipped to meet their children's social, emotional, and academic needs, BERC reported in the study. Furthermore, COVID-19 and increasing racial violence have revealed further their lack of capacity or willingness to meet the educational needs of Black students or the expectations of Black parents (News Room, 2021).

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tendencies, extreme racial paranoia (Brown, 2003), and inferiority (Fanon, 1952).

In his study to explicate how mental health problems can be produced by racial stratification, Brown (2003) found that

colorblind liberalism (Crenshaw, 2017) often weighs heavy on the daily lives of Black students who have to navigate White institutions.

The educational system in the U.S. has been a battleground for social justice and CRT education for over two decades (Ladson-Billings, 2011). Credited for being the “Mother of CRT in Education” is Gloria Ladson-Billing (Lynn, Jennings & Hughes, 2013), who argued that racialized educational experiences for students of color are pandemic, even detrimental to their educational attainment (Ladson-Billings & Tate, 1995). In their article, DeCuir and Dixon (2004) shared a response from an African American student regarding racism, “Everybody knows that racism exists and that people are racist. So, when it comes out, the faculty and students aren’t that surprised that it is there” (p.

26). Sadly, our education system is also infected with a case of racial colorblindness or, one may say, racial normalization.

Racial Pandemic 2020 Reflecting on the infamous year 2020, known as the year of not only the COVID-19 pandemic but the racial pandemic, I cannot help but remember where I was and how I felt when I watched the killings of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, and Breonna Taylor, rip through the social media landscape without sensitivity or consideration of the traumatic impact those visuals had on Black folx, especially the children. I was working as a high school counselor when those incidents happened. First, as a Black male, I was immediately overcome with anger, hurt, grief, frustration, and fear, and experienced many nights of waking up in cold sweat due to nightmares of those tragedies. I witnessed two Black men brutally killed like animals in the streets of America. Could this happen to me? These tragedies were reminiscent of the “Lynching Trees” of the Jim Crow South, where lifeless Black bodies dangled for the amusement of its racist citizens. Billie Holiday said it best in her song “Strange Fruits,” “Southern trees bear a strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees.” Things further intensified as demonstrations, civil unrest, riots, and civil disobedience spread nationwide. Every night, we witnessed the people's frustration play out in flames of pain and anger, while by day, we witnessed the world demonstrate global solidarity in a cry for justice, peace, and equity. As I was going through my personal trauma and grief, I started to immediately think about what my Black students, especially male students, were experiencing during this time.

Simultaneously, as Black bodies were being killed and branded on media platforms for the world to see, we were being ordered to shelter in place due to the massive spread of the COVID-19 virus. Not being able to see my students in person, wrestling with my own grief, and being called upon by other colleagues to plan racial sensitivity training during this time was more than enough to crush my soul. One critical observation I noticed during this time was that educators have ignored the impact of racial trauma for so long, and now it was showing itself front and center on national television.

Students across the country were taking to the streets, releasing their years of anger, frustration, and righteous indignation of the conditions they found themselves in. I recall some of my students calling me in tears and sending me messages asking what they could do to show their support for this movement. Some students had personal experiences of racial hatred, and they shared with me their fears of simply leaving the house. Other students I heard from talked about feeling hatred and frustration toward White teachers due to racist treatment some of them have experienced with those teachers in the past. Others were simply dealing with anxiety, restlessness, depression, physical pain, exhaustion, and an uncertainty of what’s next, or better yet, who’s next?

Strategies and Support The research is clear on the impact of racial trauma and what Black students and staff experienced during 2020. The Black Education Research Collective (BERC) study’s examination of how the pandemic has affected the education of Black students is further contextualized by key data points from the Center for Disease Control, which has found that Black Americans through the pandemic have been hospitalized at twice the rate of White Americans. Black people, proportionately, are also twice as likely to die from the virus (News Room, 2021).

The report outlines five areas of “significant consensus” among survey participants: •

The “disproportionate and traumatic” impact of COVID-19, racism, white supremacy, and racial violence on Black families and communities: nearly one-third of survey respondents lost a family member, friend, or community member to COVID-19.

•

About one-third of participants reported job insecurity and difficulty paying bills as a result of the pandemic (Figure 4). Nearly 60% of participants had a member of their household who was an essential or frontline essential worker working in unsafe conditions.

•

The major implications of increased racial trauma and mental health issues for teaching and learning: The majority of respondents were both affected and worried about police and white supremacist violence, the vast majority of respondents (85%) indicated their mental health and wellness was negatively impacted by COVID-19.

•

The erosion of trust in schools and institutions by the governmental and institutional response to COVID-19, police brutality, anti-Black violence and resulting uprisings, and the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

•

The inability of “ill-equipped schools” to respond to the “social, emotional and academic needs of Black students”: A majority recognized the necessity of holding education and policymakers at every level of government accountable for ensuring the future “educational needs of Black students” are met.

To address the five areas of concern, the report recommends: •

National, state, and local initiatives to “defend the rights of Black students to receive an appropriate and equitable education in a safe, welcoming, and affirming learning environment”;

•

Significant investments in counseling and mental health services to address the impact of racial trauma as part of post-pandemic education;

•

Targeted investments in professional development programs that help teachers and school administrators address the “social, emotional and academic needs of Black students”;

•

Modernizing curriculum, pedagogy, and student assessment to affirm the academic ability of all students and prepare them for participation in civic life by teaching the truth;

•

Investments to bolster and support the number of “culturally relevant educators” serving Black students, schools, and communities; and

•

Restoring community trust by “engaging Black students, families, educators, researchers, and community leaders as experts and equal partners in education.”

Although the research has been vital in providing a narrative and recommendations of the effect of racial trauma on Black folx during the onset of the pandemic in 2020, there are useful field experiences the writer has had that will be helpful to practicing school counselors and other educators as it relates to the pandemic of systemic racism in the US. These are actions and suggestions the writer used during this time.

Black Students Support: Virtual Affinity Group: Created a virtual Black student affinity group that met weekly during the height of the COVID-19 and racial pandemic.

Real Talk Sessions: Monthly meetings with administration and students to speak their true feelings about the racial conflict and atrocities happening in a safe, nonjudgmental space. They spoke about the pain, hurt, and racial experiences in the school.

Freedom Dreaming: An opportunity for students to visualize the future they want to live in and harness the necessary tools and resources to actively move that dream toward a reality. They provided those ideas to the principal and administration.

Cultural Pride Activities: Provided opportunities for students to be involved in the local community Juneteenth Event, MLK March, and Black History Month Programs.

Black History Periodic Table: Students in our BSA (Black Student Association) created a periodic table using Black historical figures from various genres.

King Center Peaceful Resistance Curriculum: Collaborated with the King Center in adapting their curriculum for peaceful resistance. Our student leaders received the training, and made plans to open it up to more students and staff.

Black Faculty and Staff Support: •

Created affinity space for Black faculty who needed the space

•

Provided mental health resources

•

Liberation Circles – Space where Black faculty can speak about the prevalence of police brutality, racism, and injustices. Also, the goal of the Liberation Circle was to debunk the inferiority complex narrative of White supremacy.

White Faculty and Staff: During the 2020 racial crisis, I had many White colleagues who reached out to ask what they could do to support. At the surface level, this seems like a nice gesture, but this was one of the most disturbing and privileged acts one could do during such a crisis.

Those questions removed my White counterparts from the emotional trauma of the crisis and looked to those who were experiencing the vicarious trauma for the answer. I even recall several White educators reaching out to me to discuss the possibility of developing cultural sensitivity training or to speak to their staff about the crisis, and rarely did I have a White counterpart simply reach out to check in on how I was doing as a Black man during such a horrific time. My greatest advice to White folks during a time of racial crisis: •

Give your Black colleagues space to grieve

•

Be sensitive to the fact they might be experiencing vicarious trauma

•

Approach racial crisis as this is all of our issue, not just a Black issue

•

Send messages of inspiration and solidarity

•

Don’t just post and repost on social media, take action

•

Use your resources and any privilege you have to become an ally

Conclusion Racial trauma is not a new phenomenon and has plagued the Black community for centuries. From the time Africans were captured from their homeland, placed on a vessel of death, labored in cotton fields, suffered through Jim Crow segregation and lynching, terrorized through the civil rights movements, and placed in concentration camps we now call ghettos and projects, it is nothing short of a miracle that your Black students can walk your halls with a smile on their faces. We are living in a racism pandemic, which is taking a heavy psychological toll on our Black students. The impact of these repeated horrific incidents is inflicting trauma on our students that is sometimes hidden. Hidden because they have learned to smile in the midst of sorrow, be resilient, work two to three times harder because of the color of their skin, and pretend that they are alright. As educators, especially those who have been trained to do social-emotional work, let's take some time to ask our Black students how they feel when there is a global racial crisis happening. Give them space to grieve, vent, cry, be vulnerable, and tell their story about the impact of racial hatred in the US. References Brown, T. (2003). Critical race theory speaks to the sociology of mental health: mental health problems produced by racial stratification. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. 44, (3), 292301.

Comas-Díaz L, Hall GN, Neville HA. Racial trauma: Theory, research, and healing: Introduction to the special issue. Am Psychol. 2019 Jan;74(1):1-5. doi: 10.1037/amp0000442. PMID: 30652895.

Crenshaw, (2017). Race liberalism and the deradicalization of racial reform. Harvard Law Review. 130 (9) 2298-2319.

DeCuir, J. T., & Dixson, A. D. (2004). “So when it comes out, they aren’t that surprised that it is there”: Using Critical Race Theory as a tool of analysis of race and racism in education. Educational Researcher. 33(5), 26-31. Doi: 10.3102/0013189x033005026 Fanon, F. (2004). The wretched of the earth. New York: Grove press.

Giegerich, S. (2021, July). New research shows the impact of Covid and systemic racism on Black students, offers policy recommendations. Newsroom. https://www.tc.columbia.edu/articles/2021/july/new-research-shows-impact-of-covid--systemic-racismon-black-students/ Gueh, B.B. (2020). And Still We Rise: a critical narrative of the experiences of Black male school counselors. Dissertation, University of Georgia.

Hilton, B.T. (2011). Frantz Fanon and Colonialism: a psychology of oppression. Journal of Scientific Psychology. 45-58.

Ladson-Billings, G., & Tate, W. F. (1995). Toward a critical race theory of education.

Teachers College Record, 97, (1), 48-68.

Strengths Unleashed: Implementing Positive Change with SolutionFocused Brief Therapy in Middle Schools and Exploring School Counselors Roles By: Kristin Baugh, M.Ed. and Huzeyfe Cakmakci, Ph.D., NCC Introduction Mental health and behavioral disorders often first appear during adolescence and often collide with the onset of risky behaviors (Center for Disease Control, 2014). Consequently, middle school counselors have a multitude of roles that they must balance to successfully serve their students. One of these duties is providing individual counseling sessions to students who come to them seeking support and resources to help them cope with their struggles. A strong relationship is essential to establishing an effective counseling experience.

However, finding the time to foster the relationship between student and counselor is often a formidable task due to the number of students and their needs..

The American School Counseling Association recommends that the counselor-tostudent ratio should be one counselor for every 250 students. However, in the state of Georgia, the average ratio is one counselor to every 450 students (American School Counseling Association, 2021). Over the past thirty years, evidence-based SolutionFocused Brief Therapy (SFBT) has become an increasingly popular therapeutic technique for school counselors to use in their practice (Bond et al., 2013; Sabella, 2020). SFBT is a strength-based technique designed to be short-term and goal-oriented with the intention of aiding in students reaching goals that are agreed upon by both the student and the counselor (McBrayer & Chibbaro, 2012). When implementing SFBT, the counselor acts as a goal-directed observer and collaborator, while the student actively determines their goals and future achievements (McBrayer & Chibbaro, 2012).

Furthermore, SFBT is a suitable approach for middle school counselors due to its flexible nature when working with diverse groups and populations (Szlyk, 2017). The middle school years are a time of significant physical growth, emotional instability, and cognitive exploration. Consequently, counselors must utilize strategies and interventions that are compatible with their time constraints and the students ‘psychological demands. SFBT shifts the focus from student deficiencies to student strengths (Szlyk, 2017). By encouraging students to realize that they have the talents and resources to resolve their conflicts, SFBT helps them build their previous partially successful attempts to reach a solution (Lethem, 2002). Being able to recognize strengths and capabilities is especially important with middle school students due to their complex emotions, developmental changes, and peer influences.

History of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy Steve deShazer and Insoo Kim Berg developed SFBT in the early 1980s after they were influenced by the Strategic Family Therapy model - specifically the Brief Problem Focused Therapy model (Lethem, 2002). They established their clinical practice at the Brief Family Therapy Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where they were committed to offer therapy that would emphasize their client’s abilities to discover solutions to their issues rather than focusing on their problems (Wheeler, 2001). In their innovative therapeutic technique, they highlighted the importance of clients taking an active role in recognizing exceptions in their lives while doing more of what works for them (Bond et al., 2013). Additionally, openness and collaboration between the counselor and the client is foundational to the SFBT approach (Lethem, 2002). Over the past thirty years, SFBT has been associated with other postmodern collaborative therapeutic perspectives and has been altered in different ways by practitioners (Bond et al., 2013). Even with the variances of SFBT, several core components are foundationally vital to the effectiveness of the treatment (Bond et al., 2013). When utilizing SFBT in a school counseling practice, one should employ these elements to foster success and growth.

Key Elements of SolutionFocused Brief Therapy SFBT is based on several key assumptions and techniques (Wheeler, 2001). Counselors utilizing SFBT are often guided by the assumptions including (1) understanding the cause of a problem is not a required step toward its solution and (2) presenting problems are often fluid and vary in intensity. The counselor’s job is to help the client in finding their own solutions, and often the client making small changes can ignite a solution (Lethem, 2002). Moreover, these assumptions are linked to specific techniques that enable the counselor to test out the SFBT approach. The most common elements contain pre-session change, goal clarification, compliments, scaling questions, exceptions, and the miracle question (Wheeler, 2001).

Furthermore, each of these techniques is typically utilized during specific times in the therapeutic relationship. Due to the cooperative and collegial nature of the counselor to client association, they generally presume that most people have the strength to make the necessary progress once these techniques have been implemented (Zideck, 2023). In addition, SFBT counselors use questions as their key form of communication with their client, so they rarely directly confront or oppose their client (Zidek, 2023). These questions and exceptions should guide the student to develop resiliency and autonomy.

Each of the elements mentioned above may be applied to clients of any age, helping to make SFBT one of the most widely used approaches in the world (Zidek, 2023).

Finally, counselors can utilize classroom lessons that are solution focused which can aide in teaching multiple students how to be solution focused for themselves (Sabella, 2020).

Application of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy in Middle Schools Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Bullying Bullying is defined as a methodical and repeated group of aggressive behaviors towards an individual with less power (Kvarme et al., 2013). Unfortunately, bullying is a significant problem in schoolsparticularly middle schools. A student may be bullied mentally, verbally, emotionally, or physically (Paolini, 2016). Consequently, victims of bullying are often left with psychological challenges such as struggling to make friends and feeling accepted by peers (Kvarme et al., 2013). They often have an increased risk of developing anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness (Cakmakci, 2019Paolini, 2016). Additionally, students who experience bullying victimization are more likely to drop out of school and turn to violence in the schools (Paolini, 2016).

Due to bullying in schools and the emotional turmoil it causes, schools have become invested in utilizing solutions for healing the victims and the perpetrators (Paolini, 2016). Providing support from classmates, teachers, and parents has a direct effect on a student’s emotional well-being (Kvarme et al., 2013). Schools recognize the significance of implementing strategies to promote a healthy psychosocial environment while decreasing the preponderance of bullying. Unfortunately, the occurrence of bullying is snowballing, and without effective strategies it will continue to proliferate in schools.

One technique that is often implemented by school counselors when addressing bullying is SFBT. Reports stipulate that SFBT is a favorable mediation for individual counseling and bullying interventions (Carbone & Cocodia, 2019).

Furthermore, Young and Holdorf (2003) highlights the effective strategies from SFBT in pupils bullying situation, as these strategies do not take sides.

Due to SFBT being present and future based, it is proactive and focuses ways to resolve issues in a timely manner (Paolini, 2016). Additionally, it emphasizes students talking through their issues and using their strengths to achieve their personal goals (Paolini, 2016). This approach allows the student to acknowledge that change can happen which motivates them to move from being a victim to taking a stand (Kvarme et al, 2013). SFBT may be implemented on in individual counseling sessions, or in a group environment.

When SFBT is used with peer support groups it may help to minimize isolation, normalize situations, and inspires students to express their concerns and emotions (Paolini, 2016).

By joining a SFBT support group, students report feeling safer, more visible, and open to creating reliable friendships (Kvarme et al., 2013).

Several specific SFBT techniques are effective at reducing the likelihood of bullying as well as the effects on the victim (Paolini, 2016). The miracle question allows students to imagine their ideal future. By encouraging students to think about a miracle, the counselor can aide them in reevaluating their own situations, give them the power they need to conquer challenges, and empower them to respond to their bully with confidence (Paolini, 2016). In addition, ICTT is a strategy that is often used by counselors to diminish bullying events. It represents the following steps that a victim may take to stand up to the bully: ignore, calm, tell, and tell an adult in charge (Paolini, 2016).

A third technique regularly used to battle bullying is goal setting. By guiding the student to create their own goals, they feel proactive, empowered, and in control of their life (Paolini, 2016). Finally, scaling questions grant the student the ability to evaluate their own progress (Paolini, 2016). The student may be asked to rate their emotion on a scale of one to ten. Scaling increases awareness about their feelings and motivates them to recognize how their feelings can impact their behaviors (Paolini, 2016). These SFBT techniques teach students to focus on characteristics of their lives that they have the power to change and promote perseverance and empowerment.

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Anxiety Not only does SFBT benefit victims of bullying, but it also has a healing effect on adolescent anxiety (Altundag & Bulut, 2019). One research study out of Helsinki on 326 outpatients with mood or anxiety disorders showed SFBT was successful in providing a swift reduction in anxiety symptoms and maintaining the affect for a year after treatment (Novella et al., 2022). A second study revealed that the improvement in the anxiety of the study participants who received two weeks of SFBT remained clinically significant after the 1-month follow-up (Chen et al., 2023). Furthermore, due to SFBT viewing humans as empowered individuals, it aids in reducing the individual’s fear of the future as one of the symptoms of anxiety (Astuti, 2021). Additionally, SFBT approach is effective at dealing with social anxiety disorder in adolescents because it does not focus on past failures but instead focuses on the student’s strengths and successes (Astuti, 2021). SFBT can help students become aware of the anxiety problems they are experiencing and help them find solutions that can be implemented to reduce anxiety (Astuti, 2021). Moreover, the brief, useful, and pragmatic traits of SFBT have been shown to have a positive influence on controlling school related anxiety experienced by many adolescents (Altundag & Bulut, 2019).

Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Depression Almost ten percent of young people suffer from depression; however, they do not frequently seek help (Kramer et al., 2014). The hesitation of many depressed young people to participate in mental health services demonstrates the importance of interventions that are easily accessible (Kramer et al., 2014). Depression at a young age can have a significant impact on one’s social, educational, and family functioning (Kramer et al., 2014). Additionally, adolescent depression is connected to academic failure, poor relationships, suicide, and substance abuse (Chen, 2023). Due to the increase in lifelong dysfunction noted in adolescents with depression, the need for effective therapeutic interventions is great. Implementation of SFBT is one method that has been linked to a decrease in adolescent depression. One study reported that SFBT is better at improving brain functioning in adolescent depression compared to psychodynamic therapy (Chen, 2023).

This quasi-experimental study was launched to look at the effectiveness of psychoanalysis, long-term and short-term psychotherapy during a 5-year follow-up and supported those short-term therapies, such as SFBT were more effective than psychoanalysis during the first year, whereas the long-term therapy was more effective after 3 years of follow-up (Chen et al., 2023). Furthermore, SFBT is beneficial for emotional regulation, including depression, in which cognitive impairment is a leading symptom (Chen, 2023). SFBT’s non-judgmental and compassionate approach increases one’s self-esteem and reduces depression (Gupta & Fakhr, 2022). Students struggling with depression that are receiving SFBT are guided to believe that positive transformations are possible if one maintains healthy behaviors (Gupta & Fakhr, 2022).

When students communicate their emotional fluctuations with the counselor, they will acknowledge and build their conversations focusing on the better days (Solution-Focused Counseling with Dr. Russell a. Sabella, 2024). Finally, SFBT is cost-effective, takes less time, and often provides positive outcomes when used to treat mild to moderate depression (Gupta & Fakhr, 2022). Based on its benefits, attainable goals, and collaborative nature, SFBT should be one of the primary techniques used by school counselors to help their students battle depression.

Conclusion During adolescence, students begin to transition from childhood to adulthood. This transformation often contributes to greater physical, emotional, and academic conflicts within themselves and others. Consequently, middle school counselors may use many counseling methods to address their specific problems. SFBT has recently emerged as a popular and productive option for them to employ- especially when counseling students battling bullying, anxiety, and depression. Students presented with SFBT learn to focus on the here and now while concentrating on discovering solutions rather than focusing on causes (Gupta & Fakhr, 2022). Additionally, through the communication and questioning applied in SFBT students’ struggles often come to the surface. By applying SFBT to their practice, counselors will facilitate students taking ownership of their behaviors, their goals, and their decision making.

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Behind the Scars: Understanding the Complexities of Self-harm for Adolescents and Teens By: Tracey Taylor, M.Ed., Ed.S, and Huzeyfe Cakmakci, Ph.D., NCC Introduction Self-harm among adolescents and teenagers is a critical concern that warrants immediate attention. This unsettling phenomenon, characterized by intentional self-harm or self-inflicted physical harm, is increasingly at the forefront of public discourse. Its significance resonates across society and impacts innumerable lives far beyond individual actions. As we explore this topic in depth, as Miller et al. (2021) suggests, it becomes clear that self-harm is a personal problem and a public health issue that calls for in-depth research and comprehension. According to McLoughlin et al. (2022), for the world's youth, self-harm and suicide continue to be serious public health concerns.

Worldwide, suicide is the second most common cause of death for young people, and numerous nations have reported rising rates of self-harm among this demographic in recent years. Suicide is the third most prevalent cause of death for male teenagers worldwide, behind violence and traffic accidents, and the leading cause for female adolescents worldwide. After puberty, suicide and suicidal behavior becomes increasingly common. This is a tendency that can be linked to the emergence of new mental disorders and substance misuse, issues in the home and school, tense peer relationships, negative early experiences, and changing personality traits like neuroticism and impulsivity.

Recognizing the issue's immense significance is essential in our effort to solve it. We must face the grim fact that self-harm is not a rare incident but a widespread issue that has grown to dangerous proportions.

The terrible stories of young lives brutally cut short by self-harm or lost to suicide highlight the urgency of our mission. These moving stories serve as sobering reminders that selfharm is not just a theoretical issue but a painful reality with serious repercussions. Gillies et al. (2018) points out that this literature evaluation is being conducted with a specific goal due to the urgent need to address self-harm among adolescents and young adults thoroughly. We want to delve into the causes, consequences, and potential solutions of this problem and its many different facets. We intend to shine a light on the intricate reasons why young people self-harm.

Causes of Self-Harm A comprehensive investigation is needed to address the urgent issue of self-harm among adolescents and teenagers. The findings of the research conducted by Townsend (2019) highlight the seriousness of self-harm and how pertinent it is in the modern world. Townsend draws attention to the alarmingly high rates of suicide among young people in addition to the significant rise in the number of occurrences of self-harm among young people. The findings of this study highlight how crucial it is to recognize previous self-harm as a significant risk factor for substantial acts of self-harm and even for early mortality. It sheds attention on the need for increased awareness and training.

Gámez Guadix et al. (2022) add to our understanding of the causes of self-harm among adolescents by concentrating on an increasing problem – self-harm on the internet. According to their research findings, around 11% of adolescents have engaged in some self-harming behavior while using the internet. This exemplifies how the internet may serve as both a forum for expressions of self-harm and a possible trigger for those who engage in such expressions.

Next, Rasmussen et al. (2016) investigate why adolescents engage in self-harm.

According to their research, "to get relief from a terrible state of mind" is the most regularly cited justification for engaging in self-inflicted harm (p.179). This realization illustrates the connection between harming oneself and experiencing emotional anguish. It also demonstrates that adolescents who report this purpose are more likely to repeat their acts of self-harm, highlighting the significance of early intervention and emotional management. The findings of this study present us with a challenge to comprehend the multifaceted nature of why people engage in selfinflicted harm and advocate the provision of mental health services in educational settings with a primary emphasis on emotion management and the pursuit of assistance.

Miller, Redley, and Wilkinson (2021) underscore the powerful emotional and physical desires that people who self-harm feel, suggesting that there may be an addictive component to the activity. The findings highlight the relevance of self-harm as a strategy for regulating emotions and ensuring one's survival. The research indicates that seeking the company of supportive friends or family members might diminish the temptation to inflict harm on oneself. This highlights the role of interpersonal interactions in coping with urges to inflict damage on oneself. This research offers a novel perspective on self-harm in that it considers the behavior not just as an act of impulse but also as one that may be considered obsessive.

Effects of Self-Harm It's critical to comprehend the consequences of self-harm on adolescents and teens for intervention and assistance. The study by Beckman et al. (2016) makes no bones about the severe and long-lasting consequences of self-harm in young people. Self-harm dramatically raises the chance of mental illness and suicide in later life, according to the study. This alarming information emphasizes how urgent it is to deal with self-harm among young people. Researchers can come to more reliable conclusions regarding the relationships between mental illness, suicide risk, and self-harm thanks to the large-scale approach.

The startling 16.4-fold rise in the relative risk of suicide among those who had selfharmed as children is one of the study's most alarming findings. This data emphasizes the seriousness of self-harm as an indicator of suicidal conduct, underscoring the importance of early intervention and preventative measures. It shows that adolescents who commit acts of self-harm have a dramatically increased chance of having suicidal thoughts and, unfortunately, of attempting suicide.

The consequences of self-harm are also depicted in Beckman’s long-term follow-up data.

It shows that many who self-harmed as children had been admitted to mental hospitals.

Given that they needed more intense care and assistance, this demonstrates the longlasting effect on their mental health. Another interesting result is the prevalence of psychotropic drug use, particularly antidepressants and anxiolytics, among those with a history of self-harm. It emphasizes the importance of continued mental health care and therapy for self-harming people. This dependency on medicine brings attention to the ongoing psychological discomfort that frequently follows self-harm and its part in causing later mental health issues.

Focusing on the connection between sleep duration, depressive symptoms, and digital self-harm among adolescents, Semenza et al.'s (2022) explores a relatively new facet of self-harm. Their research sheds light on the intricate interactions between these components, providing important further information about this developing problem. Their research has important conclusions, including the connection between sleep duration and digital self-harm. According to the research, having trouble sleeping is linked to a higher risk of using technology to harm oneself.

This emphasizes the preventive potential of getting enough sleep in reducing selfharming online activities. In summary, enhancing adolescent sleep habits might be a successful defense against cyberbullying and other forms of self-harm. The study

by Semenza et al. also reveals the connection between depressed symptoms and online self-harm. It has been discovered that depressed symptoms lessen the effect of sleep duration on cyber-harm. Addressing these underlying mental health problems is crucial for successfully avoiding and controlling self-harming behaviors among adolescents online.

The long-term psychosocial effects of self-harming behavior in adolescents are well-explained by Borschmann et al. (2017). Their two-decade population-based cohort study shows that adolescents who self-harm have a higher risk of negative psychosocial outcomes as adults. Social disadvantage, prevalent mental illnesses including depression and anxiety, and drug abuse are among these results. The study's results suggest that concurrent teenage mental health issues and drug use may contribute to these long-term consequences. This shows that to help this vulnerable population throughout their life effectively, self-harm in adolescents should be addressed through comprehensive therapies that consider mental health, behavior, and drug use.

Remedies and Interventions The research provides insights into numerous strategies and therapies, and addressing self-harm among adolescents and teens requires a multifaceted approach. Clarke et al., (2019) provides a comprehensive summary of interventions for self-harming adolescents. They underline the connection between non-suicidal self-injury and suicidality. Dialectical behavior therapy is acknowledged as a wellestablished treatment for self-harming adolescents at high risk for suicide. The authors recognize the intense nature of therapy, which necessitates a substantial time commitment from families and thorough therapist training. Future research should focus on the need for less intensive treatment approaches that can be proven evidence-based for suicidal adolescents. This emphasizes how critical it is to offer this vulnerable group accessible, effective interventions.

Aggarwal and Patton (2018) examine how family interventions might be used to manage teenage self-harm, seeing it as a new public health issue with serious consequences.

Their analysis of family interventions showed a range of efficacy. While intermediate-level interventions like the Resourceful Adolescent Parent Program, Safe Alternatives for Teens, and Youth Program promise to lower suicidal behavior, suicide attempts, and suicidal ideations in the short term, brief interventions do not significantly reduce selfharm. However, the durability of these effects is a matter of concern, given the lack of long-term follow-up evidence. Adolescent interventions with a higher level of intensity, such as dialectical behavior therapy and mental based therapy, have successfully lowered suicide thoughts and self-harm, but further research is required to see if these effects last beyond the intervention. The study emphasizes the value of early family participation and a stepped-care approach that considers the risk of suicide among adolescents and their families, as well as the resources that are accessible to them. It also emphasizes the necessity of thorough analysis and extended monitoring to ascertain the long-term effects of family interventions.

Prevention and Awareness Addressing the issue requires preventing and raising public awareness of self-harm among adolescents. To evaluate the prevalence of self-harm among adolescents, Gillies et al. (2018) carried out a comprehensive meta-analysis. According to the research, adolescents had a lifetime prevalence of 16.9%, with rates rising over time. Notably, it was shown that girls were more likely to self-harm. Cutting was the most typical form of self-harm, with a mean beginning age of 13 years. Self-harm was mainly used to cope with negative thoughts or emotions. One important conclusion was that adolescents who self-harmed were much more likely to have suicidal thoughts and attempts, especially if they self-harmed more frequently. The study shows other methodological aspects linked to increased incidence of self-harm. This information can significantly benefit the design of preventative programs and interventions focused on adolescents at risk of self-harm. It emphasizes the need for early interventions that assist adolescents in coping with difficult emotions and asking for assistance from their peers. The study also underlines how crucial it is to provide self-harming adolescents with interventions to lower their risk of suicide.

Clarke, Allerhand, and Berk (2019) explore the crucial subject of self-harm among adolescents and highlight its significant public health ramifications. They take a comprehensive approach to the problem while acknowledging its seriousness and discuss several risk factors for suicidality among adolescents who self-harm. This broadens our awareness of the issue's complexity by highlighting the numerous influences, such as psychological, social, and environmental aspects. The authors also draw attention to evidence-based safety management strategies designed to reduce the likelihood of self-harming behaviors developing into suicide actions.

With the potential to save lives and stop additional harm, these strategies are essential for early intervention and harm reduction. To lessen the consequences of self-harm, they highlight the importance of prompt and efficient safety management.

Discussion According to key findings from our investigation into self-harm, 17% of young people engage in self-harming activities. This conduct is alarmingly common among adolescents (Nelson & Piccin, 2016). Our research of self-harm's root causes has highlighted how complex this problem is and how much psychological, social, and environmental variables impact it. Self-harm has severe physical and psychological consequences, and people who self-harm regularly are more likely to commit suicide and suffer from mental health problems. Self-harm interventions like dialectical behavior therapy have shown efficacy, but it is clear that less strenuous therapeutic options are needed.

It cannot be emphasized how crucial it is to address self-harm among adolescents and teens (Kress et al., 2004). This problem has broad repercussions for everyone, not just those immediately impacted. Because self-harm is so common and is linked to suicidal conduct, there is an urgent need for attention and intervention.

Our review also highlights the present level of knowledge in this area, emphasizing both the advancements in our understanding of self-harm and the areas that still need more investigation. dialectical behavior therapy has shown promise as a therapy, but because it is so rigorous, there are accessibility issues. Future research should focus on improving interventions, creating less time-consuming substitutes, and investigating risk factors and warning indications for suicide behavior.

Conclusion In conclusion, this comprehensive literature review explored the intricate and gravely troubling subject of self-harm among adolescents and teenagers. We have looked at the causes, consequences, and potential solutions for this alarming phenomenon, illumining critical facets of this problem for public health. We are reminded of the severe self-harm effects on adolescents' and teenagers' lives and the pressing need for us to take prompt action (Roberts ‐Dobie & Donatelle, 2007; Te Maro et al., 2019). We may strive toward a future where self-harm among young people is understood, effectively avoided, and treated by building on the ideas and data offered here. Together, we can provide the adolescents and young adults going through this intensely personal battle with hope and assistance, eventually saving lives and guaranteeing a better future for future generation.

References Aggarwal, S., & Patton, G. (2018). Engaging families in the management of adolescent self-harm. BMJ Ment Health, 21(1), 16-22.

Beckman, K., Mittendorfer-Rutz, E., Lichtenstein, P., Larsson, H., Almqvist, C., Runeson, B., & Dahlin, M. (2016). Mental illness and suicide after self-harm among young adults: long-term follow-up of self-harm patients, admitted to hospital care, in a national cohort. Psychological medicine, 46(16), 3397-3405.

Borschmann, R., Becker, D., Coffey, C., Spry, E., Moreno-Betancur, M., Moran, P., & Patton, G. C. (2017). 20-year outcomes in adolescents who self-harm: a population-based cohort study. The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, 1(3), 195202.

Clarke, S., Allerhand, L. A., & Berk, M. S. (2019). Recent advances in understanding and managing self-harm in adolescents. F1000Research, 8, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.19868.1 Gámez-Guadix, M., Mateos, E., Wachs, S., & Blanco, M. (2022). Self-Harm on the Internet Among Adolescents: Prevalence and Association with Depression, Anxiety, Family Cohesion, and Social Resources. Psicothema, 233–239. https://doi.org/10.7334/psicothema2021.328 Gillies, D., Christou, M. A., Dixon, A. C., Featherston, O. J., Rapti, I., Garcia-Anguita, A., ... & Christou, P. A. (2018). Prevalence and characteristics of self-harm in adolescents: meta-analyses of community-based studies 1990–2015. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 57(10), 733-741.

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McLoughlin, A., Sadath, A., McMahon, E., Kavalidou, K., & Malone, K. (2022). Associations between humiliation, shame, self-harm and suicidal behaviours among adolescents and young adults: A systematic review protocol. PLoS ONE, 17(11), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278122 Miller, M., Redley, M., & Wilkinson, P. O. (2021). A qualitative study of understanding reasons for self-harm in adolescent girls. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(7), 3361.

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Townsend, E. (2019). Time to take self-harm in young people seriously. The Lancet Psychiatry, 6(4), 279-280.

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