The field of counseling has evolved over time, shifting from treating mental illnesses to providing educational guidance and specializing in different areas. Pistole (2001) states that counselors now aim to contribute to overall well-being, which encompasses physical, mental, spiritual, and social aspects considered as health by society. However, this hasn’t always been the case. Several significant national events have greatly impacted the counseling profession, including the industrial revolution, World War I & II, the Community Mental Health Centers Act of 1963, and the establishment of the American Mental Health Counselors Association (AMHCA) in 1978 (Smith, 1995 & Pistole, 2001).
Frank Parsons, Jessie Davies, and Clifford Beers were instrumental in founding the counseling profession (Pistole, 2001). Throughout the last three decades, this profession has undergone significant changes that have strengthened its focus on addressing individual needs throughout a person’s lifetime. This involves adopting wellness, resilience, and prevention as fundamental principles.
According to Myers (1991), implementing a wellness-focused counseling model requires considering factors such as self, family, group, society, and environment. These factors can either facilitate or impede the pursuit of wellness (2012). My preferred specialization is Behavioral Counseling for young children with a focus on prevention and development in individuals. I utilize Applied Behavior Analysis as my specific approach. The National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP) emphasizes the importance of early intervention for young children facing social-emotional and environmental challenges that lead to disruptive behavior at school. Neglecting these challenges during childhood increases the risk of mental health problems in adulthood (NCCP, 2012). To truly make a difference in children’s lives, it is essential to adopt a team approach that addresses all aspects of their environment and relationships – including caregivers, peers, teachers, and schools.
The collaboration between behavioral counselors and school counselors is vital in understanding the impact of schools and teachers on a child’s life. It is crucial to comprehend the history of school counseling to acknowledge its role. Initially, school counselors primarily provided vocational guidance and counseling for post-World War I jobs. However, with the GI bill granting veterans access to education counseling after World War II, their focus shifted towards offering educational guidance (Minkoff, 1985). Currently, school counselors assist students with various needs such as depression, college guidance, anxiety, oppositional disorder, and developmental delays. This change has been influenced by the privatization of mental health care access (Lockhart & Keys, 1998). According to Lockhart (1998), the restructuring of access to care has expanded the range of mental health needs that school counselors address.
A child experiencing difficulties in school due to a change in their home environment, such as the merging of households after a family member’s remarriage, can seek assistance from a behavioral counselor. Instead of assuming that the behavior is solely caused by the environmental change, it is important to conduct a functional behavioral assessment to accurately identify its cause. The counselor would collaborate with others to observe the child in their classroom and determine the reasons behind their specific behaviors. These behaviors might be an attempt by the child to avoid tasks they lack skills for, rather than being directly linked to the home environment. Although there could be multiple factors contributing to the behavior, it is crucial to acknowledge and appropriately address any potential influence from the home environment. To effectively tackle any underlying issues, it is necessary to fully understand why the child’s behavior occurs before implementing a treatment plan.
Collaboration between the Behavioral Counselor and School Counselor is crucial in order to create a supportive team capable of effectively aiding the child. The School Counselor possesses knowledge regarding school policy and available resources for the child during their time at school. Additionally, they can collaborate with the school district and teachers to ensure seamless execution of the team’s treatment plan. By redirecting focus away from the child’s maladaptive behaviors, the team can establish specific goals through positive reinforcement. One potential tactic involves implementing a token economy system that allows teachers to work alongside others in promoting appropriate behaviors.
In order to ensure successful collaboration between the School Counselor and the Behavioral Counselor, it would be beneficial for the entire team to complete a POEM. The acronym POEM stands for philosophy, ontology, epistemology, and methods. This process should be done before collaborating, as it will increase the team’s awareness, understanding, and appreciation for the different perspectives of the School Counselor and Behavioral Counselor. By completing the POEM, dysfunctional collaboration can be proactively decreased, as it provides validation of perspectives and respect among all professionals involved.
Addressing the needs of individuals within the mental health field necessitates strong skills in building multidisciplinary teams. To establish a cohesive, supportive, and efficient team, it is critical to grasp the counseling profession’s extensive history. Understanding the overall development of counseling enables a comprehension of the distinct viewpoints within counseling specializations. This understanding fosters crucial respect, which is essential in fostering an effective multidisciplinary team. When working collaboratively, such a team can accomplish a more profound impact and adopt a comprehensive approach to client care.
