Collaborating University Play Therapy Programs with Elementary Schools: Alleviating School Counselor Stress

Transcription

1 Sciknow Publications Ltd. OJE 2013, 1(5): Open Journal of Education DOI: /oje Attribution 3.0 Unported (CC BY 3.0) Collaborating University Play Therapy Programs with Elementary Schools: Alleviating School Counselor Stress Victoria K. Stickley *, Joel H. Muro, and Pedro J. Blanco Texas Woman s University * Corresponding author (vkstickley@gmail.com) Abstract - School counselors find an increasing administrative demand on their time, in this article the authors offer a solution for delivering play therapy services in the elementary school setting. A blend of personal experience and an outline of establishing such a program is presented as a well as a list of materials needed. Keywords - School counseling, Play therapy, University-school collaborations 1. Introduction As the landscape of school counseling subtly shifts to a more administrative position, many school counseling professionals are seeking help from community and counseling organizations to better ensure student access to mental health services. The American School Counselor Association (2011) has strongly influenced a current trend in school counseling that encourages the implementation of a programmatic approach to school counseling, including the development of collaborative practice with community resources and a focus on prevention and advocacy. More and more often play therapy and other therapeutic services are being delivered by professionals other than school counselors; in order to provide effective and reliable services to the multitude of children in need it is essential that helping professionals in the community assist by volunteering their time, training, and resources. In this article, the authors discuss and support a partnership with a university play therapy program, which may offer assistance to elementary school counselor children, as well as the university professionals involved. 2. The Roles and Responsibilities of School Counselors In recent past, the roles and responsibilities of professional school counselors have evolved towards a heavier emphasis on the academic performance and success of students. School missions and policies have become increasingly centered upon the improvement of classroom instruction and school management while continuing to place an emphasis on already existing functions and duties (Center for Mental Health in Schools, 2006). Often times, professional school counselors find themselves struggling to maintain a balance between administrative duties, counseling responsibilities, advocacy efforts, academic assistance, and prevention and intervention services (Dahir, Burnham, & Stone, 2009). National legislation in the past ten years has further emphasized the need for the evaluation of academic achievement, attendance, and graduation rates while insisting that schools also use and invest sparse resources in order to meet increasingly higher standards of improvement (Brigman, 2006; Dahir, Burnham, & Stone, 2009). Upon closer examination, the goal of improving student academic performance seems nearly insurmountable when there is little time to address serious detriments to student learning. There are many schools that operate with limited or non-existent basic health and mental health programs, however, school personnel, such as school counselors, may be the only mental health specialists that many students will ever see (Evans & Weist, 2004; Ebrahim, Steen, & Paradise, 2012). Traditionally, schools counselors have served as helping professionals who coordinate with students, school personnel, and members of the community to create an organized structure that ensures the safety and growth of all students. Professional school counselors are trained to treat and accommodate many of the issues that are considered to be significant barriers to academic learning. School counselors actively attend to common emotional and behavioral disorders and disabilities while also focusing on prevalent psychosocial issues, such as language difficulties, substance-abuse, delinquency, and abuse and neglect (Center for Mental Health in Schools, 2006). Additionally, many school counselors are responsible for discerning and

2 144 Open Journal of Education (2013) countering the undermining effects of external stressors, such as a lack of basic resources, inadequate support systems, hostile conditions, and home or community crises (Center for Mental Health in Schools, 2006). Yet with the increased emphasis on accountability and school-wide improvement, many school counselors frequently find themselves with too little support, training, technical assistance, and resources to effectively implement evidence-based approaches that simultaneously address each of these concerns (Evans & Weist, 2004). The evolving needs of the student population coupled with the increased demands of policy makers and school administrators frequently leaves school counselors with more tasks to complete than time. The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) recommends that school counselors spend 30-40% of their time on responsive services, 5-10% on individual students and planning, 10-15% on system support, and 35-40% guidance services (Walsh, Barrett, & DePaul, 2007). Additionally, ASCA endorses that there be a maximum student-to-counselor ratio of 250:1, however, the current national average ratio is 471 students per school counselor (American School Counselors Association, 2011). This overwhelming figure helps explain how 75% of students in need of services go untreated while the overwhelmed school counselors fight daily to address every aspect of student s needs (American Counseling Association, 2011). Overall, school counselors place significant value on the implementation of activities and programs, such as classroom guidance and group and individual counseling, that support personal-social growth and academic achievement (Dahir, Burnham, & Stone, 2009; American Counseling Association, 2011). By and large, these direct student services have shown to decrease classroom disturbances and interruptions, enable better classroom participation, and improve peer interactions (American Counseling Association, 2011). School counselors can become more capable of offering these essential services if they can be supported with lower student-to-counselor ratios, less non-direct service duties, and increased faculty and community support (Brigman, 2006). 3. Child-Centered Play Therapy Given the conditions of the No Child Left Behind Act, school counselors have no choice but to demonstrate that they are capable of implementing empirically-supported practices and connecting these programs to student achievement (Kaffenberger, & Davis, 2009). Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) has been increasingly advocated as a successful technique for assisting with numerous issues that prevent adequate learning, such as poor interpersonal skills, underachievement, anxiety, aggression, and withdrawal (Yih-Jiun, 2006). Additionally, research has shown that the child-centered approach to play therapy helps address disruptive behaviors, such as attention problems, aggression, and depression and can help reduce ADHD symptoms (Cochran, Cochran, Nordling, McAdam, & Miller, 2010; Schottelkorb & Ray, 2009). Supplementary research has found that CCPT may also assist in improving speech difficulties and may help reduce teacher-child relationship stress (Danger & Landreth, 2005; Ray, 2007). Child-centered play therapy is a long-established non-directive intervention that seeks to establish a caring and free atmosphere in which the child feels safe and capable of expressing their emotions. The child-centered approach focuses primarily on the belief that all children are innately capable of self-directed growth and change, CCPT therapists work to establish a therapeutic relationship through the expression of empathy, support, and unconditional acceptance (Blanco & Ray, 2011). The rationale behind allowing the child's leadership in play sessions rests within the inherent respect play therapists feel for the child's abilities and skills, therapists consistently return responsibility to the child and they set limits and boundaries only when needed. In practice, a child-centered play therapist primarily reflects on play content and feelings while simultaneously returning the responsibility of the session to the child, this atmosphere in turn allows the child to become more empowered and accepting of themselves; ideally a child that learns to accept themselves learns to accept others, including knowledge from others, such as teachers and school counselors (Blanco & Ray, 2011). Research performed by Erin Green and Teresa Christensen (2006), found that many of the primary tenets of child-centered play therapy inspired a perception of positive growth and change in elementary school students. These researchers found that the presence of empathic understanding, trust, acceptance, safety, and collaborative problem-solving allowed the students to better express their emotions and find practical solutions for their problems (Green & Christensen, 2006). The most important factor in the therapeutic relationship, however, was the freedom to choose, which allowed students to experience the power of their abilities while creatively engaging in improved decision making (Green & Christensen, 2006). Following involvement in play therapy sessions, these elementary school students reported feeling like they were making better decisions, experiencing less anxiety and maladaptive thoughts, and feeling more self-confident and empathic toward others (Green & Christensen, 2006). In a study that focused on play therapy practices in Texas, researchers found overwhelming counselor support for the effectiveness of child-centered play therapy and yet only 35% of the participants practiced any form of play therapy (Ray, Armstrong, Warren, & Balkin, 2005; Yih-Jiun, 2006). Numerous studies have found common barriers to the implementation of play therapy, which include: lack of time, lack of training, lack of funds and resources, lack of space, and lack of support from parents, faculty, and administrators (Ray, Armstrong, Warren, & Balkin, 2005; Ebrahim, Steen, & Paradise, 2012; Yih-Jiun, 2006). Recent research has looked at the use of play therapists or graduate students from the

3 Victoria K. Stickley et al.: Collaborating University Play Therapy Programs with Elementary Schools: 145 Alleviating School Counselor Stress community in order to address some of these barriers, these partnerships can deliver helping professionals who are able to devote their full attention to direct services without the strain of performing other duties (Ebrahim, Steen, & Paradise, 2012). 4. University-School Collaboration A growing number of school counselors are partnering with professionals in the academic community; these relationships coordinate the resources of the university with benefits of a school-based treatment structure in order to address issues that are important to the individual student and the community at large (Walsh, Barrett, & DePaul, 2007). The presence of university-trained professionals not only increases access to services and creates additional support staff, but their presence can also help reduce the strain on school counselors and provide support for students who may not have access to services otherwise (Blanco, Bratton, & Tsai, 2009). Currently, some school counselors are working in relative isolation from other helping professionals, there is a tendency to co-locate rather than integrate services, and many of the counseling programs exist purely on a supplementary basis (Adelman & Taylor, 2002). By collaborating with university-trained professionals school counselors can overcome barriers, such as lack of time, training, or resources, to provide an integrated approach to addressing barriers to learning (Center for Mental Health in Schools, 2006). There is a limited number of school counselors that possess the time or training to perform play therapy in their schools despite overwhelming support for the practice (Ray, Armstrong, Warren, & Balkin, 2005). For example, more than half of Texas school counselors lack training or knowledge of play therapy principles and over sixty-five percent were unable to overcome obstacles that prevented them from the implementation of a play therapy program (Ray, Armstrong, Warren, & Balkin, 2005; Ebrahim, Steen, & Paradise, 2012). Play therapists and graduate students in the academic community possess the training needed to provide effective services; they also have more time and less administrative responsibilities and may also be able to assist in the establishment of permanent play therapy services through research initiatives. Furthermore, a collaborative program can provide opportunities for graduate students to learn in a real-life setting with hands-on experience in a cross-cultural environment where they can experience a feeling of community involvement (Blanco, Bratton, & Tsai, 2009). The President s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health stated that schools are to invest, promote, and use limited resources with the singular goal of moving students to meet the higher expectations for academic achievement with no attention given to mental health concerns (Center for Mental Health in Schools, 2006; Dahir, Burnham, & Stone, 2009). Conversely, the Institute of Medicine has concluded that mental health and psychological services are essential for many students to achieve academically and recommended that such services be considered not optional (American Counseling Association, 2011). In order to meet the competing expectations of policy makers and education administrators it is essential that school counselors establish integrated programs that utilize empirically-supported interventions while maintaining policy expectations for accountability and budget maintenance, and, in this context, the implementation of a university-school collaboration project seems ideal. 5. Implementation of CCPT School Project The implementation of such an endeavor may seem to be a daunting task and, indeed, it can be time consuming and intricate in terms of coordination. In order to succeed, it is essential to fully communicate the benefits and organization of a play therapy program while also establishing a firm implementation plan with the school staff. Selling the idea to administration will require appropriate rationale and structure, in addition to well-founded lines of communication and an emphasis on enhancement of the student population. By consistently providing guidance and support, this approach helps with recruitment, consistency, and administrative and parental support. The authors offer an outline for accomplishing this undertaking Rationale for Collaborations According to Drewes (2001), there are numerous and substantial rationales that promote a collaborative relationship between schools and universities. In addition to improving the overall school environment, these collaborative projects serve to provide early interventions in order to meet the needs of students who may not have access to other services. New research in the field has found that, by investing minimal effort in engaging in community partnerships, school counselors can increase family involvement and student success (Epstein & Van Voorhis, 2010). Projects such as these also offer additional resources and support staff to overworked school administrations while also providing as sense of community and support to those involved. By having community professionals present in the schools, professional school counselors and other support staff are more able to manage administrative tasks, such as scheduling, discipline referrals, and guidance lessons. A strong community presence also creates an opportunity for additional outside services and provides a climate for nascent school counselors who may be in training Playroom Needs for the CCPT Counselor While there are several theoretical modalities recognized for executing a successful play therapy session in the schools, the authors align with child centered approach to play therapy

4 146 Open Journal of Education (2013) (CCPT). The use of toys and play-based materials in therapy primarily serves to facilitate a broad range of expression in children whose language skills are not fully developed. As children at the elementary school level often struggle to express themselves verbally, play-based materials help translate their thoughts and feelings though symbolic representation. In this process, toys provide children with a safe avenue for emotional expression by creating a sense of control and distance from actual experiences that may illicit fear, anxiety, fantasy, or guilt (Landreth & Bratton, 1999). In order to acquire the necessary resources, many of the basic materials used can be obtained through toy drives at the University, a local community center, or parent-teacher organizations or through applications for internal and external university grants. A list of these items can be found in Appendix A. In additions to financial costs, there are other considerations that must be taken into account. Space in an elementary school is a valuable commodity; however, there must be a private space that can be consistent and undisturbed. In CCPT, the toys are arranged in a thematic order; therefore disturbing the arrangement of the play materials can possibly thwart the therapeutic relationship. To meet this challenge, the authors have set up playrooms in large closets, portable classroom buildings, and multi-use storage room to ensure a dedicated therapeutic space. The establishment of those rooms was honored by staff and administration alike; they too recognized the crucial role of consistency in providing therapeutic services. In addition to honoring the play room space, there is a need to explain confidentiality to the school staff, faculty, and administration. While confidentiality may be broken in the case of abuse or other egregious matters, the play therapy session is to remain confidential and may not be discussed specifically with other school personnel. Too often children are not afforded the right to privacy; the authors took additional precautions to ensure that their sessions were unheard and uninterrupted. Many of these sessions have the possibility of being quite intense in nature. While it may be tempting for the counselor to allow the session to go on for therapeutic value, it is important to note that sessions should be limited to 30 minutes. This recommendation is offered because this will be limiting the loss of academic learning (Landreth, Ray, & Bratton, 2009). In order to ensure teacher cooperation and support, the authors worked diligently to minimize scheduling conflicts and classroom disruptions Promotion of the School Counseling Profession In the authors experience, developing a project within the framework of the school structure had several advantages. By creating a play therapy program that revolves around the schedules of teachers, students, and parents, community professionals were better adept to providing consistent, reliable, and convenient services to a large and diverse student population. Often outside providers struggle to accommodate for testing schedules, parent s schedules, and special education services; active communication between all parties involved helped to ensure a productive and efficient service delivery plan. In the schools, teachers not only serve as liaisons for communication and information, but they also operate as advocates and support for the children s academic and emotional growth. By involving teachers in collaborative projects, the authors helped to blur the lines between helping roles and educator roles; and as the university and school staff began to work together, feelings of isolation diminished and a sense of community began to grow Tips for School Counselors Find university connection Get approval from school district Find space Obtain of necessary playroom materials (see Appendix A) Contact parent-teacher association to begin toy drive Identify students who are in-need of services Coordinate play therapists with students and create a schedule Begin treatment 6. Conclusions The role of the school counselor has become increasingly more complex. The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) model provides guidance and assistant to school counselors by offering a breakdown of time and how services can be offered; by following their standards for the execution of effective counseling programs in the schools, school counselors can ensure their services are consistent and successful. Yet, regardless of this influence, the increasing administrative demands of the school counselor rarely allow the opportunity to offer individual counseling for such a time commitment. By involving community and university professionals in the schools, helping professionals blur dividing lines and challenge new ways of thinking and interacting. This, in turn, may create better unity within the framework of the missions of the schools, school counselors, and university professionals. References Adelman, H. S., Taylor, L., ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Student Services, G. C., & National Association of School Psychologists, B. D. (2002). Impediments to enhancing availability of mental health services in schools: Fragmentation, overspecialization, counterproductive competition, and marginalization. ERIC/CASS-NASP Premier Partnership Paper. American School Counselors Association. (2011) Student-to-school-counselor ratios. Retrieved from

5 Victoria K. Stickley et al.: Collaborating University Play Therapy Programs with Elementary Schools: 147 Alleviating School Counselor Stress American Counseling Association (2011). The effectiveness of and need for professional counseling services. Office of Public Policy and Legislation. Retrieved from American Counseling Association website: seling_2011.pdf Blanco, P. J., & Ray, D. C. (2011). Play therapy in elementary schools: A best practice for improving academic achievement. Journal of Counseling & Development, 89(2), Blanco, P.J., Bratton, S.C., & Tsai, M. (2009). Applying research with children: A guide to assist counselor educators conducting collaborative research with children in schools. ACES Conference. Brigman, G. (2006). Research methods in school counseling: A summary for the practitioner. Professional School Counseling, 9(5), Center for Mental Health in Schools (2006). The current status of mental health in schools: A policy and practice analysis. Los Angeles, CA: Author. Cochran, J. L., Cochran, N. H., Nordling, W. J., McAdam, A., & Miller, D. T. (2010). Two case studies of child-centered play therapy for children referred with highly disruptive behavior. International Journal of Play Therapy, 19(3), doi: /a Dahir, C. A., Burnham, J. J., & Stone, C. (2009). Listen to the voices: School counselors and comprehensive school counseling programs. Professional School Counseling, 12(3), Danger, S., & Landreth, G. (2005). Child-centered group play therapy with children with speech difficulties. International Journal of Play Therapy, 14(1), doi: /h Drewes, A. A. ( 2001). The possibilities and challenges in using play therapy in schools. In A.Drewes, L.Carey, & C.Schaefer ( Eds.), School-based play therapy (pp ). New York, NY: Wiley. Ebrahim, C., Steen, R., & Paradise, L. (2012). Overcoming school counselors' barriers to play therapy. International Journal of Play Therapy, 21(4), doi: /a Appendix A: Play-Based Items for a CCPT Playroom Epstein, J. L., & Van Voorhis, F. L. (2010). School counselors' roles in developing partnerships with families and communities for student success. Professional School Counseling, 14(1), Evans, S. W., & Weist, M. D. (2004). Commentary: Implementing empirically supported treatments in the schools: What are we asking? Clinical Child & Family Psychology Review, 7(4), doi: /s Green, E. J., & Christensen, T. M. (2006). Elementary school children's perceptions of play therapy in school settings. International Journal of Play Therapy, 15(1), doi: /h Kaffenberger, C., & Davis, T. (2009). Introduction to Special Issue: A Call for Practitioner Research. Professional School Counseling, 12(6), Landreth, G., & Bratton, S. (1999). Play therapy. ERIC Digest. Greensboro, NC: ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Student Services. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED430172) Landreth, G. L., Ray, D. C., & Bratton, S. C. (2009). Play therapy in elementary schools. Psychology in the Schools, 46(3), doi: /pits Ray, D. C. (2007). Two counseling interventions to reduce teacher-child relationship stress. Professional School Counseling, 10(4), Ray, D. C., Armstrong, S. A., Warren, E., & Balkin, R. S. (2005). Play therapy practices among elementary school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 8(4), Schottelkorb, A. A., & Ray, D. C. (2009). ADHD symptom reduction in elementary students: A single-case effectiveness design. Professional School Counseling, 13(1), Walsh, M. E., Barrett, J. G., & DePaul, J. (2007). Day-to-day activities of school counselors: Alignment with new directions in the field and the ASCA national model. Professional School Counseling, 10(4), Yih-Jiun, S. (2006). Play therapy in texas schools. Guidance & Counseling, 21(4), doi: o Family-Nurturance toys- assist children in building the therapeutic relationship, exploration of feelings, and recreation of external events o Expressive toys- helps provide insight into self-concept; they portray thoughts, feelings, experiences, and beliefs as they develop self-control, and self-confidence. o Aggression-Release toys- help children express feelings of anger and fear; they can reenact protective themes and encourage a sense of competence and mastery. They also presents opportunities for limit setting and instilling self-esteem. o Pretend/fantasy toys o Scary Toys- assist children in confronting their fears and permits them to enact protective themes. Doll house, multicultural doll families, puppet theatre, puppets (people, animals, occupations), sand box and accessories, multicultural baby dolls, baby bottles, stuffed animals, baby crib and stroller, toy cleaning supplies, animals (domestic/zoo) Easel, Construction blocks, water paints, finger paints, crayons, markers, colored pencils, construction paper, large easel paper, magazines, glue, newspaper, play dough, pipe cleaners, scissors, egg cartons, stickers, glitter, socks for puppet making, lunch bags, yarn Bobo punching bag, toy guns/ knives/ swords, toy soldiers and military vehicles, foam bat, plastic shields, handcuffs, egg cartons Toy kitchen with stove and fridge, multicultural toy food, food utensils/pots/pans, kitchen appliances, knights and castle, fantasy puppets (king/ queen, witch/ wizard, ghost, princess), doctors kit, masks, magic wands, human figure puppets, telephones, flashlight, pillow and blanket, cars/ trucks/ planes/ helicopter Scary puppets (wolf, bear, dragon), toy dinosaurs, insects, dragons, snakes, alligators, sharks, and monsters