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School Counselor Collaborative
Based on increased need and request, we have expanded our support and professional development for school counselors to now have three tracks.
Track #1
The Prizmah School Counselor Cohort, with Yeshiva University’s Azrieli School
School counselors from Jewish day schools and yeshivas across North America will meet twice monthly online to collaborate, support, and engage in all areas of mental health and wellness in schools.
- One monthly session will feature an expert in the field of mental health, offering participants the opportunity to learn, explore, and ask questions of people in the forefront of a particular area on mental health and wellness. Previous topics have could include suicide prevention, eating disorders, body image, substance abuse, anxiety, trauma, depression, cyber bullying, parent issues, positive psychology, and more.
- The second monthly session will focus on a shared dilemma of practice and invites counselors to reflect and share suggestions, input, and resources regarding a specific topic or challenge.
Cohort participants will also be a part of a closed online reshet (peer-to-peer networking) community and discussion forum for sharing, responding to, and posting ideas, reflections, and resources.
These important discussions will be designed and led by field-recognized experts Dr. Rona Novick, Dr. Bin Goldman, and Prizmah’s Mrs. Rachel Dratch.
Registration Fees
- Prizmah Network Schools: $600 per person for one participant or $400 per person for two or more participants from the same school
- Non-Network Schools: $750 per person for one participant or $400 per person for two or more participants from the same school
- Canadian Prizmah Network Schools: $450 US per person for one participant or $300 US per person for two or more participants from the same school
- Canadian Non-Network Schools: $562.50 US per person for one participant or $300 US per person for two or more participants from the same school
Track #2
The Prizmah School Counselor Collaborative
This group will design curriculum on social, emotional, and mental health topics. You will create curricular resources, programs, lessons, and school-wide projects that can be applied in multiple ways for varying contexts, ages, situations, and needs.
This intensive collaborative group will meet virtually twice a month. Together, we will produce materials and curricula to share with the field that will include: the latest data, Judaic content, lesson plans, activities, and programs for students, staff, and parents. Heads of school will be invited to join this group periodically to share their perspectives on implementation and training, to help us ground our plans in the practical, and work as a team to develop curriculum that is most effectively relevant and translatable for various contexts. At the conclusion of the collaborative, this work will be published under the names of the participants and be available for the benefit of the field.
Included in this program is the online Reshet (networking) Community for sharing, responding to, and posting ideas, reflections, and resources.
Collaborative participants are also invited to join the monthly sessions with expert speakers from the School Counselor Cohort (see above).
This group will be led, designed, and facilitated by field expert Dr. Oshra Cohen and Prizmah’s Mrs. Rachel Dratch.
Registration Fees
- Prizmah Network Schools: $600 per person for one participant or $400 per person for two or more participants from the same school
- Non-Network Schools: $750 per person for one participant or $400 per person for two or more participants from the same school
- Canadian Prizmah Network Schools: $450 US per person for one participant or $300 US per person for two or more participants from the same school
- Canadian Non-Network Schools: $562.50 US per person for one participant or $300 US per person for two or more participants from the same school
Track #3
The Prizmah School Counselor Alumni Community
Alumni from the school counselor programs, having invested so much in creating communities of practice, are eager to stay connected, access the Reshet Community, and share and post with their peers. Alumni are invited to join five of the monthly sessions with expert speakers from the School Counselor Cohort (see above).
Special for this esteemed group, we will offer at least two open virtual discussions led by our team of facilitators, so alumni can interact face-to-face and discuss topics of their choosing as they reconnect and network.
Registration Fees
- Prizmah Network Schools: $250 per person
- Non-Network Schools: $312.50 per person
- Canadian Prizmah Network Schools: $187.50 US per person
- Canadian Non-Network Schools: $234.38 US per person
Please note: All school counselor conversations are strictly confidential and are not recorded. In addition, we assume shared group rules that we do not share information from the reshet without explicit permission from the sender.
Continuing Education Credits
Number of CE’s Per Series: 4 Credits ( 4 hour Attendance required to earn credits)
Course Level: Intermediate
Level of Clinician: Intermediate
Participants will receive their certificate electronically upon completion of the webinar and course evaluation form.
Issues in School Guidance and Counseling: Re-entry Issues, Stress and School Culture Live Interactive Webninar
With Rona Novick, PhD
This CE activity focuses on effective school guidance in Jewish schools, with a particular sensitivity to the shift in responsibilities, stresses, and expanded role of guidance and counseling in the current Covid environment. Sessions include a focus on all three constituencies in the counselor’s mandate: students, educators, and families. Content in this series will focus on re-entry issues for the new school year, particularly supporting and integrating students and faculty with direct covid trauma. Additionally, consideration of marginalized and at-risk groups and challenges in engagement will be discussed. Strategies to contribute to positive school culture and advance prevention strategies, as well as intervention, will be suggested. Presentations will be complemented with case study discussions to promote application to participants’ work settings.
Dr. Novick is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience with school consultation. She has worked with schools and families on behavior management, anxiety and stress management, bully prevention, and creating positive school environments. Dr. Novick provides supervision for clinicians and professional development for educators.
Learning Objectives:
- Attendees will be able to identify and describe the reasons for anxieties re: return to school with Covid challenges
- Attendees will describe the process of grooming used with victims of sexual abuse.
- Attendees will be able to summarize the common SEL needs and mental health presentations of LGBTQ students, and suicide risk in particular.
- Attendees will describe the process for mandated reporting when suspecting child abuse and/or child neglect
Series I: Effective School Guidance in Jewish Schools - Part I
Guidance and Counseling with Covid Realities – 1 hour total 8/17/21
Agenda
- 10 minutes – participants evaluate their current affective state, consider their own thinking and that of students, teachers, administrators and families as they approach the new school year
- 40 minutes – presentation by Dr. Novick on current Covid realities and stressors for various constituencies.
- 10 minutes – discussion of individuals’ issues and concern
The situational reality:
- Will not be on/off – gradual change
- Will require ongoing assessment
- Will likely require adjustments
Feeling Like Moving Backward:
- Return of mandates – restrictions harder after frequency
- Return of danger/infection/illness
- e-vaccination hopefulness – some cynicism
- apidly changing situation
- Significant fatigue
- Case examples:
- Preschool parent complains of school-anxious child who is now increasingly nervous because of mask mandate – refusing to go
- High school senior refusing to get vaccination and asks therapist to write for exemption. What is uncovered is severe anxiety in general – the vaccination is a red-herring
- Teacher comfortable teaching in-person last year, now very unwilling to return to her school which is in high incidence area and will have a hybrid mode
Matrix of Constituents and Issues
- Guidance Counsellors as decision-making collaborators and sources of information
- Need for self-care
Particular Challenges for Counselors – 3 hours total
LGBTQ students and families 8/25/21
- 10 minutes – introduction of issues
- 35 minutes – consultation with clinical team from Eshel, discussing typical case presentations and social-emotional needs
- 15 minutes – clinical case discussions, counselors presenting examples of challenges and sharing resources to assist in addressing issues
Issues of abuse - mandated reporting 9/4/21
- 10 minutes – review of issues and of mandated reporting guidelines – state differences
- 35 minutes – consultation with Rahel Beyar re: common issues, resources available
- 15 minutes – clinical case discussion, counselors presenting examples of challenges and sharing resources to assist in addressing issues
Practical Applications - Case study discussion including clinical, practical and prevention issues. 10/5/2021
Using a consultancy protocol will discuss actual cases
- 10 minutes – presenter shares a dilemma of practice and a framing question for discussion
- 5 minutes – group asks clarifying questions
- 10 minutes – group asks probing questions
- 20 minutes – presenter steps back and listens to group talk about the issues more thoroughly and discusses other perspectives on the issue
- 10 minutes – Presenter reflects on what he/she heard
- 5 minutes – all participants reflect on take away concepts and practices for their own work
Series II: Issues in School Guidance and Counseling: Challenging Situations and Populations
Dates: 10/19/2021, 11/9,/2021, 1/11/2022, 1/25/2022
A deep exploration of the school experience and counseling needs of marginalized and at-risk student populations. This will include consideration of the needs of s LGBTQ students and families, as well as bullies and victims, and victims of harassment and/or abuse. Child safety and the role of the counselor in both policy and clinical work in cases of abuse will also be explored. The sessions include both presentations of leading research, policy and approaches, as well as case study discussion focusing on practical approaches to prevention and intervention.
- Counselors will know the incidence and prevalence of LGBTQ students in school populations
- Counselors will recognize the signs of grooming of abuse victims within case reports
- Counselors will be able to communicate appropriate behavioral standards for teacher-student relationships
- Counselors will understand the laws and mechanisms for reporting of child abuse
Agenda: Each 1 hour session will follow the following agenda
- 10 minutes – introduction of issues
- 35 minutes – consultation with clinical team from Eshel, discussing typical case presentations and social-emotional needs
- 15 minutes – clinical case discussions, counselors presenting examples of challenges and sharing resources to assist in addressing issues
Series III: Issues in School Guidance and Counseling: Supporting Resilience and Mental Health, Creating Safe Spaces
Dates: 2/8/2021, 3/1/2021, 3/22/2021
This series focuses on the impact of the school counselor in creating safe spaces for all students as well as the unique challenge to create safety for students with any diversity or difference. The role of the counselor in contributing to policies and prevention programming and work with adults (staff & families) to create welcoming school environments that support student growth and mental health will be described. Presentations and case discussions prompt deep understanding of the nature of all students’ mental health and well-being needs.
Learning Objectives:
- Counselors will appreciate their unique role as part of administrative team in creating atmosphere of acceptance of difference, and will learn skills to engage in difficult conversations with administrators
- Counselors will be familiar with growth perspective and positive psychology approaches
- Counselors will learn incidence rates of mental health challenges in schools, including anxiety and depression
- Counselors will identify internal and external resources for students with mental health challenges
Agenda: Each 1 hour session will follow the following agenda
- 10 minutes – introduction of issues
- 35 minutes – consultation with clinical team from Eshel, discussing typical case presentations and social-emotional needs
- 15 minutes – clinical case discussions, counselors presenting examples of challenges and sharing resources to assist in addressing issues
Series IV: Issues in School Guidance and Counseling: Promoting Students’ Safe Decision Making and Inclusion
Dates: 4/5/2021, 5/3/2021, 5/24/2021
This series explores the role of schools and counselors in educating students about potential negative influences such as social media, peer pressure and substance use. Discussion of content and process for prevention programming and interventions will be included as well as professional development approaches counselors may offer faculty. Focus on inclusive practice for the success of diverse students will be explored, including psychoeducation for faculty, families and students, as well as student support structures that allow marginalized and atypical students to integrate and succeed.
Learning Objectives:
- Counselors will learn the psychosocial impact of social media engagement on children
- Counselors will develop approaches to educate students, faculty and families regarding social media impact
- Counselors will learn the impact of social media on particularly vulnerable populations including those with racial, gender, or learning differences
- Counselors will identify resources for addressing negative peer pressure and teaching healthy decision making
Agenda: Each 1 hour session will follow the following agenda
- 10 minutes – introduction of issues
- 35 minutes – consultation with clinical team from Eshel, discussing typical case presentations and social-emotional needs
- 15 minutes – clinical case discussions, counselors presenting examples of challenges and sharing resources to assist in addressing issues
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This program is co-sponsored by NEFESH International and Prizmah: Center for Jewish Day Schools. NEFESH International is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. NEFESH International, maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
Please contact Rachel Dratch to receive your custom link to obtain CE credits
Disability Access: If you require ADA accommodations, please contact our office 30 days or more before the event. We cannot ensure accommodations without adequate prior notification.
Please Note: Licensing Boards change regulations often, and while we attempt to stay abreast of their most recent changes, if you have questions or concerns about this course meeting your specific board’s approval, we recommend you contact your board directly to obtain a ruling.The grievance policy for trainings provided by the NEFESH INTERNATIONAL is available here.
Satisfactory Completion: Participants must have paid the tuition fee, logged in and out each day, attended the entire webinar, and completed an evaluation to receive a certificate (If this is a pre-recorded program, a post-test with a passing grade of 80% to receive a certificate.) Failure to log in or out will result in forfeiture of credit for the entire course. No exceptions will be made. Partial credit is not available. Certificates are available after satisfactory course completion by clicking here.
Cancellation Policy:
- Full refund if withdrawn up to 1 month after start of program
- 50% refund if withdrawn in first 3 months of the program
- 25% refund if withdrawn in first 6 months of the program
There is no conflict of interest or commercial support for this program.
- NEFESH International is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0048.
- NEFESH International is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Mental Health Counselor #MHC-0082
- NEFESH International, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed psychologists #PSY-0116.
- International is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0046