The Answer - A blog about Education, Preparation, and Commitment.

Behind the Door: The Magic behind the door of a Counselor at YES Prep

February 28, 2011 by Hope Pacheco

A student might walk into their SSCs office for any number of reasons. They might come in after a fight with their parents on the way to school, a break-up with their girlfriend, the death of a relative, the loss of a friendship, the fear of being on RISE for the first time, the list could go on and on. But did you know they also come in to share the name of their new love, to show off their new coin in their coin collection, to talk about the highlights from the movie they saw over the weekend, to share their excitement about the summer program they will be attending or to share their college acceptance letter? What draws a student into their SSCs office changes on an hourly basis, and the SSC is ready for each and every possibility that turns into an opportunity.

I’ve often been asked “what goes on behind the door?” as if it were some kind of secret. What happens behind the door is pure unconditional acceptance of an individual, it is building a relationship with a student, one word at a time, it is listening more than talking, it is being present in the moment, and not rushing through a session, it is acknowledging the “drama” they walk in with is the learning opportunity they walk out with. What happens behind the door is the artful craft of professional social workers and counselors engaging students in their most vulnerable moments and empowering them to work toward solutions when they are ready. What happens behind the door is a glimpse into what works well at YES, what we strive to do every day, it is the living and breathing of one our most important Core Values, Build and Maintain Positive Relationships . The truth is, what happens behind the door isn’t a secret at all, but it is the intentional act of making a difference in the lives of our students, one interaction at a time. Student Support Counselors put our Core Values into actions—every day! How, you ask? Stay tuned to find out. 
 

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