In this article, the authors present the rosebush fantasy drawing as a technique to use in elementary school counseling. The technique is suggested as an expressive arts method to access the emotional world of children in a non-verbal format. The specifics of presenting the technique and processing the drawing with elementary-aged students are…

This article describes using stories and story-telling techniques so that elementary professional school counselors can facilitate brief, narrative counseling. These approaches help counselors and students build rapport while assisting in understanding and externalizing the problem. Additionally, these interventions may help generate ideas for…

This article considers some of the key processes and methods needed to reenvision and transform comprehensive school counseling programs (CSCPs) as strengths-based, prevention-focused learning communities. Specifically, following a discussion of evidence-based "school as community" models found in the literature and how they relate, in part, to…

This article presents three models of counseling exceptional students from a systems perspective. The authors present their definition of counseling, the goals of counseling, and the counseling relationship from a systems perspective. Each model is described, including assessment and intervention techniques appropriate for working with children,…

Many adolescents whom professional school counselors regularly counsel are ambivalent and unmotivated to behavioral change. Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) is a counseling approach designed specifically for clients with these qualities. The purpose of this article is fourfold: (1) to identify the complexity and misconceptions of counseling…

An awareness of the important role of spirituality is growing within the education system. Meditation on and the inclusion of religious works as literature in some public school curricula are occurring. Students are seeking for personal identity to give meaning to their lives in the fast-paced world of the 21st century. The purpose of this article…

Guidelines based on the American School Counselor Association's ethical codes and various social studies teaching techniques are presented for school counselors to use as they address the spiritual concerns of students. The role of the First Amendment in "spiritual" counseling in public schools and various multicultural considerations…

Multitiered systems of support (MTSS) teams use data to match student needs with an appropriate Tier 2 intervention. School counselors mobilize quickly to provide evidence-based and culturally affirming interventions. We present a compilation of best practices for delivering culturally affirming, small-group Tier 2 interventions with fidelity.…

The contemporary educational experiences of Black girls suggest a disconnect between their success and what they must navigate on their road to success. Given Black girls' experiences, schools must implement systemic intervention as a part of multitiered systems of support. Interventions should engage antiracist frameworks that center on the…

School counselors play an instrumental role in advancing equity and access for students through tiered supports and specifically group counseling. In this article, we propose the need to move away from a deficit-based model of groups focused on student skill gaps. First, we outline a culturally sustaining group approach that focuses on students'…

Bibliotherapy is a therapeutic intervention that uses stories and narratives to offer insight about personal dilemmas, teach cultural traditions, and assist in fostering various facets of identity development. For adolescent Black boys, exploring stories with protagonists that look like them, who come from similar cultural backgrounds and contend…

Parentification has been found to impact both the short- and long-term physical, mental, and social/emotional well-being of children and adolescents and can be viewed as a social determinant of health. The COVID-19 pandemic has only compounded these effects. We demonstrate how school counselors are uniquely positioned to identify and assist…

School counselors are well positioned to support students who have experienced trauma, and the need to do so has increased during the past few years. In this article, we provide school counselors with relevant evidence-based practices that are focused on addressing trauma and supporting students who have experienced a traumatic event(s). We also…

Photovoice is an innovative approach that uses photography to promote empowerment and social action. Although photovoice has been recognized as a valuable intervention for youth, projects involving this approach primarily have been facilitated by university-school partnerships or community organizations. Aligned with the American School Counselor…

In this article, I outline an approach for critical hip-hop school counseling (CHHSC) for novice and tenured school counselors to use when working with Black boys. Various facets of hip-hop culture (e.g., music, hip-hop scholarship) can sharpen Black boys' "conscientização" (Freire, 1996) and help them discern how interconnected social…