Counseling Services
Why would I want to see a Counselor?
The counselors at IMSA understand that not all students have had a positive
experience with members of the counseling profession. We also understand
that IMSA students can be very independent people who often pride themselves
on finding solutions to their own problems. Most IMSA Kids
will talk
to each other before seeking out a trusted adult or mental health professional.
This informal helping network
is an extremely important part of the residential
life experience at IMSA and we encourage our students to take full advantage
of peer and adult relationships. Often times, the decision to see
a counselor is made during a crisis situation or after an extended period of
emotional pain, problems or confusion. This can be a humbling experience in
which the student sometimes feels ashamed or embarrassed that they need help
from an outside source. More often than not, mental health is a decision
that is enhanced by admitting a need for assistance. The process of counseling
is designed to meet that need.
Research supports the obvious*: gifted students have the same basic counseling needs, issues and concerns that other students have. However, gifted students may experience additional needs stemming from their abilities. These would include some of the following:
- Difficulty with ownership of their abilities and feeling as if they must prove themselves to teachers, peers and parents;
- Self-doubt;
- Having plans and desires that compete with those of their parents and teachers, resulting in students' feeling pushed by the demands of others;
- Having an overwhelming number of options presented to them;
- Gifted children experience stress more intensely than their peers do;
- Feelings of depression and sadness are often more existential in nature
than related to a specific situation. They frequently experience a
crisis of meaning
; - Because gifted children tend to seek perfection, they tend to be overly critical of themselves, resulting in feelings of inadequacy; and
- Gifted children engage in negative self-talk beginning at early ages that results in greater stress and often become concerned with problems that are beyond their control, causing feelings of helplessness.
(*Adapted from Shelly, RW; Getz, HG; Mathai, CM; Defining Counselor Roles and Functions in a National Consortium School: A New Paradigm. NCSSSMST Journal. May 2002. Pp. 9-14.)
When should I see a Counselor?
Seeing an IMSA counselor is a personal decision. Some students come to the counselors for a few meetings to help clarify their thinking, check in about specific issues in their lives, or just talk with someone who is willing to listen. Other kids come in for one session just to see if talking about the issue or concern would help, or to get a second opinion separate from their other resources. Sometimes they come in with a friend and sometimes a friend brings them in. Students often seek out the counselors when issues or concerns affect their academic performance, or when they are experiencing specific academic stresses and difficulties. A good rule of thumb is if you are thinking about talking with someone or another person suggests you talk to someone, that is the time to go in. When your usual ways of handling a situation no longer seem productive, your usual coping strategies don't seem to be working that well, you feel like you're in a vicious circle, or just plain feel like things are not getting better, that is the time to talk. Talking about a situation before it turns into a major crisis is a great way to enhance self-esteem and build effective coping mechanisms.