School Counseling in Parochial Schools: An Auto-Ethnography

Abstract

Minimal research has been conducted in parochial schools that focuses school counseling practices and guidance services. An autoethnographic approach was utilized to search for themes within a parochial school counselors’ lived experiences within a parochial setting. Four themes and three sub themes emerged from the data. The identified themes and sub themes indicate a clear emergence of a parochial school counselor’s faith influencing their role and work, school climate systems and structures mitigated a school counselor’s ability to achieve their conceived role, and the limitations of the ASCA National Model’s ability to be infused into a parochial setting.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Helena Stevens

Helena Stevens, PhD, LPC, LSC is a counselor educator, licensed school counselor, and licensed professional counselor. She has been a counselor educator in school counseling training programs for eight years. She has been working as a nonpublic school counselor for three years and continues in her position. Additionally, she has been a practicing school counselor in both brick-mortar schools and virtual schools for the last 10 years with schools in states around the United States. She is a published researcher in school counseling practices, program evaluation, and culturally responsive school counseling practices. This auto-ethnography is from the accounts of her work as school counselor in a parochial setting.

Kyle Ritten

Kyle Ritten, MA, NCC is a doctoral candidate in a counselor education and supervision program. He has a master’s degree in school counseling and has worked in college and career services. He has research experience in the areas of school counseling practices, career counseling, rural schools and community mental health, bullying prevention, and Ecotherapy counseling services.