Chapter 1

I found the writing of the Dollerhide text to be strangely refreshing. I loved that they started the chapter with the short story about Bobbi. It seems that anytime someone asks me what I am doing my masters in, I am left to combat ideas much like Bobbie had. With ideals that these are the limitations of a school counselor it reinforces the advice of both Dr. Garner and Dr. Baker that I will have to be my own cheering section. I actually look forward to assisting in changing the current view point of today’s school counselor. 

            Throughout chapter one I continually discovered threads of conversations that have taken place in previous counseling classes, like philosophies of counseling and how to integrate our own personal style into this. I found the section on Developmental Guidance to be especially informational. No disrespect to any previous counseling classes, but the Dollerhide text seems to be more straightforward about what we are going to be up against (ideas of old) as well as current expectations. I think a particularly important distinction is being made (p.13) between the terms “guidance” and “counselor”.  Sadly, my experience with my school counselor was only of course guidance. I never knew that there was so much more to her position than consultation of which classes or which college I should apply to. To add insult to injury there was not even good guidance given to me about college choices. I was told that I would not be able to be successful due to learning difficulties I had faced thus far.

            I discovered my love for counseling when I was in seventh grade. From the above paragraph I think it is easy to see that our counselor was not very widely utilized. Girls in my grade started slipping notes into my locker during the fall of my first middle school year. It was during those conversations that I realized my love for people. It was also becoming more evident that I had an ability to read people’s emotions and see what they needed from me. Through my high school years and college and even into grad school, this pattern has continued. I know that there are many ideas on what the counselor is responsible for, many do not fit the current standards of our jobs but I am excited none the less. I have heard many grads say that this class had them questioning their desire to continue in this program but like anything else, it comes down to passion. Dollerhide also highlighted the importance of this in chapter one.

            Over the last week I have found myself reading and rereading the information on CSCP, the ASCA role and national model. I felt pretty embarrassed last week in class when we were asked to rate our knowledge of the ASCA model. If I could make one suggestion towards the direction of this specific school counseling program it would be to integrate ASCA national model earlier and more often. None of the information I have read on the ASCA national model seems to be something I would have needed a per-requisite class to understand.

Dollarhide, C.T., & Saginak, K. A. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K-12 delivery systems in action. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.