Student Trauma, the Hidden Curriculum, and Cultural Humility

Student trauma can set up challenges and obstacles to a student's academic success. The correlation between experienced childhood trauma and negative medical and social problems is significant, creating problems at school with academic work, behaviors, and social interactions. Further compounding this issue are cultural differences in traumatic resolution and the hidden curriculum of education, especially as the globalization of school communities increases. The complexity of this issue generates an ideal situation for a multidisciplinary team approach, with precise defining of each team member's role to increase comprehensive services for teachers, students, families, and the administration. Essential members of the multidisciplinary team are school administration, teachers, family members, guidance staff, counseling staff, school social workers, school nurses, and community resources that can coordinate with the school to create individualized plans to optimize student success. The chapter is a compilation of scholarly research through desktop research.

Promoting Social and Academic Wellness Among African American Adolescent Males

African American adolescent males are at increasing risk for mental health challenges. Statistics indicate that depression and anxiety are of primary concern. Historical and social conditions, including institutionalized racism, produce stressors for Black males and propel negative public attitudes. The responses of healthcare professionals and school personnel to the mental health needs of Black adolescent males are generalized with limited focus on this specific population and effective interventions. The authors identify and describe predominant mental health conditions in Black male adolescents and describe the current landscape of emotional health impacting this population. They identify determinant factors that lead to poor mental health. Activating a social-constructivist approach, the authors recommend culturally responsive approaches to address the problem and improve outcomes, along with future directions.

Counseling Families and Children in Rural Poverty

This chapter discusses the unique needs and barriers that families and children living in rural poverty face regarding mental health counseling. It provides a literature review and specific statistics relevant to why this is a significant societal concern. Recommendations, resources, strategies, and techniques are provided for educators and counselors to implement in order to move forward to assist this marginalized population by using a holistic and multidisciplinary approach to assist the families who struggle with emotional, social, and cognitive needs. Once counselors and educators are aware of what defines poverty and the consequences of this global issue, we can move forward to progress towards a proactive and preventative approach to stop the cycle of poverty. Addressing how to decrease the number of families who are negatively affected by the lack of resources, decreased medical access, limited social support, and low self-efficacy may contribute to a better quality of life.

Just Eat!

This chapter explores the application of the 2015 Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies (MSJCC) in conjunction with an eclectic family systems when counseling a Latin@ family. The Martinez family was referred to family counseling due to concerns of one of the children's school counselors, regarding a possible eating disorder diagnosis. The case study includes a rich description of the first session with the Mexican-American Martinez family, and examines family dynamics around the identified client, Javier. The Martinez family includes the following members: (1) Mañuel, Javier's 41 year-old father who owns his own construction business; (2) Camila, Javier's 38 year-old stay-at-home mother; (3) Alejandro, Javier's 17-year-old brother; and (4) Isabella, Javier's 12 year-old sister. A discussion of the author's cultural background, counseling approach, and use of the MSJCC lens when working with the Martinez family is also included. Initial goals and prognosis for treatment are considered.

Theories of Play and Their Relation to School Social Counseling

This research studies how play theories contribute to social counseling in schools through using methods and strategies of play according to those theories in school social counseling, and this study aims to identify the relationship between play theories and school social counseling, identify the concept of play, its importance, characteristics, and social dimensions, learning about play theories, and the use of play in school social counseling. The important finding of research is that the relationship of play theories with school social counseling appears between theory and practice applying play theories for school social counseling. The recommendations that the authors provide in this research for school social counseling are the necessity of activating the role of playing in school social counseling, increase the use of play counseling as an effective method, and increase the number of social counselors in primary schools to improve their performance in counseling.

Let's Give ‘em Something to Talk About

Rural students are more likely to complete their high school diploma but less likely than urban or suburban students to enroll in college. This is in part due to exposure to college and social capital, particularly differential access to social networks including individuals with college degrees. Schools can play a role in bridging the social capital gap as school teachers and counselors are individuals with college degrees who live in and near rural communities. In this vein, teachers and counselors can inspire the college aspirations of rural students, a prerequisite for student engagement in college choice processes.

Rose's Thorn

This case study examines the life of Rose, a 17-year-old junior attending a public high school in a southeastern city. In the state where Rose resides, the year of “aging-out” of the foster care system is 18-years-old. With the age of 18 being such a pivotal year, Rose must not only think about her potential post-secondary options, but her ability to achieve adult self-sufficiency at such a young age as well. With no supports, this proves to be a daunting task for Rose. It becomes Rose's thorn. This chapter will explore the career and college readiness self-efficacy of Rose as she navigates her post-secondary options, builds her support networks, and discovers resources for adolescents aging out of the foster care system via her work with Dr. Williams, creator and counselor of the Students That Are Reaching Success (S.T.A.R.S.) program. Results from Rose's participation in the program will be shared and implications for counselors working with adolescents aging out of the foster care system will be reviewed.

Counselling Pupils for Social Justice

Along the dynamic freedoms of democracies of the 21st century, counselling pupils for social justice is a radical democratic process of learning. This is within awareness of metacognitive application of critical thinking that transforms prior obtained frame of reference. It also ignites, without imposing, critical self-reflection as a deliberate cognitive activity on experiences that bring about perspective transformation. Ironically, that school counselling continues to be less regarded as a management role in schools is a misconstrued perspective that not only disadvantages the pupil but also alienates counsellors while also deflating effectiveness of teaching efforts. The teaching and learning process is a collaborative effort that can only succeed when existing school's networks are utilised in the most effective manner especially for a transformative and democratic education. This chapter explores avenues of school counselling along post-constructivist perspectives determining a democratic pupil as sought to be a change catalyst for good citizenship in the society.

Supporting Immigrant Children in College and Career Readiness

The number of immigrant students have been on the rise in the last decades in many American classrooms. Both public schools and institutions of higher learning have increasing numbers of racially and ethnically diverse students than in the past. Immigrants from around the world come to America for different reasons but with one dream, and that is to create better lives for themselves and their children. Many leave their countries of origin seeking economic opportunities, while others leave their countries fleeing political, religious, and ethnic persecution. A number of refugees fleeing wars and turmoil from their home countries come to America with psychological, physical, and emotional trauma. Adelman and Taylor suggested that refugee students are among the most vulnerable for school failure and its consequences. This chapter discusses the role of teachers and school counselors in facilitating a smooth transition of all immigrant children in college and career readiness.

LGBT College Student Career Development

LGBT college students need mentorship regarding their career development from their faculty members. This paper provides an informed approach, grounded in Social Cognitive Career Theory and supported by empirical research, for faculty members to provide effective career guidance specifically tailored for LGBT students. Goals and recommendations for career advising with LGBT students are provided using an SCCT-informed approach, given the unique needs and experiences of LGBT students. Explanations of how SCCT offers a relevant understanding to faculty members, as well as instructions for how to appropriately advise LGBT students in their career development is provided. Conclusions and future directions are also discussed.