Counselling At Laurel Park
Counselling is a chance for young people to discuss concerns they might be having in confidence with a trained professional.
There could be any number of needs a student has, but some may include:
Anxieties about schoolwork including exams and presentations
General stress and anxiety
Relationship difficulties
Bereavements and parental separations
Loneliness, emptiness or feeling overwhelmed by emotions
Lack of self-confidence or low self-esteem
Managing transitions
Anger management
Worries about appearance
We as a school recognise the needs of students have changed and mental health concerns amongst young people is on the rise, so it is vital that support is offered to young people who need it.
What We Provide
Laurel Park provides access to two counsellors on two separate days to lead sessions with students on a formal or informal basis. Students are available to attend a drop in should they wish to do so, but if a longer term therapeutic plan is needed, then parental consent will be required.
The service will be confidential between the student and the counsellor and it is important that this continues to ensure the work that is taking place is effective. However in some cases, counsellors may seek consent from the student to maintain contact with key members of staff and parents to share any concerns and to plan support effectively.
If anything is brought up that puts the student at risk, the counsellors will alert a member of the safeguarding team at Laurel Park. The counsellor would aim to discuss this first with the child concerned and will seek to involve all appropriate parties. If appropriate, further referrals can be made to outside agencies in order to further support your child.
Our counselling service is through the Catholic Children’s Society. The counsellor receives supervision of their work from external practitioners to guarantee the quality of the service provided.
How Can You Support Your Child?
As a parent or carer you may want to be involved in supporting your child through the counselling process. Some young people may want to discuss their counselling experience with you and some may not. It is important that you let your child decide what is best for them and respect their privacy.
You can offer help and support in many ways:
Help your child to recognise that counselling support will help
Respect that they may choose not to attend
Give them time and space to acknowledge the sessions - they will talk to you when they are ready to
Bear in mind they might struggle to regulate their emotions more whilst the sessions are ongoing - be patient
Encourage your child to maintain other healthy habits - good diet and exercise and plenty of sleep
Counselling is a process, not a magic wand. Often children think that counsellors can solve all their problems after one session, but this will not be the case. All parties need to be patient and recognise that counselling is a process. Change may be gradual and hard to notice, but the wellbeing of each student in counselling will be monitored carefully, with further support given where appropriate.
