Category: Working In Schools

Therapy has long been used in healthcare to calm minds and address mental stresses in a calming manner. Some school districts have implemented therapy sessions into their counseling services, and this can be an especially beneficial practice for high school students. Often, high school students are burdened with an immense amount of homework, stress from extra-curricular activities, and high level courses. If a student has a tough home life, they may also be battling keeping their family afloat while attending school and trying to keep their grades up.

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Graduation is an exciting time for students, and rightly so; high school students begin looking forward to graduation at the start of their senior year. For students with special needs, graduation is an accomplishment that is not to be underestimated. For therapists and special education teams, tracking a student’s progress toward this goal requires cooperation from the student, their teachers, and their parents. The student’s IEP should reflect clearly defined goals that a student can reach to ascertain their progress toward a diploma. In some cases, schools may award a certificate of IEP outlining that a student has met their IEP goals, but not completed the requirements for a diploma. The decision to let a student depart high school without having received a diploma is discussed heavily by all team members involved in the student’s education.

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There are numerous benefits to having therapy dogs in schools, and the trend is gaining in popularity. Therapy dogs are specifically trained and certified, spanning many breeds of dog. There is no one size fits all therapy dog, and each is unique. Many schools are choosing to bring therapy dogs in for their students and staff, due to the many positives of having a dog accessible during the day. These can range from stress reduction, better behavior, less anxiety, and even encourages students to share their thoughts and feelings, or for some--speak more than they had in years.

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Caseloads continue to grow for school-based therapists as more and more children are identified as being in need of services. While caseload only takes into account the number of students seen by each therapist, the amount of work involved will vary widely based on each student's needs. School districts may or may not take workload into consideration when students are added to a therapist's caseload. Here are some tips for school-based therapists on how to manage large caseloads:

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