As a school counselor, I prefer a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach to therapy. This theory asserts that one's thoughts and behaviors are the result of schema that was learned and reinforced throughout one's life. The counselor's goal is to help clients identify their negative schemas and replace them with more rational ones (Corey, 2010). CBT allows for a collaborative relationship between counselor and client as they work together to establish goals and choose interventions.

CBT has been applied sucessfully in school settings on a global scale (Shucksmith, Summerbell, Jones, & Whittaker, 2007; Waddell, Peters, Hua, McEwan, 2007; Ruini, Belaise, Brombin, Caffo, & Fava, 2006). It has proven effective in treating many youth mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, body image and eating disorders, and panic disorders (Ackerson, Scogin, McKendree-Smith & Lyman, 1998; Renaud et al., 1998; Compton, et. al., 2004; Little, Akin-Little, & Gutierrez, 2009). By giving the client an active role in the therapeutic process, children and teens feel less bossed around and more  in control of their own plans and progress (Friedberg & McClure, 2002). CBT can even be applied with time-constraints (Weersing, Gonzalez, Campo & Lucas, 2008), which compliments the busy schedule and heavy case load of the average school counselor.  It is also easily adaptable to individual, group, and family therapy settings (Corey, 2010), which is helpful when addressing relational and family issues.

Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is a branch of CBT. The premise of REBT is that irrational beliefs can be traced back to a specific event and/or trigger that results in emotional and psychological consequences for the client.  The counselor and client work together to locate this source and challenge the associated irrational beliefs.

I believe that individuals, young and old, have the power to create the changes they need in their lives and heal themselves.  As a school counselor, I use CBT to empower my students to apply self-awareness, confront their negative schema, and develop reasoning skills that will follow them into adulthood.

               References

               Ackerson, J., Scogin, F., McKendree-Smith, N. & Lyman, R.D. (1998). Cognitive bibliotherapy for mild and moderate adolescent

      depressive symptomatology. Journal of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, 66, 685-690.

               Compton, S. N., March, J. S., Brent, D., Albano, A. M., Weersing, V. R., & Curry, J. (2004). Cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy for anxiety

      and depressive disorders in children and adolescents: An evidence-based medicine review. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry,      43, 930-959.

               Corey, Gerald. (2010). Theory and Practice of Counseling and Psychotherapy (8th Edition). Thomson Brooks/Cole, Belmont, CA.

               Friedberg, R. D., & McClure, J. M. (2002). Clinical practice of cognitive behavioral therapy with children and adolescents: The nuts and

     bolts. New York: Guilford.

               Little, S.G., Akin-Little, A., & Gutierrez, G. (2009). Children and traumatic events: Therapeutic techniques for psychologists working in the

     schools. Psychology in the schools, 46(3), 199-205.

               Reanud, J., Brent, D. A., Baugher, M., Birmaher, B., Kolko, D.J., & Bridge, J. (1998). Rapid response to psychosocial treatment for

     adolescent depression: A two-year follow-up. Journal of  the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 37, 1184-1190.

               Ruini, C., Belaise, C., Brombin, C., Caffo, E., & Fava, G. A. (2006). Well-being therapy in school settings: a pilot study. Psychotherapy and

     Psychosomatics, 75(6), 331-336.

               Shucksmith, J., Summerbell, C., Jones, S., & Whittaker, V. (2007). Mental wellbeing of children in primary education (targeted/indicated

     activities). London: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

               Waddell, C., Peters, R. V., Hua, R. M. & McEwan, K. (2007). Preventing mental disorders in children: a sys-tematic review to inform policy-

     making. Canadian Review of Public Health, 98, 166–173.

               Weersing, V. R., Gonzalez, A., Campo, J. V., & Lucas, A. N. (2008). Brief behavioral therapy for pediatric anxiety and depression: Piloting an

     integrated treatment approach. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 15(2), 126-139.