Faculty members in the Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke provided professional development to local school districts during National School Counseling Week February 5 -7.
National School Counseling Week focuses public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors within U.S. school systems. The event highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.
On February 5, faculty members celebrated with the school counselors of the Public Schools of Robeson County. Jonathan Ricks and Shenika Jones, assistant professors in Professional School Counseling, conducted a professional development session on Mindfulness Interventions for School Counselors.
School counselors in the district learned about research that points to the positive impact of mindfulness counseling strategies on stress, anxiety, focus and attention, and self-esteem. The workshop provided the participants opportunities to practice mindfulness strategies for individual and small group counseling for K-12 students.
Faculty traveled to Laurinburg to present a workshop to the counselors of Scotland County Schools on February 7 entitled, Gaining Support from School Administration for the School Counseling Program. Professional School Counseling assistant professors Dana Unger and Ricks provided research to the counselors on the benefits of a working alliance between the school counselor and principal.
The participants discussed models of collaboration and systemic change and practiced applying these approaches to case studie