Advanced Counseling Skills and Contemporary Issues

This course is designed to identify critical and emerging issues/concerns among students in K-12 schools. The school context and professional issues in school counseling will be emphasized, including the school counselor’s role as a social justice advocate and leader. This course also focuses on developing advanced counseling skills to help students in their growth as a professional school counselor and expand their counseling skills beyond basic micro-counseling skills. This experience allows the student to apply theoretical knowledge and approaches to interventions and assess their professional strengths and areas that need improvement. Under the supervision of an experienced certified school counselor, students receive in-depth training to gain additional self-awareness, expand on their case conceptualization formulation, further hone their counseling and documentation (ex: Individualized Education Plan, etc.) skills. And students will enhance their understanding on how multicultural and ethical issues impact the counseling process. Furthermore, students will learn how their own motivations or needs, values and individual characteristics can either facilitate or hinder their effectiveness as a counselor. Supervision in counseling will also address academic achievement, personal/social development and career development, community resources, referral procedures, followup and advocacy.

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