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It is a fact of life that children are sometimes going to break the rules. It's also a fact that they'll occasionally show an outburst of emotion or throw a tantrum in the middle of the grocery store. Childhood development is a trying time and children are often ill-equipped to understand or properly deal with the changes they're going through.

But there is a point at which behavioral issues go beyond the point of being normal. If your child is becoming extremely withdrawn and avoiding social interaction, it might be something more. If your child is expressing angry or violent thoughts and behaviors, it might be something to worry about. Mental health is a difficult thing to gauge, but you can see the signs when your child exhibits behaviors that are abnormal for their personality or for other children of their age. It is your job as a parent to notice the change and to seek help.

In this article, we'll explore the subject of mental health issues in school children. We'll talk about the most common issues affecting children of school age and how parents and teachers can work together to identify those issues. We'll also talk about what schools and parents can do to support these children.

This TEDx Talk discusses mental health in our schools.
How Common Are Mental Health Issues in Children?
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), more than 19% of American adults experience mental illness each year - that's roughly 1 in 5 adults. Mental health issues affect millions of people each year, though awareness is spreading, and more people are seeking help.

But what about those who don't understand what's happening to them? How can they get the help they need if they don't know to ask for it?

Mental health issues in children can be difficult for parents to identify. Not only do many parents not know the signs of mental illness, but changes in behavior are normal in growing children. It's difficult to say whether certain changes should be attributed to normal growth and development or whether they might be early signs of a growing problem. What's more, the stigma against mental health leads many parents to ignore the early signs of mental illness if they do, in fact, notice them.

According to the Association for Children's Mental Health (ACMH), 1 in 5 children and youth have some kind of diagnosable emotional, behavioral, or mental health disorder. Furthermore, 1 in 10 adolescents has a mental health issue serious enough to impair their function at home or in school.

In many cases, when a child struggles at school, mental health is not the first potential cause to be investigated. It is easier to blame the child's home life, socioeconomic status, or even the child's ability to learn for academic issues rather than recognizing that something deeper may be going on - instead of recognizing that the child might be in need of support.

This video offers some steps to a mental health framework in our schools.
What Are the Top Children's Mental Health Concerns?
Children can be affected by the same mental health issues as adults, though they typically express them in different ways. For example, an adult with depression may have trouble concentrating or enjoying activities they once enjoyed. In children with depression, irritability is a more common symptom than sadness. Children are also more likely to display behavioral changes as a manifestation of mental issues. For many children, these come out in the form of behavioral issues like oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), conduct disorder (CD), or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Some of the most common mental health issues affecting school children are:

Anxiety Disorder

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Eating Disorders

Mood Disorders

Anxiety disorders take many forms. In children, some of the most common kinds are obsessive-compulsive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, social phobias, and generalized anxiety disorder. Some amount of worry is normal for any person to experience, child or adult, but when it makes it difficult for the child to function in school or in social interactions, it could be something more serious.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that manifests with a wide variety of symptoms. Many people assume that difficulty concentrating is the primary symptom, but that is not necessarily the case. ADHD affects the child's ability to process their own emotions and to recognize other people's emotions and needs. This often takes the form of impatience and fidgetiness but may also involve trouble following instructions and frequent daydreaming.

Another mental health issue that is difficult to identify and understand is an autism spectrum disorder. It is a developmental disorder that affects the child's communication and behavior. It typically manifests in the first three years of life and is called a "spectrum" disorder because symptoms vary greatly in type and severity. Every child with ASD is different, but many children with the disorder have difficulty communicating and interacting with other people which can be a challenge at school.

In addition to mental health issues that have a neurological foundation, there are also some mental health disorders that can develop over time from the child's situation or environment.

Eating disorders and mood disorders can affect children of all ages and are often brought about initially by stress or trauma. Children have difficulty identifying and dealing with their emotions, at times, so they sometimes develop unhealthy coping mechanisms. Eating disorders like anorexia, bulimia, and binge-eating disorder can become life-threatening and mood disorders can lead to dangerous and even suicidal thoughts.
What Behavior is "Normal" for Growing Children?
As a parent, you can't be expected to understand everything your child does. You should, however, know your child well enough to notice when something changes. You may not know why your child is exhibiting a change in behavior, but if you notice something, bring it to your pediatrician's attention. In addition to noticing changes in your child's behavior, it also helps to know what is and isn't normal for his or her age group.

Here is a quick overview of normal behavior in children of different ages:

Preschool (4 to 5 years) - Children at this age start to seek their independence and learn how to say "no." They may throw the occasional tantrum but should begin to gain control over their emotions and impulses. There may be minor outbursts of aggression but should be learning how to use their words. Time-out is an effective discipline technique at this age.

Grade School (6 to 9 years) - Children at this age start to take on more responsibility and start to want more freedom (often more than they can handle). They require guidance to complete chores and homework but will begin to solve problems on their own. They'll start to experience more complex emotions like frustration and anxiety and may lack verbal impulse control. Positive reinforcement-style discipline is effective at this age.

Tweens (10 to 12 years) - At this age, children want even more independence and often become mildly oppositional and argumentative toward parents. They may lack the ability to see the long-term consequences of their behavior and may struggle with social skills.

Teens (13 and over) - Children at this age like to think they are adults but will still struggle with making healthy decisions. Teens go through a variety of phases as they struggle to find themselves as individuals and may change social groups often. Minor rebellion is normal but teens should have improved self-discipline when it comes to doing chores and homework.

As you can see (and have probably already experienced), your child's behavior can be expected to change over time. Once your child hits a certain age, however, they'll be spending more time in school and you may not notice the changes as quickly. Read on to learn how to know if your child is hiding problems at school.
Is Your Child Hiding Problems at School?
Every child experiences ups and downs at school. Changing classrooms, learning difficult material, and going through developmental changes are all sources of stress that can affect your child's behavior at school as well as his mental health. Through all of these changes, it is the parent's responsibility to keep an eye out for warning signs that your child is struggling more than is normal.

Here are some of the most common signs of mental illness in children:

Changes in mood (ex: feelings of sadness, withdrawal, or mood swings).

Intense emotions (ex: overwhelming fear, angry outbursts, extreme anxiety).

Changes in behavior (ex: out of control behavior, frequent fighting, using weapons).

Difficulty concentrating decreased performance in school.

Unexplained weight loss or changes in appetite.

Physical symptoms such as frequent headaches or stomachaches.

Self-injury or self-harm, such as cutting or burning and attempted suicide.

Substance abuse, using or abusing drugs and alcohol.

Unfortunately, these signs are not always easy to identify. In fact, your child could hide some of these symptoms from you if they are worried or ashamed. It is then your job to read between the lines and to see what is really happening.

Here are some hidden signs that your child made be struggling at school:

Making excuses not to go to school such as faking being sick.

Skipping school or cutting classes without your knowledge.

Losing interest in school and in extracurricular activities.

Developing low self-esteem, comparing self to other children.

Frequently getting detention or being disciplined at school.

Refusing to do homework and/or getting poor grades in school.

If you notice your child displaying any of the obvious signs of mental illness or the hidden signs of school problems, don't ignore it. Failing to acknowledge your child's struggle can make matters worse - if the parent doesn't acknowledge the problem, the child may end up feeling like it isn't real, or it doesn't matter. Your child's mental health is fragile and worth protecting.
What Can Schools Do to Support Students' Mental Health?
Failing to notice or address issues at school means that your child's mental and behavioral issues could get worse. More importantly, it leaves your child to deal with those issues alone.

Issues in school can lead to a variety of additional problems for children. For one thing, children with school problems have an increased risk of dropping out. Avoiding school or cutting classes in the short term due to school issues can have long-term repercussions. Your child could fall behind in school and, if their mental and behavioral health issues persist, they may have trouble getting back on track in the future. Worse, they might be labeled a troublemaker and be disregarded entirely.

So, what can schools do to support the mental health of their students?

For many students who have issues with behavior, mental health, or learning ability, the best solution is to develop an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 plan.

Technically speaking, an IEP is a legal document that lays out the details of a special education program involving instruction, support, and other services a child needs to succeed in school. In reality, however, an IEP is more than just a written document - it's a roadmap for teachers and other school staff to help them provide for the child's unique needs. IEPs are a common part of public education.

If your child does not require special education to provide for his unique needs, a 504 plan might be more applicable.

These plans are developed for children who can do well in a standard classroom but need special supports or services to be able to learn in that environment. Some of the provisions your child might receive with a 504 plan include extended time on tests, the ability to leave the classroom to take short breaks, or classes to learn coping mechanisms or study skills.

Whether your child receives an IEP, a 504 plan, or neither, it is your job as a parent to provide support at home. Ideally, you'll be able to work with your child's teachers and other school staff to make sure your child's needs are met while he is at school, but it is your job to provide support at home.
How Can You Support Your Child's Mental Health at Home?
As a parent, you want what's best for your child. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult to tell what that is, especially when your child isn't forthcoming about problems they're experiencing. Add to that the fact that your child spends a majority of time at school where you can't observe him, and you can see how mental health issues frequently fall to the wayside.

What can you do as a parent to support your child's mental health at home?

The first step in getting your child the help they need is diagnosing the problem. Talk to your pediatrician and provide as much information as you can about your child's behavior, mood, and problems in school. If you haven't experienced things first-hand, get a detailed report from your child's teacher or other school staff to help your pediatrician get an accurate picture of the problem.

Once your child has been diagnosed with a mental or behavioral health issue, it is important to develop a plan for treatment. Treatment doesn't always (and in many cases shouldn't) involve medication. For children, it often involves supportive therapies to help children cope with the challenges they are experiencing. You and your pediatrician will work together to decide what is best for your child.

Here are some of the most effective treatment options for children with mental health issues:

Psychotherapy - Also known as talk therapy, psychotherapy is one of the most effective forms of treatment for mental health issues in general, not just for children. The goal is to teach your child how to understand their mental challenges and to teach them helpful ways of dealing with those challenges. Even if you don't directly participate in your child's sessions, your child's therapist will want to work with you to make sure your child is getting what they need.

Medication - Medication is not the preferred first option for the treatment of mental health disorders in children, but it is warranted in some cases. Depending on what your child is struggling with, your pediatrician may prescribe antidepressants, stimulants, mood stabilizers, or something else. It is your job to make sure your child takes the medications in the proper dose at the proper times, though you should also teach your child how to manage the medication.

Family Counseling - Even though your child is the one dealing with mental health challenges, it can have an impact on the entire family. Family counseling can help you learn what is going on with your child and how you can help. It is also a great way to learn what not to do - things that could set your child back or keep him from getting the support he needs.

Support for Parents - Being a parent means putting your child's needs before your own, but you can't give your child everything he needs if you don't have to support yourself. Support groups and various resources are available to help you relieve stress, seek individualized help, and learn new strategies for helping your child with their mental health issues.

The next most important thing you can do is build and maintain a strong relationship with your child's teachers and with the school.

If your child has been diagnosed with a mental or behavioral health issue, bring it to the school's attention and make sure they are involved in your treatment plan. If your child requires special care or attention at school, work with the school to make sure they get what they need. If the school refuses to work with you or isn't able to offer anything in the way of assistance, it might be time to look for another school that better suits your child's needs.

By bringing your pediatrician and your child's teachers together, you can create a comprehensive support system for your child. It is your job to maintain those connections and to facilitate the treatment plan. Though the road may be difficult, your child depends on you for love and support so do everything you can to give your child what they need to succeed and grow.

Questions? Contact us on Facebook. @publicschoolreview

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Common Mental Health Problems in School Children and How to Address Them - PublicSchoolReview.com

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Millions of people struggle with mental health issues on a daily basis, but no one wants to think that these issues might affect children. As a parent, it is your responsibility to know what your child needs and to provide it. This includes identifying problem behaviors and seeking treatment when your child needs help.

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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A CDC study examined mental health symptoms in four different U.S. school districts during 2014-2018. Based on teacher and parent reports, about 1 in 6 students had enough behavioral or emotional symptoms and impairment to be diagnosed with a childhood mental disorder; rates varied among the different sites. Schools, communities, and healthcare providers can use this information to plan for the healthcare and school service needs of children and adolescents with mental disorders. Screening, identifying, and referring children and adolescents to effective treatments can help prevent or lower the negative effects of mental disorders.
Read the scientific summaryexternal icon
Main Findings

For this study, teachers in selected school districts were first asked to complete a short questionnaire (screening) to determine a student's risk for a mental disorder. Then, the parents of selected students were invited to complete a more structured diagnostic interview to determine if their child met criteria for a mental disorder.

Overall, 1 in 6 students had enough symptoms and impairment to meet the criteria for one or more childhood mental disorders.

Anxiety disorders were the most commonly reported mental disorders, followed by oppositional defiant disorder (ODD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Risk for disorders varied greatly from community to community.

Based on the screen done by teachers, between 1 in 6 and 1 in 3 students were at high risk for a mental disorder, depending on which community they were from. Teachers identified a higher percentage of boys, non-Hispanic Black students, and students receiving free or reduced-price lunch as high risk for mental disorders than their peers at all or most sites, but there were generally no demographic differences in the percentage of students who met the criteria for a mental disorder based on parent report. This means that estimating effects of race or income on symptoms gave different results depending on the way that symptoms were examined.

Helping Students at Risk

Schools may consider screening students for mental health concerns and providing effective prevention servicesexternal icon .

Pediatric and family medicine clinics can use these estimates to understand how many students may need services.

Communities can work with schools to integrate mental health services in schools and provide referral and treatment services.

Public health can use these estimates to plan for healthcare and school service needs, as well as to watch changes over time.

About This Study

The Project to Learn About Youth-Mental Health (PLAY-MH) was a school-based study designed to estimate how many K-12 students had specific mental disorders. Information was collected from 2014-2018 in four different school districts in four U.S. states (Colorado, Florida, Ohio, and South Carolina). The school districts were in urban, suburban, and rural areas, varied in size, and included students from different socio-economic and racial and ethnic backgrounds.

Information was collected in two stages. In Stage 1, teachers in selected school districts completed validated screening questionnaires to describe students' emotional, behavioral, or tic symptoms. A sample of students at high risk and students at low risk were invited to participate in the second stage. In Stage 2, parents completed a structured diagnostic interview about their child's emotional or behavioral symptoms. The information was used to determine whether children had enough symptoms and impairment to meet the criteria for a mental disorder.

Although the students come from four school districts in four states and represent a variety of backgrounds, it is not known whether the same findings would apply to students in other school districts or regions.

About Children's Mental Health

Mental disorders among children are described as serious changes in the way children typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions that causes distress and problems getting through the day. Many children experience occasional fears and worries, or disruptive behaviors. If symptoms are severe and persistent and interfere with school, home, or play activities, the child may be diagnosed with a mental disorder. Among the more common mental disorders that can be diagnosed in childhood are ADHD, anxiety, and behavior disorders, such as ODD.

It is important to watch for mental disorders in children and understand how they are treated because they can have a significant effect on overall health and relationships throughout life. Identifying problems early can help children get the support they need.

Our Work

CDC's National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) works to provide a better understanding of mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders so affected children and adolescents and their families get the support they need.

More Information

References

Danielson, M. L., Bitsko, R. H., Holbrook, J. R., Charania, S. N., Claussen, A. H., PhD; McKeown, R. E., Cuffe, S. P., Owens, J. S., Evans, S. W., Kubicek, L., & Flory, K. (2020). Community-based prevalence of externalizing and internalizing disorders among school-aged children and adolescents in four geographically dispersed school districts in the United States. Child Psychiatry & Human Development. Published online July 31, 2020. [Read summaryexternal icon ]

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Mental health symptoms in school-aged children

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A CDC study examined mental health symptoms in four different U.S. school districts during 2014-2018. Based on teacher and parent reports, about 1 in 6 students had enough behavioral or emotional symptoms and impairment to be diagnosed with a childhood mental disorder; rates varied among the different sites.

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As a K-12 school counselor, you may find yourself wearing many hats and sometimes it's hard to keep track of what needs to get done or how to stay up to date with the latest counseling practices. Apps and other online resources can help with: keeping organized, providing industry insights, and collaborating with teachers and administrators. But finding the right resources on your own can take time away from your primary mission: serving students.

Here are some of the best apps, websites, books, blogs and professional development opportunities for school counselors in 2019. As you review these resources, pay close attention to those specialized to the grade levels you serve.

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As a K-12 school counselor, you may find yourself wearing many hats and sometimes it's hard to keep track of what needs to get done or how to stay up to date with the latest counseling practices. Apps and other online resources can help with: keeping organized, providing industry insights, and collaborating with teachers and administrators.

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National, State, and Local Standards for Practice  of Counseling                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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National, State, and Local Standards for Practice  of Counseling                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

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Alabama Counseling and Guidance - Alabama State Department of Education

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Counseling and Guidance collaborates with professional school counselors to develop, implement and evaluate comprehensive school counseling programs.

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Sesame Street: Janelle Monae - Power of Yet

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75 free school counseling resources for bullying, grief, kindness, LGBTQ, mindfulness, social emotional learning, trauma, and more from Speckled Moose Counseling.

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Here are a few ideas:

On a recent visit to my hairdresser, a woman customer sat next to me. She was telling her stylist the difficulties she was having in her relationship.

The stylist listened patiently, did not judge or offer advice and seemed to understand her difficulty and paid attention. Clearly, the hair stylist had mastered 'the art of listening'.

On a train journey the Edinburgh, I sat and listened to two strangers opposite me having a conversation.

The listener showed a non-judgmental attitude, was patient and only asked questions to clarify their understanding.

Consequently, the second passenger spoke about a lot of personal issues to a stranger on a train because the first passenger knew 'the art of listening'.

We live in a society where we are consistently 'talked at'.

Let me ask you this question:

Who do you prefer to be with? Someone who talks to you or someone who listens to you?

Have a think of any other work roles that require counselling skills.

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Basic Counselling Skills explained [PDF Download] * Counselling Tutor

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When working with clients, counsellors draw on a number of basic counselling skills. They include: * Attending * Use of Silence * Reflecting and Paraphrasing * Clarifying Questions * Focusing * Rapport Building * Summarising. Click to download your PDF on the Basic Counselling Skills Explained.

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Effective counseling skills are vital in forming a strong alliance between the client and therapist.

When combined, such competencies support clients through treatment and help them reach their goal of overcoming the pressures of modern life and leading a more fulfilling existence (Tan, Leong, Tan, & Tan, 2015).

Various counseling skills can be learned and developed to foster and maintain the psychological process, including good communication, problem solving, and goal setting, and introduce coping techniques such as self-talk and visualization (Nelson-Jones, 2014; Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2015).

This article introduces and examines counseling skills and techniques for supporting the psychological process underpinning therapy and setting and achieving counseling goals.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Strengths Exercises for free. These detailed, science-based exercises will help your clients realize their unique potential and create a life that feels energizing and authentic.

What Are Counseling Skills?

Most therapists and counselors would agree that a good counseling relationship is fundamental to being effective with clients. Such alliances build on several counselor-offered qualities, core conditions, and skills, including "empathic understanding, respect and acceptance for clients' current states of being, and congruence or genuineness" (Nelson-Jones, 2014, p. 9).

While psychological practitioners recognize the importance of the counseling relationship, they also agree on the need for interventions using skills directed by their theoretical orientation.

When viewed as a relationship with core conditions and a selection of interventions, counseling is recognized as a psychological process, usually with the goal of "altering how people feel, think and act so that they may live their lives more effectively" (Nelson-Jones, 2014, p. 10).

Various counseling skills underpin the psychological process and are required to become an effective therapist. They have five different goals (Nelson-Jones, 2014):

The therapist's skills help the client achieve one or more of the goals above, overcome the problems they face, and acquire techniques to support new ways of thinking and behaving.

3 Real Examples of Good Counseling Skills

Effective counseling and therapy require many skills; they combine to build and maintain the therapeutic relationship and improve the likelihood of a positive outcome from the psychological process (Cochran & Cochran, 2015; Nelson-Jones, 2014).

While there are various skills, the following are practical examples requiring positive and specific counseling skills.

Creating visual images

Visual images can be powerful tools for entering and understanding a client's frame of reference (Nelson-Jones, 2014).

When a client explains their situation and the challenges they face, it can be helpful to form a mental representation of what life may be like for them. Visualization can provide insight into how they interpret events problematically, using their personal experiences and beliefs to shape their internal representation (Nelson-Jones, 2014).

Creating self-talk

Self-talk is a valuable intervention for clients learning to cope with stress and anger (Nelson-Jones, 2014). Skilled therapists help clients with self-talk in the following ways:

Capture helpful self-talk
Clients can discover how to capture positive self-talk and use it at the correct time.

Crisis counseling

Therapists may occasionally counsel clients in potential or immediate danger. While their influence may feel limited, "counselors' primary source of influence to keep clients safe through situations of imminent danger is the therapeutic relationship they form with each client" (Cochran & Cochran, 2015, p. 201).

Strong therapeutic relationship skills, such as the following, help manage client crises:

20 Basic Counseling Skills: A Checklist

The following checklists contain skills that a therapist or counselor would typically possess or be working toward to help their clients reach their therapeutic goals effectively.

Listening and communication skills

While "good therapeutic listening is extremely rare," effective therapists should develop the following skills (Cochran & Cochran, 2015, p. 25):

Focus on what a client is telling them for at least several minutes with total concentration.

Summarize the core content of what is said (without their own belief bias) while avoiding missing key details or adding judgments or opinions.

Recognize when they are adding in their own, uncommunicated thoughts.

Be aware of their body language as a listener and recognize feelings physically and emotionally.

Remain comfortable with silences and encourage the client to own them.

Good verbal communication is a valuable skill in therapy. Statements such as "I understand what you are saying" or "I can see you are in pain" can significantly affect the client's confidence in the therapeutic process and the therapist.

Skilled therapists should ask themselves (Nelson-Jones, 2014):

Reflection skills

Reflection is complex, requiring considerable therapist skills to communicate with clients that they are striving to understand (Cochran & Cochran, 2015).

An effective therapist must become skillful in the art of reflection and able to demonstrate the following (modified from Cochran & Cochran, 2015):

Reflect their version of what the client has communicated.

Use declarative statements when they believe they understand what has been said.

Keep reflections concise.

Focus on the main point of what has been shared, particularly the most emotionally laden statements.

Accept corrections to what they have said.

Interrupt a client with a reflection only when it assists clarity or to avoid being overwhelmed.

Use reflections to encourage the client's communication without damaging the conversation flow.

Helping skills

Helping skills typically include specific verbal skills taught to students who are training to become mental healthcare professionals, including (Hill & Lent, 2006):

Open questions
Helping clients elaborate on their internal frames of reference (such as,'Tell me about that').

Direct guidance
Setting realistic and achievable expectations for goals and appropriate behavior.

Helping skills can be learned through instruction or by modeling experts.

Counseling Microskills Explained

Attending and listening are vital skills for forming a helpful ongoing dialogue between the therapist and client and are often referred to as microskills (Tan et al., 2015).

Attending

Attending refers to how the therapist presents to the client physically, psychologically, and emotionally. The therapist must be present, available to the client, and, rather than turning up with a fixed agenda, flexible and prepared to put themselves in the client's situation.

Therapists should maintain an open and relaxed posture, including uncrossed arms and legs, and eye contact while following the conversation closely.

Listening

Listening relates to the importance of understanding the client's narrative. Empathy is key to good listening. Being capable of seeing the world from the client's perspective can create a growth-promoting therapeutic environment.

Together, microskills combine to form an effective counseling conversation (Tan et al., 2015).

Effective Techniques Used by Counselors

Counselors combine several techniques to be effective with clients, including challenging and reflecting feelings.

Challenging skills

Challenging clients' existing perceptions can help offer new perspectives, reframing how they see problems or previous events (Nelson-Jones, 2014).

The following guidelines can help develop the skills of challenging without confronting (modified from Nelson-Jones, 2014):

Reflecting feelings

"Reflecting feelings, rather than reflecting thoughts alone, can establish a climate for initial and subsequent sessions where clients share rather than bury feelings" (Nelson-Jones, 2014, p. 102).

Unlike paraphrasing, reflecting feelings involves picking up both verbal and nonverbal messages and requires skills as both a receiver and a sender (modified from Nelson-Jones, 2014).

Receiver skills include:

Understanding the client's face, body, vocal, and verbal messages.

Being in tune with their own emotional reactions.

Considering the context of the message sent.

Being aware of both the surface and deeper messages from the client.

Sender skills include:

Responding to the client, showing awareness and understanding of feelings.

Using expressive responses rather than wooden replies.

Confirming the accuracy of understanding.

How to Improve Your Counseling Skills

Mental health professionals need to become their own best counselors; if therapists truly believe in their approach when applied to clients, it should also help them "lead happier and more fulfilled lives" (Nelson-Jones, 2014, p. 483).

Trainees may find it helpful to consider undergoing therapy themselves. The experience will benefit their personal growth, empathic understanding, and knowledge of the psychological process and therapeutic relationship (Nelson-Jones, 2014).

Once trained, mental health professionals should assume responsibility for their continuing professional development. Such training will keep therapists up to date with new developments in their field and advances in technology that support them professionally (Nelson-Jones, 2014).

Other ways to improve your counseling skills include being supervised, presenting at and attending conferences, and reading professional counseling books and articles.

In addition, for more guidance on your discussions with clients, we share 40 counseling interview questions to make the onboarding process and ongoing conversations easier.

Assessing Counseling Skills: A Scale

Therapists, particularly students and trainees, should regularly reflect on their skill set and recognize opportunities for development and growth.

While there are limited instruments to assess the skills of mental health professionals directly, the following resources are helpful for therapists or supervisors:

Skill Evaluation Form - Kent State University has produced a Counseling Skills and Techniques measure that while developed for students, can be relevant for trainees and more experienced therapists.

American Counseling Association Code of Ethics - This Code of Ethics includes details of the competencies required for a counselor along with ethical considerations and standards for the counseling relationship.

Psychotherapy Process Q-Set - This 100-item questionnaire is used to score therapy sessions and classify the overall therapy process.

3 Books to Foster Your Counseling Skills

While there are many books available on counseling skills, the following are three of our favorites.

1. The Heart of Counseling: Counseling Skills Through Therapeutic Relationships - Jeff Cochran and Nancy Cochran

This valuable and detailed guide helps students and trainees build on their existing knowledge and develop the qualities and skills required to form effective therapeutic relationships and deliver on treatment outcomes.

The book includes case studies, clear guidance on applying theoretical concepts in therapy, and supporting videos.

Find the book on Amazon.

2. Practical Counselling and Helping Skills - Richard Nelson-Jones

Now in its sixth edition, this book by Richard Nelson-Jones provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to applying his three-stage model (relating, understanding, and changing) to counseling.

This thorough and practical book helps the reader develop the skills to become an effective counselor and deliver treatment goals.

Find the book on Amazon.

3. Counseling and Psychotherapy Theories in Context and Practice: Skills, Strategies, and Techniques - John Sommers-Flanagan and Rita Sommers-Flanagan

This comprehensive guide presents all the key counseling and psychotherapy theories and how to apply them in clinical practice.

Including chapter outlines, graphics, tests, charts, and links to videos, this is a valuable resource for students and teachers.

Find the book on Amazon.

Tools From PositivePsychology.com

We have many tools that support the counseling and therapy process, including worksheets that help improve communication and empathy.

Why not try out the following free worksheets?

17 Strength-Finding Exercises
If you're looking for more science-based ways to help others develop their strengths, check out this collection of17 strength-finding tools for practitioners. Use them to help others better understand and harness their strengths in life-enhancing ways.

A Take-Home Message

Becoming and persisting as an effective counselor requires expertise and a rich and diverse set of skills (Hill, Spiegel, Hoffman, Kivlighan, & Gelso, 2017). These skills can be developed through education, training, practice, experience, and supervision.

Good counseling skills are vital to building robust and positive therapeutic alliances, delivering on agreed goals, and achieving successful outcomes as part of the psychological process.

By investing time and energy, it is possible for counselors to grow new and develop existing skill sets and help people move closer to how they wish to live by changing how they think, feel, and act.

While open communication and showing empathy are vital, so too are sharing the tools needed by the client to solve their problems. Once empowered, they can overcome new and existing difficulties.

Explore the skills discussed within this article and identify the support you need to develop them further. It is ultimately beneficial to you and your clients that you become the most skilled counselor possible.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don't forget to download our three Strengths Exercises for free.

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20 Basic Counseling Skills to Become an Effective Therapist

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Effective counseling skills are vital in forming a strong alliance between the client and therapist. When combined, such competencies support clients through treatment and help them reach their goal of overcoming the pressures of modern life and leading a more fulfilling existence (Tan, Leong, Tan, & Tan, 2015).

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Russ Curtis, Ph.D., Professor of Counseling

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Basic Counseling Skills part 2: Role-play