Resiliency

School Counselors strive to make each student feel that there is someone in the school who knows and cares about them. Above all else school counselors are advocates for students, by acting as a resource for all students, course selection, and administration of guidance program for the student. Their goal is to help students overcome problems that impede learning and to assist them in making educational, occupational and life plans that hold promise for their personal fulfillment as mature, responsible men and women. Academic success is essential to the educational process, but it is not the only area students can excel in. A counselor’s work closely with both students and their families

My pursuit of becoming a School Counselor led me to apply to the School Counseling Master’s Program at University of Maryland, College Park. I am a former student at University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. After graduating and teaching for two years in Prince George’s County Public Schools, I discovered my true passion lies not only in the classroom and students’ academics, but playing a pivotal role in the growth of their career, social, and personal development. Although I am no longer teaching full-time at the moment, my interaction with students from diverse backgrounds left an indelible responsibility to continue making a difference in our students. The objectives and mission of the School Counseling Master’s Program at University of Maryland can best help my goal of becoming an effective counselor and leader who is an agent of change to students and service the mental and emotional well-being of the younger generation.

In schools all over the world today, School Counselors are crucial to assisting students, parents, school administrations, and the community. I believe that creating an effective counseling program that supports the counselors’ role in education will foster a close interaction between students and counselor to achieve success in their personal/social lives, academic achievements, and college readiness careers.

Over decades, the research of resilience has developed from understanding individual’s resilience qualities and protective factors, to the process of resilience and the interventions that promote resilience (Richardson, 2002; Wright et al., 2013). Recently, the focus of resilience shift to the neurobiological process because of the development of science and technology (Wright et al., 2013). While these literatures emerging, there are two noteworthy issues. First, the outcome of the studies were mainly emphasized on main-stream population (Ungar, 2006). Second, little attention was given to resilience across cultures (Ungar, 2006; Ungar et al., 2005). Hence, it is important to investigate how resilience is being defined and understand in different cultures; what are the challenges when conducting a cross cultural research; and what are the key elements when implementing intervention in different cultures.

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is the division of the American Counseling Association (ACA) that supports the development of professional school counselors. It published the ASCA National Model (2012), which provides a framework for a comprehensive school counseling program that includes four quadrants: Foundation, Delivery, Management, and Accountability. The National Model also offers a detailed account of the role, function, and competencies of professional school counselors. It specifically addresses how the proper use of professional school counselors and implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program can enhance the education of the whole student at the elementary, middle, or high school level (ASCA,

I am interested in working with elementary or high school students. Working with these students in the school setting, I will be giving the chance to advocate and work with them and other organizations to assist in achieving a positive outlook on social, academic, personal and career development. Consulting and collaborating with parents, teachers, school administrators, medical professors, and other professionals in the medical and counseling field will also contribute to increasing my knowledge in staying with the counseling trends and strategies that will affect the development of students.

"The mission of school counseling is to provide a developmental and systematic comprehensive program that ensures academic, personal, social, and career development and achievement for all students," as such contemporary counselors have a lot on their plates (Rogers et al. 2011 p 8). Whereas counseling services were once thought of as necessary outside of vocational counseling, today's educational environments posit that counseling services are crucial to the academic, personal, and career success of today's students. Thus, the Miami-Dade and Hillsborough County School Districts have placed great importance on the role of the counselor, but there is still room for improvement in order to get to that ideal atmosphere where counselors can best help direct the lives of their students.

School counselors provide individual and group counseling for issues that impact academic achievement (Erford, 2015). Counselors in schools typically provide prevention, education, crisis response, and short term intervention services (ASCA, 2008). School counselors create groups from data, and usually develop psychoeducational groups to address identified skills needed (ASCA, 2008). While school counselors are taught how to respond to mental health issues, they concentrate on problems that are impeding personal, social, career, or educational development (Erford, 2015). Professional school counselors often choose strengths based and brief approaches to counseling to support student success (Erford, 2015). Individual counseling in schools provides students with resilience, encouragement, empowerment, acceptance, and a secure relationship (Erford, 2015). School counselors provide either counseling or psychoeducational groups. The counseling groups are crisis, problem, or growth centered. School counselors are able to provide many

A school counselor’s role is vital in many schools across America. Many students see their counselor, to work on any emotional stressors, academic changes and challenges. This may include, interventions, group therapy and changes in class schedule, but sometimes with all the implementations given, students do not succeed in school. Perhaps one needs to take a closer look at the programs being implemented and its success rate. In addition, a counselor should guide itself using the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) to provide evidence based practices in schools.

Harrington's "Where there's a will, there's a way" illustrates the importance of developing a sense of resilience in order to be successful and be a productive member of society. (Harrington, 2012 pg 1). This attitude of resilience has been the only thing that has kept me going up to this point. Daily that spirit allows me to thrive as a student, single mother, employee and business owner.

A thing in my life that has helped me keep my physical resiliency is working out every morning. Since I have had experience with depression, there was a point in my life where I wouldn’t get up for a whole day and I would just sleep. Waking up at four in the morning, every morning, not only improves my physical resilience but as well as my emotional, and mental resilience. I discipline myself to wake up every morning to do something with a purpose and working out has truly boosted my mood because I feel better about myself and I am getting healthier.

Recognizing and understanding resilience in the workplace is very important (Harrington, 2012). It is truly amazing how each individual copes with his or her stress. There can be several people involved in an extraordinary event. One individual may have a complete mental meltdown while another shrugs it off and becomes mentally stronger (Harrington, 2012). I am very familiar with the physical, emotional, social, family, and spiritual elements that the U.S. Army has adapted (Harrington, 2012). I do my best to fulfill and strengthen each element in a positive way each and every day. I recognize the moments that my stress level is higher than usual. I usually ask myself if this situation will matter a hundred years from now. It doesn’t

Looking back, I now have higher expectations about the duties of a school counselor and acknowledge the areas in which the counseling department at my school lacked. Most notably being that I was never given any traditional form of counseling. Unfortunately, I think this is due to the this growing field having not yet obtained its identity of a counseling emphasis. I knew that I could go to my counselor for academic advisement, I was sure that I would get more assistance if I struggled with my classes, but I do not believe that my counselor took an active approach of inquiring about mental health. Instead the counseling department seemed focused on student’s only when grades were down.

Serving students with different backgrounds, personalities, or beliefs may not be the easiest thing to do, as their thought process may differ. Therefore, it is essential for school counselors to find healthy ways to build on a school counselor-student relationship. There are several characteristics or behaviors that I feel school counselors should have, that helps them maintain a relationship with their students. Students can be more willing to open-up their thoughts or accept suggestions when the school counselor is a good listener. A lot of the times, we can think that we have to do all the talking, but is necessary to step back and listen at the students first. Also, school counselors must be friendly and easy to approach. Students can feel more comfortable with individuals they like and accept. In addition, it is essential for all school counselors to appreciate diversity. It is important for school counselors to

In schools all over the world today, School Counselors are crucial to assisting students, parents, school administrations, and the community. I believe that creating an effective counseling program that supports the counselors’ role in education will foster a close interaction between students and counselor to achieve success in their personal/social lives, academic achievements, and college readiness careers.