Counseling
Counseling Services
The fundamental role of the school counselor at Holy Child is to provide a confidential, non-judgmental space for students to discuss issues of concern for them and to collaborate with all Holy Child constituencies to support every student’s academic and social/emotional growth. Consistent with our belief in developing the whole student, we offer counseling services and programs for students in the Middle and Upper Schools. Services include private individual counseling as well as health and wellness classes. Both are directed by our full-time counselor, Elizabeth Billett.
Ms. Billett has expertise in working with students, families, teachers, and other educators in a wide variety of settings. In addition to working directly with students, she makes referrals to different school support services or appropriate professionals and provides confidential consulting to families for finding such resources.
Ms. Billett utilizes a strengths-based approach that meets the girls where they are with the goal of helping students resolve social and emotional difficulties that emerge around friendships, peer pressure, identity, stress, conflict, and the every-day challenges of home and school. Ms. Billett’s open-door policy welcomes students, parents, and all members of the Holy Child community.
Class Meetings
The purpose of the class meetings program is to provide a safe place for students to discuss and implement positive solutions to social and emotional issues with the help of their peers and under the guidance of an experienced adult. To that end, class meetings are the focal point of the Middle School counseling curriculum, and all students from 6th through 8th grades participate in a class meeting once a week. Class meetings provide an opportunity for small groups of students to discuss issues impacting the students’ lives and to develop communication skills, self-advocacy skills, and an understanding of their values and emotions. These meetings address additional topics such as drug and alcohol abuse, human sexuality, and cyber-safety. Class Meetings are a vehicle that allows students to explore the complexities of the middle-school years and early adolescence in a safe and trusting environment.
The Upper School Advisory Program
The Advisory Program at Holy Child aligns a student with one designated, supportive adult ally to be with her throughout the high school experience to help guide her primarily in her academic pursuits. Each student is assigned to an advisory group as a freshman, usually of no more than ten girls, led by a faculty member; she retains this same advisor throughout her four years. This gives her a consistent liaison between other teachers and administrators, as well as an advocate and sounding board for all issues, including social and emotional as we;; as academic. This ongoing support and guidance is another hallmark of Holy Child’s commitment to individual attention for each girl.
Advisory groups meet each day before school in homeroom and during a study period three days a week. Additionally, each month, a themed advisory meeting is scheduled, offering an opportunity to learn about, discuss, or reflect on a variety of issues concerning the academic, social, and emotional well-being of our students.
Helpful Links in Times of Crisis
- The National Association of School Psychologists
Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers - American Psychological Association
Helping Your Children Manage Distress in the Aftermath of a Shooting - The National Association of School Psychologists
A National Tragedy: Helping Children Cope - Massachusetts General Hospital for Children
Talking To Children About A Shooting - Child Mind Institute
Caring For Kids After A School Shooting
