Counselling Services

Counselling Services at Lockport School

A School Counsellor is a skilled helper, a coach, a caring listener, a consultant, a cheerleader, a referral agent, and most importantly, a student advocate. A School Counsellor is one part of the Lockport Student Services Team which also includes Learning Support Teachers, Administrators and other Divisional Clinicians who work together to help students develop the strengths, skills, values and knowledge for everyday life.

Counselling Services at Lockport School could be:

  • Acting as a student advocate, helping them to voice their concerns and needs.
  • Coaching students in order to reach their personal best supporting by supporting with goal setting, planning, etc.
  • Assisting students with the daily challenges of being a teenager such as school and peer related concerns.
  • Responding to referrals from students, parents, and staff to provide individual, group and/or crisis counselling to students.
  • Acting as a liaison and referral agent between parents, school staff, and outside agencies such as therapists, Community Mental Health, Rainbow Resource, etc.
  • Coaching students in making positive and proactive decisions.

Some circumstances where students may seek a School Counsellor are:

  • To build on their strategies to cope with failure, conflict and/or disappointment.
  • To build on their coping strategies to manage stress, and/or anxiety such as an upcoming test, sports team tryouts, etc.
  • A physical or health related concern.
  • Gender and Sexual Identity.
  • To build on their problem-solving skills to navigate relationships with friends and/or romantic relationships.
  • To support student to examine choices related to peer concerns, school etc. in order to make responsible and well thought out decisions.
  • To build on their skills to cope with peer pressure.
  • High School Registration at Lord Selkirk Regional Comprehensive Secondary School.

Confidentiality & Records:

Information from counselling sessions is confidential. However, there are some cases in which confidentially must be broken:

  1. When there is a risk of danger to the student or others
  2. When legal requirements need to take my records (ie. Subpoena)
  3. When students that are in need of protection

Classroom Based Counsellor Education at Lockport School

Each year the school population receives awareness information via classroom presentations, displays, guest speakers, and/or large assemblies. Counsellor based education in classrooms and small groups are typically driven by a Needs Assessment that is given to students in September where they identify which areas they feel they would benefit from support in.

This fall all students in Grade 7 will be taking part in the MindUp Program which is classroom program that provides a curriculum at the intersection of neuroscience, positive psychology, mindful awareness, and Social Emotional Learning (SEL). The aim of MindUP is to help students focus their attention, improve self-regulation skills, build resilience to stress, and develop a positive mindset in school and in life. MindUP creates a positive classroom environment and builds focus, resilience, and compassion in students, enabling them to better regulate emotions in the face of social and academic challenges.

Our Grade 8 students will be taking part in Canadian Mental Health Association's Speak Up program. Speak Up uses an evidence-based approach which works toward 3 goals: increasing students' knowledge about mental health and mental illness, breaking down stigma towards people living with mental health problems and illnesses, and increasing students' help seeking behaviours. Providing mental health literacy is an important foundation for young people in understanding mental health and mental illness, developing empathy, and knowing how to get help early if and when they need it.

Our Grade 9 students will be taking part in 3 Teen Talk Workshops during the school year. The workshop topics are directly related to the outcomes in the Manitoba Physical Education curriculum including, Sexual and Reproductive Health, STI's and HIV and Mental Health. Prior to Grade 10 registration students are introduced to the MyBlueprint program. This program uses an inquiry-based design that follows a comprehensive education and career planning process that meets the learning needs, interests, and aspirations of all students.

How to Contact the Counsellor:

Students: If you would like to meet with the counsellor, drop by my office to make an appointment. If the door is closed, please fill out an appointment card and pop it in the mail slot in the office door. Referrals are responded to in order of urgency.

Parents: If you have a concern about your child and would like to consult with me, please contact me by phone (204-757-9881) or email ([email protected]). I will help in any way that I am able to.

Thank you and take care,

Robyn Eidse

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