Running head: COUNSELING PHILOSOPHY AND PRACTICE 1

Counseling Philosophy and Practice Sara F. McManus Seattle University Counseling Theories 511 November 21, 2010

Counseling Philosophy and Practice Abstract

This paper is an exploration of my ideas around the nature of students and the school counseling practices that most effectively addresses their dynamic needs. Existentialist theory is discussed as is relates to the nature of students, the variables effecting K-12 student development, counseling goals, major theoretical influences, counseling practices and techniques, multicultural and advocacy competencies, and ethics. I have supported each section with research and scholarly literature on the topic. I conclude with a reflection on the process of writing this paper and my thoughts about how I will continue to develop as an effective school counselor.

Counseling Philosophy and Practice

Counseling Philosophy and Practice According to Viktor Frankl, the will to meaning is the basic and primary motivation for most human behaviorthis motivational dynamic is found in all civilizations and cultures and under all conditions of human living (as cited by Lantz, 1998, p. 95). Throughout this paper I reflect on the importance of this quest for meaning within the adolescent world. Existentialist theory is discussed as is relates to this assignment in two parts. Under the categories of philosophy of people I discuss the nature of students and the variables affecting K-12 students development. In the practice of counseling section I discuss goals, major theoretical influence, specific counseling techniques, multicultural and advocacy competencies, and values and ethics. A conclusion explores the process of writing the paper and my future development as a school counselor. Philosophy of People Nature of students Teenagers are dynamic individuals. There are any number of reasons and relationships that contribute to their success or failure in a school setting. Because of the myriad of influences that contribute to their performance in school, defining parameters around their nature is difficult. Man is not an object; he is a subject. Each man is unique and idiosyncratic. To view each man scientifically is to view man as an object. Science fails to find the I in each man (Pine, 1969, p. 35). While we cannot and should not attempt to refine humans down to a shared set of behaviors or mental functions, we can find similarities in that which we are capable of and striving toward. Alas, attempting to flesh out our homogenous characteristics and the shared

nature of our emotions is what we attempt to do everyday in the world of education.

Counseling Philosophy and Practice Understanding human development helps us connect to our students and be better educators. However, we must not take the I out of this science.

Students have an incredible capacity for resilience, which Carlson defines as the ability to overcome adversity and struggle (2003, p. 310). Much of this struggle is couched within the school day as students practice problem-solving skills, both inside and outside the classroom. School requires students to confront a number of anxiety producing situations daily, from algebra to social integration. Most students experience this existential anxiety as a normal way to brush up against their boundaries and refine their identity; they require this stimulus for growth. In a study of resiliency in youth (as cited by Krovetz, 1999, p.121), Benard found that students with positively developed resiliency attributes exhibit the following: * Social competence-the ability to elicit positive responses from others, thus establishing positive relationships with both adults and peers * Problem-solving skills-the ability to plan, based on seeing oneself in control and on being resourceful in seeking help from others * Autonomy-a sense of one's own identity and an ability to act independently and exert some control over one's environment * Sense of purpose and future-having goals, educational aspirations, persistence, hopefulness, and a sense of a bright future. Schools are meant to help students foster these positive attributes of resilience through their work. Fostering resiliency means developing and supporting schools that insist that each student is known by adults, is supported to achieve at a high level, and is aware that she or he is a valued member of the school community (Krovetz, 1999, p.123).

Counseling Philosophy and Practice Students are driven toward becoming what they are meant to be, or self-actualizing. They come to school with hope and make choices daily that are aligned with their emerging identity. Adolescence is a time when the struggle between identity and community is unmistakable. Identity is simply a given of ones existence-indeed the very thing that makes such existence in a social world possible (Hoffman, 1998, p. 325). Social pressure is also very strong at this stage of development. According to Ma (2003, p.341) student's sense of belonging to school develops in a school social environment. These two opposing forces bring the student into direct contact with his or her values and the social values that define the broader community. This time of identity development can have serious multicultural implications as well. It is undeniable that opinions about identity and culture can shape how a student develops academically, socially, and behaviorally. Young adults who have developed negative cultural

identities face an uphill battle in forming positive opinions of their culture as well as themselves (Baruth and Manning, 2000, p.244). Because adolescence is such a delicate time in the formation of identity and social awareness, it is especially important that schools cultivate the strength in their diversity. Several developmental characteristics suggest that the early adolescent period is an optimal time to provide intervention that promotes cultural identities, fosters close friendships and social networks, and develops commitments to justice and fairness (Baruth and Manning 2000, p. 246). Students are concerned with meaning and experience existential anxiety. A 2006 study by Berman, Weems, and Sickle found that adolescents exhibit substantial anxiety around the domains of fate and death, emptiness and meaninglessness, and moral and ethnic identity. Such ndings add empirical support to the notions of philosophers and writers in the existentialist

Counseling Philosophy and Practice tradition such as Dostoyevsky, Kierkegaard, Sartre and Camus who have noted that existential

concerns, as dened in this study, are core human issues (Berman, Weems, and Stickle, 2006, p. 308). Erik Erickson (as cited by Berman, Weems, and Sickle, 2006, p. 303) outlines adolescence as a critical time in the establishment of a direction and purpose in life. Therefore, the search for meaning and purpose is paramount during adolescence. Variables affecting K-12 students development Schools can provide an engaging environment for students to try out different aspects of their emerging identity. Whether students choose to participate in positive or negative aspects of this exploration, they still experience apprehension about the choice. While a person develops their sense of identity (who they are, what they believe in, and where they are going), existential concerns should become prominent (Berman, Weems, and Stickle, 2006, p. 304). Apprehension can cause depression and anxiety disorder symptoms as students engage in maladaptive thinking about the self, future, and the world (). Some students experience a number of serious conflicts related to identity development. They may exhibit extreme behavior such as harm toward themselves and others. When speaking about the tendency toward expressing violence, Diamond argued that an individual may move toward greater realization of the self through such action (as cited in Carlson 2003, p. 311). As we recognize that all students are individuals, we must also understand that the way that they act upon their feelings will also be quite individual. Much of a students success at school revolves around how they derive a sense of meaning and belonging from their surroundings. Alienation may be the major reason for students' lack of sense of belonging to school. The relationship between self-esteem and sense of belonging may be circular, with each enhancing the other (Ma, 2003, p. 247). Feelings of

Counseling Philosophy and Practice disconnect and meaninglessness can lead to emotional disturbance such as anxiety and depression. Findings from the school level do indicate that teachers and administrators are in a powerful position to influence students' sense of belonging to school (Ma, 2003, p. 348). A school that strives to create an atmosphere where every student is known and accepted into the community can be hugely impactive towards cultivating high expectations for all students. Although the capacity for resilience is inherent, not all students problem-solve in a way that is healthy or appropriate within the school context. According to Carlson (2003, p. 311) some students choose to manifest existential anxiety by becoming isolated and drawing inward, sometimes even resorting to outward hostility and violence. McMillan and Reed acknowledge

that at-risk students who exhibit well-developed resiliency skills are often connected with at least one adult at school that gives them support and attention (1994, p. 137). Thusly, cultivating a meaningful connection for each student in a school setting can positively impact social and academic development in a lasting way. Practice of Counseling Goals The 21st century student faces a myriad of biological, social, and academic challenges upon arrival at school. The school counselor has a big impact on how prepared students will be to meet these challenges. The contemporary school counselor finds herself in the multi-faceted role of working to help students develop identity and achieve academic success. Using the American School Counseling Associations (ASCA) national model, professional school counselors design and deliver comprehensive school counseling programs that promote student achievement (ASCA, 2005a). With a focus on prevention and advocacy, a comprehensive school counseling plan is designed to promote behaviors that advance learning

Counseling Philosophy and Practice for all students (ASCA, 2005b). The comprehensive school counseling plan is focused on academic, career, and social development through the planning and delivery of services that impact every student in the school. Driven by data, a school counseling plan works on a leadership level to collaborate and advocate for student success. Using goals that are data based, the school counselor promotes equitable access for all students through guidance and education services that are delivered to each student, use of data to effect change within the school system is integral to ensuring that every student receives the benefits of the school counseling plan (ASCA, 2005b). The professional school counselor implements goals through a delivery system that is designed with clear expectations and outcomes, and uses results data to assess the programs effectiveness. In

this way, the school counselor acts as an educational leader who uses data to affect and challenge the system in ways that are advantageous for all students. Through effective school guidance plans that are geared toward helping every student realize his potential, the school counselor will work with the student to define the path of his life. Counseling provides him with such experiences when it is built upon an authentic belief in the potentiality of the student and his capacity for choosing. The more the counselor acts on that belief the more he discovers the student's potentiality and capacity for choosing and acting in self-actualizing ways (Pine, 1969, p. 353). It is the job of the school counselor to help the student realize his potential. It is imperative that the school counselor use achievement data to assess how well schools are meeting the needs of struggling populations. The role of the school counselor is to address the needs of all students, particularly the needs of culturally diverse students, students of low socioeconomic status, and other underserved, underrepresented populations (ASCA, 2009). The

Counseling Philosophy and Practice counselor should use disaggregated data to help schools identify and examine the fundamental assumptions that they have about certain populations of students. As a member of a leadership team, school counselors are in the perfect position to identify struggling populations and set a course for effective intervention to remove the barriers that stand in the way of academic progress. Major Theoretical Influences

The school counselor meets the social and emotional needs of students with empathy and a plan to help students take responsibility and control of their world. As in the adult world, students are at work defining the meaning and purpose to their lives. Developmentally, adolescents are struggling to create an identity that is congruent with the strong desire to connect with others. This can create feelings of helplessness and anxiety. The existential approach to counseling works to support people in engaging with the issues of modern life, and helping them recognize their capacity for self-awareness, freedom of choice, and responsibility (Corey, 2009, p. 133-134). By cultivating a greater self-awareness in the student, the school counselor can help students take responsibility for their choices, and ultimately their life. Existential theory is a philosophy of life based on the exploration of what it means to be human. It is not a set therapy with techniques that are prescribed, but rather a way of thinking that arose from several sources during the 19th century. Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, who asserted that anxiety is the necessary catalyst for change and growth, made major contributions on the subject. Friedrich Nietzsche is credited with the movement toward understanding the subjective world of the client. Viktor Frankl outlined core beliefs about the capacity for choice in any situation and the exploration of the human capacity to live life as a meaning-filled process (Lantz, 1998, p. 95).

Counseling Philosophy and Practice This theory directly supports students in their quest to use their presenting anxiety to move them toward alignment with the goals they have for themselves. I appreciate the use of anxiety, which everyone experiences, as a transformative tool and see great potential in the normalization of this presenting problem, especially for adolescents. Existentialism realizes

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the potential for students to find meaning in their life. It recognizes what Frankl identified as the human potential to rise above the impacts of environment, physical problems and limitations, the instincts, and the influence of the past (as cited by Lantz, 1998, p. 95). Existentialism is not deterministic and it promotes the notion that all students have inherent resiliency that can be cultivated by the school climate. Counseling process and specific techniques Because existentialism is a theory and not a therapy, there are no set techniques that are prescribed. Rather, the counselor engages the client in a quest toward self-awareness that can incorporate a variety of techniques (Corey, 2009, p. 139). Existentialist theory recognizes the constant evolution and transformation of the individual through unconditional positive regard. The existential school counselor knows that no matter what the student has endured elsewhere, a positive facilitating present experience is enabling and growth-producing (Pine 1969, p. 352). Effective existential school counseling requires that while the counselor listens he does not analyze, evaluate, or judge what is being communicated. He immerses himself completely in the counselee's perceptions and experiences so that he is sensitive to all levels of communication-the verbal and the nonverbal-the affective and the cognitive (Pine, 1969, p. 354). The existential counselor recognizes that the instance of unconditional positive regard may be the only supportive relationship that the student has at school or otherwise, and acknowledges the powerful potential of this dynamic.

Counseling Philosophy and Practice

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In his quest to help people uncover meaning in their lives, Frankl developed a framework for approaching existential treatment called Logotherapy. This type of therapy has three essential pieces that help people work in groups to reflect and uncover meaning in their life; noticing, honoring, and actualizing. Using techniques such as meditation, art, poetry, and I-Thou dialogue, Frankl helped people fill the existential void by using interactions to help group members notice and re-collect meanings and meaning potentials (Lantz, 1998, p. 101). Existentialist theory puts the emphasis on freedom with responsibility. Because existentialism emphasizes freedom with accountability and focuses on man as the creator of his culture and the master of his destiny, it has become an attractive and dynamic philosophical force in counseling choices (Pine, 1969, p. 359). By acknowledging the power to choose in all situations, existentialism gives young people the capacity to move toward choices that align with the creation of a meaningful life. Multicultural counseling competencies and advocacy competencies The school counselor plays a pivotal role as the catalyst for change both inside the public school system and in society as a whole. Social justice advocacy is a key task of the 21st century professional school counselor, (Ratts, 2007, p. 90). Equitable access to resources and rigor are at the foundation of an effective learning environment. Therefore, the school counselor must advocate for change that acknowledges the systemic oppression of certain populations (Ratts, 2009, p. 91). School counselors must work to empower marginalized students so that they can identify social and political factors that affect them, and develop the voice to advocate for themselves (Lewis, Arnold, House, and Toporek, 2003). Working on a community level, school counselors need to identify environmental barriers and work to broker resources that promote equitable access. In the public arena, school counselors need to take the lead in

Counseling Philosophy and Practice educating people and shaping policy around issues of social justice. In these ways, the school counselor becomes an agent for social change. While considering the implications of working as an advocate for social change it is important for the school counselor to have knowledge of a framework to support her students who come from non-dominant cultures. As diversity in schools increases, it is imperative that school counselors have cultural knowledge and sensitivity about how they use it. The Multicultural Counseling Competencies are designed to help counselors understand their own cultural values and biases in order to improve their effectiveness with students from nondominant cultures. Culturally skilled counselors possess knowledge about their social impact

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on others (Arrendondo et al, 1996, I.B.3). School counselors must also be aware of the clients worldview and how it may differ from their own. They must possess the knowledge about the group with whom they work and should, actively seek out educational experiences that enrich their knowledge, understanding, and cross-cultural skills for more effective counseling behavior (Arrendondo et al, 1996, 2.C.1). Finally, school counselors should possess the knowledge and skills to appropriately intervene with students from diverse cultures. This means that they can engage a number of different strategies and methods to advocate with and on behalf of their clients. Values and ethics The school counselor has the responsibility to be aware of all ethical issues that may arise as the result of the centrality of her position in the school setting. She must learn to balance the needs of students and staff with her own legal obligations (Stone and Dahir, 2006, p. 300). By becoming well-versed in ASCAs Ethical Standards for School Counselors, the professional school counselor can understand her ethical obligations to students, families, colleagues, the

Counseling Philosophy and Practice school and community, the profession and herself, on both a micro and macro level (ASCA

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2005b). The school counselor should use this model, as well as the sound advice of colleagues, to differentiate her ethical and legal obligations. When referring to the effectiveness of an empathetic and congruent school counselor, Pine noted that, he can understand students in so far as he can understand himself. When he knows his own values he can become more sensitive to the dangers of imposing those values on others (1969, p. 354). School counselors who are aware of their own values are going to be able to honor their primary obligation to the student (ASCA, 2005b, A.1.a). They are also going to be more effective multicultural counselors. Becoming cognizant of deeply held values will help clients to recognize when they are not well-equipped to work with a student because of significant discomfort around differing value sets (Arrendondo et al, 1996, I.C.1).. This type of a situation affords the counselor an opportunity to become more appreciative of the particular student or group with whom they are working. In addition to being an empathetic person in her students lives, the professional school counselor is required to be aware of all issues around her primary obligation of confidentiality to the student. The counseling relationship with students and their families is very important. Therefore, it is wise for the counselor to be transparent with students about her obligations as a mandated reporter and someone who is legally obligated to keep her students safe (Stone and Dahir, 2006, p. 304). By maintaining transparency, the effective school counselor can let her students know that she must report instances of proposed self-harm, harm to others, and requests for information to which she is legally bound.

Counseling Philosophy and Practice Conclusion Upon reflection on this theory of counseling, I have discovered that existentialism aligns more

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with my beliefs about human nature than I originally thought possible. Our readings and in-class discussions about theory had left me feeling that it would be incredibly difficult to choose just one way to help students reach their full potential. Because this philosophy encompasses much of what I believe about human nature, I feel that I can use specific techniques that align with existentialism and integrate my practice of this theory with other dynamic methods. I truly feel like I understand how to be rooted in one theory after writing this paper. With a more complete understanding of this theory and how it can be used with adolescents, I feel excited to apply it to the practice of school counseling. As a teacher, I understand that there can sometimes be a vast chasm between theory and practice; orienting concepts learned with your application is sometimes a challenge. However, existentialism is a philosophy that I feel excited to grow within. I can already feel a shift in my thinking about my life and the lives of my students. As Pine states, it is essential that the existential school counselor knows himself (1969, p. 354). I feel tremendous enthusiasm about developing my most authentic self by helping students live a meaningful life.

Counseling Philosophy and Practice References American School Counselor Association (2005a). Position statement: the professional school counselor and comprehensive school counseling programs. Retrieved from http://www.schoolcounselor.org. American School Counselor Association (ASCA). (2005b). The ASCA National Model: A

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Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author. American School Counselor Association (2009). Position statement: the professional school counselor and diversity. Retrieved from http://www.schoolcounselor.org Arredondo, P., Toporek, M. S., Brown, S., Jones, J., Locke, D. C., Sanchez, J. and Stadler, H. (1996). Operationalization of the Multicultural Counseling Competencies. AMCD: Alexandria, VA. Baruth, L.G. and Manning, M.L. A call for multicultural counseling in middle schools. The Clearinghouse, 73(4), 243-246. Berman, S., Weems, C., and Stickle, T (2006). Existential anxiety in adolescents: Prevalence, structure, association with psychological symptoms and identity development. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35(3), 303-310. Carlson, L. (2003), Existential theory: helping school counselors attend to youth at risk for violence. Professional School Counseling, 6(5), 310-315. Corey, Gerald (2009). Theory and practice of counseling and psychotherapy (8th ed). Davis, CA: Brooks and Cole. Hoffman, D. (1998). A therapeutic moment? Identity, self, and culture in the anthropology of education. Anthropology and Education Quarterly, 29(3), 324-346.

Counseling Philosophy and Practice Krovetz, M. (1999). Resiliency: A key element for supporting youth at risk. The Clearing House, 73(2), 121-123. Lantz, Jim (1998). Viktor Frankl and interactional group therapy. Journal of Religion and Health, 37(2), 93-104.

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Lewis, Arnold, House, and Toporek (2003). Advocacy competencies. ACA Governing Council: March 2003. Ma, X. (2003). Sense of belonging to school: Can schools make a difference? The Journal of Educational Research, 96(6), 340-349. McMillan, J. and Reed, D. (1994). At-risk students and resiliency: Factors contributing to academic success. The Clearing House, 67(3), 137-140. Pine, G. (1969). The existential school counselor. The Clearing House, 43(6), 351-354. Ratts, V., DeKruyf, L., and Chen-Hayes, S (2007). The ACA competencies: A social justice advocacy framework for professional school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 11(2), 90-97. Stone, C. B., and Dahir, C. A. (2006). The transformed school counselor. Boston, MA: Lahaska.