Group Counseling for At-Risk High School Students

Introduction and Group Formation

Mental health within an academic setting has become a contentious and complex subject for society. Students are faced with a pervasive social environment that has severe implications for their overall mental health and well-being. Compounding these issues are socioeconomic factors that further exacerbate an already negative mental health environment. These issues are not only complex but are becoming more widespread within society. Elements such as income inequality, low wages for unskilled jobs, rising crime, and related concerns can all affect students. Further issues relate to media and its indirect impact on teenagers, including violent video games, unrealistic expectations promoted by social media, television advertising, and inappropriate music. All of these elements coalesce to form an environment in which active and engaged counseling within an academic setting becomes essential.

Counselors will not only be able to improve the mental health of students dealing with the elements described above — they can also improve the social-emotional well-being of participants. As it relates to the group description, many of the students who will participate in the counseling sessions are considered "at-risk" in multiple respects. These students often suffer from poor family dynamics, which makes it difficult to succeed both personally and academically. These dynamics could include physical abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, or other forms of family dysfunction. These students also suffer from poor academic performance as a result of past traumas or ongoing experiences within their community, which can include heavy criminal activity, a lack of positive role models, or low socioeconomic status.

The duration of the sessions will span 24 months. When forming the psychoeducational group, it is important to include both similarities and differences among group members. Group members will be screened based on the severity of their circumstances and their potential ability to improve their current situation. The group will be composed of individuals from differing cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds to reinforce a diversity of opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints. To identify potential candidates, it is important to build relationships with teachers, staff, school administrators, and coaches. These individuals are well positioned to identify students who could benefit from intervention services, thereby providing high-quality and reputable referrals (Alexander, 1990).

Theoretical Foundation

The theoretical foundations of psychotherapy are based heavily on theories of personality and the overall etiology of emotional trauma. The group's theoretical foundation rests on the view that psychoneuroses reflect a conflict between instinctual desires and the limitations imposed by society. This conflict can take many forms but often results in adverse consequences for the student and their broader community. From a counseling perspective, it is important to recognize that different theoretical approaches will have different impacts on different individuals. As a result, counselors must leverage a variety of theoretical frameworks to better adapt to the needs of their high school clients. Accordingly, this proposal draws on various components of psychodynamic, humanistic, and behavioral counseling principles (Broderick, 2010).

The theoretical foundations of the group counseling sessions will emphasize group cooperation and involvement. A second foundational element involves properly developing awareness of the conscious, subconscious, and unconscious mind. All three dimensions have a direct bearing on the effectiveness of counseling. Students attending the sessions often carry unconscious biases and heuristics that interfere with their ability to overcome internal difficulties. Many have suppressed memories of traumatic events that are very difficult to access and that require a qualified school counselor to help address (Breen, 1998).

References

Alexander, K. C. (1990). Communicating with potential adolescent suicides through poetry. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 17, 125–130. )90022-

Breen, D. T., & Daigneault, S. D. (1998). The use of play therapy with adolescents in high school. International Journal of Play Therapy, 7, 25–47. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0089417

Broderick, P. C., & Blewitt, P. (2010). The life span: Human development for helping professionals (3rd ed.). Pearson.

Campbell, P. S., Connell, C., & Beegle, A. (2007). Adolescents' expressed meanings of music in and out of school. The Journal of Research in Music Education, 55, 220–236.

Elligan, D. (2000). Rap therapy: A culturally sensitive approach to psychotherapy with young African American men. Journal of African American Men, 5, 27–36.

Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and society (2nd ed.). Norton.