School Counselor Case Study: “Tami Smith” The client is a 14-year-old ninth-grade student who recently transferred to this counselor’s school. The client’s former school counselor reports the family is severely dysfunctional, and characterizes both Tami and her mother as being extremely manipulative. Based on the facts outlined in the case study, this paper describes how Tami’s counselor should handle this situation.

What do you see as your priorities?

There are three overarching priorities involved in Tami’s case as follows:

Compelling this student to faithfully attend class and complete her assignments in a timely fashion;

Persuading Tami and her mother that a referral to the child study team is a prerequisite to Tami’s remaining in this school; and,

Formulating an efficacious counseling intervention that can identify major problem areas in the family home that are adversely affecting Tami’s academic performance and personal life.

How would you accomplish these priorities?

Accomplishing the first priority will require counseling this young learner that her regular attendance is absolutely mandatory and any future unexcused absences will result in her suspension. Accomplishing the second priority will require a meeting with Tami and her mother with the school counselor, principal, the school district lawyer and a member of the child study team. At this meeting, the facts concerning the pending litigation with the previous school district will be discussed with Tami and her mother and a contract signed guaranteeing Tami’s regular attendance and best academic effort as well as their agreement to refer Tami...

At this meeting, the school district lawyer will make it clear that the lawsuit will proceed and additional disciplinary action including dismissal against Tami will be taken in the event of future transgressions unless Tami and her mother agree to these terms. The third priority would be accomplished by drawing on the results of the child study team’s assessment to target specific issues that may be preventing this young learner from achieving her full personal and academic potential.
What goals do you have as a counselor?

The main goal in this case will be to provide Tami with the counseling support she needs to cope with her dysfunctional home life in ways that are conducive to her becoming a high-performing student. A secondary goal will be to help Tami and her mother overcome the problems in their lives that have been exacerbating Tami’s poor academic performance to date.

How would you accomplish these goals?

Complex problems typically require complex solutions and Tami’s case is certainly not an exception. Accomplishing the foregoing goals will require a serious commitment on the part of the school counselor in terms of time, attention and effort, but the stakes are high and this young woman is at high risk of dropping out and becoming yet another unmarried teenage mother.

What other information do you feel you need?

It is unclear whether Tami is experiencing substance abuse problems or if her mother and male partner are engaging in these behaviors in the family home.

How would you go about getting this information?

This information may emerge from the assessment by…