Public School Counselor
Public school counselors work with elementary, middle, and secondary school students, including those with academic and social development issues and those with special needs. They advocate for students as they work with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal, and social development of children and youths.
Public school counselors help students evaluate their own abilities, interests, talents, and personality characteristics in order to develop realistic academic and career goals. Counselors use interviews, counseling sessions, interest and aptitude assessment tests, and other methods to evaluate and advise students. They may also operate career information centers and career education programs.
Public school counselors consult and collaborate with parents, teachers, school administrators, school psychologists, medical professionals, and social workers to develop and implement strategies that help students achieve success in the education system. Emphasizing preventive and developmental counseling, they provide students with the life skills needed to deal with problems before they occur and to enhance students’ personal, social, and academic growth.
Several programs at JFK University support your interest in becoming a public school counselor.
JFKU’s Graduate School of Professional Psychology (GSPP) offers the PsyD degree, as well as the MA degree program in Counseling Psychology with specializations in addiction studies, child and adolescent therapy, couples and family therapy, expressive arts therapy, and sport psychology. You are also prepared for future practice as a California-licensed marriage and family therapist (MFT). The MA in Organizational Psychology teaches both theory and practice for the field of organizational change. Our certificate program in Coaching fosters the skills you need to enable your clients to achieve the dreams and objectives in their personal and professional lives. The MA in Sport Psychology program, one of only a few in the United States, integrates counseling psychology with sport psychology to explore areas such as optimal performance, coaching techniques, social issues, and substance abuse, in addition to child, adolescent, and family counseling.
The School of Education and Liberal Arts (SELA) at JFK University offers several programs that may be useful to professionals who are interested in becoming public school counselors: a BA in Psychology; a BA in Science, Health, and Living Systems; a BA in Social Ecology; teaching credentials; and a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT).
Related programs from JFKU’s School of Holistic Studies (SHS) serve professionals interested in counseling with a holistic, whole-person approach that integrates body, mind, spirit, and culture into the curriculum. The MA in Counseling Psychology offers three specializations: somatic psychology, transpersonal psychology, and holistic studies that integrates somatic and transpersonal approaches. Clinical practice opportunities are offered through the Center for Holistic Counseling in Oakland. Additional holistic programs include the MA in Holistic Health Education and the MA in Integral Psychology.
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