Assignment: School Counseling Scenario: Using a Cognitive-Behavioral or Reality Approach

For this Assignment, read and select one of the following scenarios:

Scenario 1: Keesha, an African-American, female fifth grader, stops by your office to talk. Summer break is quickly approaching, which means she will soon be entering middle school. Keesha is an average student who enjoys school but is anxious about leaving the comforts of elementary school, where she has a few close friends. She is aware that her best friend will attend a different middle school than she will, which causes her worry and sadness. She expresses concerns about the transition and states that she "probably won't be able to make any new friends." Throughout your exchange, she frequently makes self-deprecating statements and often compares herself to other students stating, "I'm not as smart as them" and "what if the kids at my new school don't like me?"

Scenario 2: Jack is a high school senior who recently received a rejection letter for admission from his first-choice college. He is aware that several of his friends who put forth more effort into their schooling and have higher grades have already been accepted to the college. Jack is devastated and expresses that he feels like a "total failure" because he did not get accepted to his desired school like the rest of his friends. A more likely next step for Jack's post-secondary plans is to consider community college, but he must improve his grades. He goes on to say that he might as well not even apply to other schools because "it's useless," and he "won't get accepted anyway."

Review this week's resources.

Think about how either a cognitive behavioral, behavioral, dialectical behavioral, rational emotive behavioral, reality, or solution-focused theory approach can be applied to support the student in the scenario.

In a 2- to 3-page paper, analyze one of scenarios provided for this assignment using either a cognitive behavioral, behavioral, dialectical behavioral, rational emotive behavioral, reality, or solution-focused theory approach. You may choose only one theory and you must justify your choice. Be sure to include the following:

• The theory you chose and why. Be sure to discuss how you conceptualize/ explain the student's issues using theoretical components.

• The considerations that need to be taken into account from a developmental and/or cultural perspective.

• The overall counseling goal with the student, from your chosen theoretical perspective.

• The specific strategies and/or techniques you would use with the student based upon your chosen theoretical approach.

• You should note at least two interventions from the chosen theoretical perspective.

• The strengths and limitations to using this approach with the student.