Cura Personalis and Counseling Our Students

Erik Michels, Counseling Department ChairBellarmine Preparatory School

Tacoma, WA

Cura Personalis and Counseling Defined

Care of the whole student (mind, heart, and will)

Self-care (Xavier University)Response to students in distress (Loyola MD, Fordham)

Quote

“If we educate only our students’ minds, we have not truly educated them.” – Bernard Coughlin, S.J.

IPP and Counseling

IPP and Reality Therapy/Choice Theory

WDEPWhat do you want? (Reflection)What are you doing to get it? (Experience)Is what you are doing working? (Evaluation)What can you do next? (Action)

Context

Bellarmine Prep (Tacoma, WA)1,000 studentsCoed250/1 student to counselor ratioComprehensive counseling modelStudents have same counselor all four years

Context: Understanding the Teenage World Today

Technology (Digital Citizenship, College Admissions)

What are all these APPS?!InstagramSnapchatTwitterFacebookStudents experiencing life (joy, rejection,

anger, validation) on different platforms

Context: What do we have in common?

Pressures of students being in a rigorous college prep school. We expect a lot out of our students (AP, Honors, Extra-Curriculars). Colleges have become more selective.

Self-Esteem (C student starts to see themselves as a C person)

Competition/Comparison (Am I better than others?)

Student Engagement/Retention

Context: Challenges Facing Teens

Bullying (cyber, relational, verbal, physical)Body ImageLearning DifferencesDrug/Alcohol UseDepression/AnxietySelf-harm (cutting)Suicidal IdeationRelationships/ConflictLGBTQ Support

Experience

“Experience goes beyond a purely intellectual grasp. St. Ignatius urges the whole person (mind, heart, and will) should enter the learning experience. He encourages the use of imagination and the feelings as well as the mind in experience.” – Ignation Pedagogy (abridged), Jesuit Institute

Experience

How are we identifying challenges in our schools?

How are we engaging students in conversation/reflection about their high school experience?

What sort of programs do we have in place to enhance their experience? (retreats, service trips, clubs, etc.)

How can we enhance the student experience?

Reflection

“Only after adequate reflection on experience, grasping the meaning and implication of what we study, can we proceed freely and confidently toward choosing appropriate courses of action that foster our growth as human beings.”- Ignatian Pedagogy

Reflection

How are we encouraging students to reflect on their experiences? (journals, dialogue, etc.)

Are we allowing adequate time for students to reflect? (Examen)

Action

“The first Jesuits were most concerned with the formation with the formation of students’ attitudes, values, ideals, according to which they would make decisions about what was to be done. St. Ignatius wanted Jesuit schools to form young people who could and would contribute intelligently and effectively to the welfare of society.” – Ignatian Pedagogy

Action

Action steps driven by Experience, Reflection, and Data (school specific and national trends).

Interventions (Pro-Active and Preventative)Collaborate with P.E./Health teachersNewsletter to parentsSpeakersIn-Service Meetings/Professional

Development

Action: Recognizing Signs

Change in academic performanceIncrease in absencesLack of motivationDisruptive behaviorSocial withdrawalFalling asleep in classImpulsivityExaggerated response to typical events

Action: Responding

Be present and avoid pre-occupation with other events

Reiterate your support and instill hopeIf necessary, walk the student to the

Counseling Office

Case Study: Joey

Joey is a 16-year-old student who has become increasingly less involved in class. He seems tired all the time and the quality of his work has gone way down in recent weeks. Sometimes he doesn’t do the homework at all. Today in class you noticed some marks on his arm that are cause for concern. What steps should be taken next?

Case Study: Joey

Refer Joey to the school counselor or contact the counselor directly and ask them to meet with Joey about your concerns

Counselor Steps: meet with Joey, ask to see his arms, determine cause for cutting, suicide evaluation, contact a parent/guardian, provide families with community resources and help get them connected to a counselor, e-mail all teachers to let them know that Joey is facing some personal challenges, flexible homework plan, regular check-ins

Case Study: Sam

Sam is senior who seems to be habitually tardy to your class. Sam is lethargic in class more often then not. The academic work is extremely inconsistent. Sam seems to have lost motivation. You notice one day that Sam’s eyes are really red in class and Sam seems disoriented. What next?

Case Study: Sam

Refer Sam to the school counselor or contact the counselor directly and ask them to meet with Sam about your concerns

Counselor Steps: meet with Sam, drug evaluation, determine whether use is habitual, contact a parent/guardian, refer family to have a free drug/alcohol evaluation done, get information release to speak with outside counselor about support plan for Sam

References

Ignatian Pedagogy- An Abridged Version. Jesuit Institute, 2014.

Recognizing and Responding to Students in Distress. Loyola University- Maryland.

Goodell, J., & Robinson, D.C. (2008) Through the Glass Darkly: New Paradigms for Counselors, Courage and Spirituality in Contemporary Education. Journal of Catholic Education, 11 (4).

Contact Information

Erik Michels, Counseling Department ChairBellarmine Preparatory School (Tacoma, WA)Email: michelse@bellarmineprep.orgPhone: 253-879-9799