School Counselor Philosophy

My personal beliefs about human development include the idea that we

were all born with a purpose. Each individual is unique and special in their own

way and everyone’s life is valuable. In addition, I strongly believe our childhood

experiences plays a vital role in our development and the route we as individuals

take in life. I believe that when we provide students with the best coping

mechanisms, they are able to live healthy social emotional lives. In addition, they

are able to create and maintain healthy boundaries with friends and caregivers. In

return, students are able to grow up and have successful lives.

Person-centered theory is one theory that resonates with me and one I plan

to implement with my students. I believe in the idea that the counselor must have

an empathic understanding of the student. I believe in the importance of being a

genuine counselor. I also believe it is my responsibility to offer my students

unconditional positive regard. I truly believe that building this trustworthy

relationship first will offer my students the innate ability to move toward self-

actualization and strong emotional health.

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT) emphasizes on our humanistic ways

of thinking. I consider this theory to be effective when working with children and

young adults as it focuses on helping them change their faulty, unhelpful ways of

thinking. CBT helps individuals recognize distortions in thinking that are creating

problems, and then learn to reevaluate them in light of reality, offers problem

solving skills, and helps build confidence. I recognize a lot of children and
adolescents have built negative ideas about themselves and I can see how CBT

will be a wonderful form of therapy to use when working with my students.

Other techniques I find helpful for students include mindfulness

techniques. Mindfulness includes the development of the whole self which

comprises of a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional, and physical well-

being. Students also learn self-control and self-disciple through mindfulness

techniques. Some techniques include implementing breathing methods, guided

imagery, acceptance of self, and meditation. Overall, building a strong foundation

is key when working with children. I believe in the need to have unconditional

positive and empathy for my students. Offering students mindfulness techniques

helps students develop coping skills will help students continue their success

through the rest of their lives.