I. Introduction
a. Counselors are always looking for better ways to help their students, and creative counseling techniques offer a new way to tackle behavioral issues.
b. Creative counseling techniques are not only essential in making a counselor more effective, but also in decreasing the behavioral issues present in students.
II. Defining the role of a school counselor
a. The role of a school counselor varies depending on whom you ask. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) says that there are four aspects that define the role of a school counselor: foundation, delivery, management, and accountability.
i. Research shows that the role of the counselor is not concise …show more content…
When researching the perspective teachers had on the role school counselors, it seems that there is insufficient research to make any authoritative statements. One study found that teachers appreciated the role of school counselors but believed that the delivery of counseling services needed to be improved. Research showed that teachers believe counselors spend too much time doing frivolous activities (such as clerical activities), instead of meaningful activities such as counseling or collaborating with teachers on good teaching practices (Reiner, et al., 2009). iii. In a study done by Gillilan (2006) it was found that parents are aware of the role of the school counselor, but “there are also many who do not realize the scope of importance within the …show more content…
While the traditional and mixed methods show some levels of success, the creative method is the most effective when dealing with behavioral problems.
IV. Creative techniques and the correlation of effective counseling
a. Using a multitude of creative techniques will provide a positive outcome in the form of decreasing unfavorable behavioral problems.
i. Research shows the importance that music can have when used in counseling sessions. The study performed by Kimbel and Protivnal (2012) showed that incorporating music intervention is beneficial when trying to reach diverse populations. The interventions discussed in the study included music listening/sharing, lyric revision, improvisation, and classroom guidance. ii. Research shows that when using mindfulness techniques in a school-based counseling group, there is an increase in the potential gains in the students’ behavior and emotional strengths (Wisner and Norton, 2013).
b. Researchers are constantly finding new ways to try deal with behavioral issues in students and it is clear that creative techniques have been found to be the most effective in this area.
V. Creative counseling techniques are not only essential in making a counselor more effective, but also in decreasing the behavioral issues present in